In 1964, U.S. Marine Peter Optekar, stationed at Camp Lejeune military base in North Carolina, met the woman of his dreams.

“I said to the Marine lieutenant sitting next to me, ‘See that beautiful girl whirling on the dance floor? I’m going to marry her!’” Optekar said. “The chase was on. We were married at the Camp Lejeune Chapel and soon had a baby boy on the way. Love was in the air, and excitement was high.”