re: What's the closest you or a family member has been to a part of history?

While serving in the navy during WWII, my dad was standing next to Butch O'Hare and the EO of the USS Enterprise, while there was a heated discussion between the two, minutes before Butch took off on his final fatal flight.

For those that don't know Butch was a Medal of Honor recipient, and O'Hare Airport in Chicago is named after him. Butch's dad had worked for Al Capone, and was instrumental in Capone going to prison for tax evasion.