[jhenry]

About the very youngest WWII vets are 84+ years old. Most living WWII vets are pushing 90 or better. We should thank them in person whenever we can for what they did for the world.

That bit aside, what the gentleman did in pulling a loaded firearm in a public place without a legitimate reason to do so, without an invitation to do so, and then to manipulate the firearm by unloading it, was foolish and irresponsible.

Being a WWII vet, does not in any way make a person a competent gun owner, or even a safe one or a good shot. No more than being a vet from any other conflict does. Many draftees had never been exposed to guns except for the ones they were issued and never viewed them the way we do here. My own father was a WWII and Korea vet who could tell you all the weapons he trained on just like he could tell you where he traveled. They were just loud tools. When I handed him a 1911 a few years ago (He has since passed), my dad remembered the bullets went in the grip somehow, that's about it. He had zero interest in firearms. On the other hand he COULD vividly tell you what not to do when messing with an M1 rifle. He would then proceed to tell all about getting M1 thumb. A vivid memory apparently.