Memories and Pseudo-memories

Imagine that your grandchild, a friend or a reporter found out that you were a U.S. Marine in WWII, who survived the Iwo Jima operation and decided you were worthy of an interview. In addition, your life leading up to that event and the years following it would also prove interesting enough to prompt exploration because being a skinny Jewish kid and a Marine seemed so incongruous.

The grandchild, the friend, the reporter didn't materialize except in my own head and the prompting came from my...