Coeur d'Alene artist was 3 when nine uncles safely came home from WWII
Greg Chapleski, 82, of Coeur d'Alene, holds his Uncle Dan Sarnecki's World War II helmet Dec. 16 while discussing a special 1945 Christmas Eve when all of his nine uncles who fought in the war came home. Chapleski's Uncle Dan was in the U.S. Army Air Corps and stationed in the European Theatre.
DEVIN WEEKS/Press
In his Coeur d'Alene home office and studio Dec. 16, Greg Chapleski shares memories from Christmas Eve 1945. He was only 3 when all nine of his uncles returned home from World War II, which Chapleski captured in a short piece he wrote, "A Christmas to Remember, 1945."
DEVIN WEEKS/Press
Four of Greg Chapleski's mom's brothers who fought in World War II are pictured here in a clip from a Polish newspaper May 20, 1944. Five of his dad's brothers also fought in the war. All nine of the uncles came home and a grand celebration was held Christmas Eve, 1945. Maternal uncles, from left: Florian Sarnecki, Ted Sarnecki, Ed Sarnecki and Dan Sarnecki.
Courtesy photo
"Uncle" was a strange concept to Greg Chapleski when he was a little boy.
As a 3-year-old in 1945, he only really knew aunts and cousins. His uncles were stationed around the globe, fighting in World War II.
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