It’s really no wonder the “greatest generation“ was also known as the “can do” generation. Those guys who fought in the war came home knowing stuff and built America. My grandfather fought in WW2, he was a machinist in the Navy onboard a Destroyer. I remember he could do anything around the house, he was a jack of all trades. His brother in law came home from the war and became a very locally prominent home builder. He could build very high quality custom homes. I think it was Thomas Edison who said “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” The WW2 generation got dirty and seized opportunity.