jacklee, may I say (as a Yank) how greatly appreciated you and your generation are over here. We're losing WWII vets at a rate of about 1,200 a day. The day will come when I won't be able to have the long conversations with men and women who made my way of life possible.
It's one thing to look back on all the events with the surety of knowing the outcome... as opposed to those, like yourself, that served and endured without knowing from day to day what would happen.
I've three living uncles (all brothers) that served in the South Pacific Theatre... one was in the U.S. Army, one was a Marine and the youngest was a Seabee... Naval Construction Regiment (Construimus, Batuimus -- "We Build, We Fight."
In early-mid 1944, they all were the island of Saipan (Battle of the Marianas) and actually met up. I thoroughly enjoyed their stories, but their grandchildren (and great-grandchildren) don't seem to have a respect for the tremedous history right at their hands... pity.
At any rate... thank you!