Other than my mom, Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney
My Dad. Surviving WWII from Dunkirk to North Africa. Sicily, Italy. Wounded just south of Monte Casino. Sent to Malta to recover. From there attached to a Gurka unit that went to Malaya and Singapore. Only ever saw him cry once. During the remembrance parade on the anniversary of El Alamein.
I never knew his story till I was 13 or 14. When I saw him cry that day.Wow....the greatest generation. Awesome.
Mind you, Bob Conrad's portrayal of Boyington in the TV series was also influential.