In terms of a span of years, when do you place the "Greatest Generation"?

[Stearmen]

I've heard it said that the generation born roughly 1927 - 1940 is known as "the silent generation" as they were too young to be part of "the greatest generation" but too old to be considered "boomers". My parents were born 1930 and 31, married in 1952, young adults in the 50's and 60's, had me in 1972 (talk about a generation gap). They were on the cusp between two distinct generations and I've never really known where to place them.

My mother was born in 1927, and most of the boys in her class fought in WWII. They turned 18 in 45, and a lot joined when they were 17. Sad to see how many in that little class died in the waning days of the war!

 

[Inkstainedwretch]

You're mother would have turned 18 in 1950! Elvis did not hit it big until late 54 early 55. It's just like the 70s, every one thinks it was all Disco all the time, but, in reality, both Rock & Roll and Disco, were the end of those respective decades!

Same with "the Sixties." What everyone pictures as the sixties was the late 60s-early 70s. That was the hippie-antiwar demonstration, psychedelic era. This last weekend I went to my 50th year high school reunion. 1965 in north Texas where I lived was still in the tag end of the 50s. Some of what we would later think of as "the 60s" was taking place on the West Coast in places like Berkeley, but in the rest of America that stuff wouldn't get going for another couple of years. We were just beginning to get the music, though.

 

[emigran]

I don't think that I could tag on an age that defines the "Greatest Generation." I have always viewed all Americans during that time as "The Greatest Generation." Yes, it is a term that Brokaw penned, but I think that it is fitting. It was a time when all Americans sacrificed to win the war. Can you imagine today's society rationing anything, let alone gas and food? People were willing to do whatever it took to make sure we won the war. We look to that generation as what America was and what they built it up to be. That generation would eventually put a man on the Moon.

Would that generation ever consider themsleves the "Greatest Generation?" No, because they didn't know what they were doing at the time would impact the world and humanity.

Keerectamundo... no one today would tolerate any kind of rationing... I was actually just thinking about this quite recently how the culture and society of that time were united to win the war. I always had it that it was just a collective consciousness that "coined' the phrase.

And I really like the phrase SWING GENERATION... and keep hearing the Andrew Sisters...

 

[MisterCairo]

Speaking of rationing, our ship is at sea on EX TRIDENT JUNCTURE, five days out of last port, 18 to go before the next - and they just announced cigarette rationing of one pack every other day from the ship's canteen.

Among the smokers (I am not among them), you'd think we were rationing water....

I'll miss fresh fruit and veg - in about a week's time...

 

[Fading Fast]

Speaking of rationing, our ship is at sea on EX TRIDENT JUNCTURE, five days out of last port, 18 to go before the next - and they just announced cigarette rationing of one pack every other day from the ship's canteen.

Among the smokers (I am not among them), you'd think we were rationing water....

I'll miss fresh fruit and veg - in about a week's time...

How does the military handle the smoking / no smoking divide - can smokers smoke anywhere in the ship (that isn't dangerous to the ship) or are they restricted to certain rooms or only on deck?