KC John

That day I had been water skiing all day in the hudson river with some friends. Later on we headed down the hudson on his boat to drink, get stoned and watch the fireworks. Ah, those were the days.

MrPandy

I love a topic that makes me feel young! I was 13 and I'm pretty sure I walked uptown to see our town's parade and then to the high school for the fireworks display. Forty years later, I'm still in the same small town with a parade and fireworks on the 4th of July (but the fireworks had to move to the other side of town thanks to fears of burning the high school's fancy-schmancy artificial turf football field).

Jimmy Neutron

Married, 22 yrs old... Driving a red '69 Camaro (2 best friends had '65 and '66 Mustangs). Probably was in Myrtle Beach on vacation. Around that time I had decided to return to college at WV Tech. Later, in August, I was driving the "hugger" to Montgomery (too fast of course) and tangled with a tri-axel Brockway head on... He won. I was lucky boy that day... Someone was watchin' out for me.

Jimmy L. Blakely

stationed at Sinop, Turkey compliments of the Air Force keeping an eye on the Russians. I came back conus Aug. or Sept. and bought a 70 Chevelle hardtop for $1000 and Nov. - Dec. 74 bought my 1st Corvette - a 65 roadster wrecked for $800 from a guy that lived in my hometown.

MarkC

I was probably offshore fishing for White Marlin. My oldest son was 3 weeks old and I was driving a 1970 Pontiac Grand Prix SJ. I was 4 years into the USMCR and employed my a major insurance company. My best friend had a silver 65 coupe with the L79 which I enjoyed. I had just bought my second home and had to rent out my first home because of the economy.

The economy in 1974 had gone south. Gas prices increased from about .50 cents a gallon to $1.50. In the spring, there were huge lines for gas and you were lucky to get 5 gallons. Watergate and the war dominated the news. It kind of reminds me of today.

futura

Just completed my associates degree and was off to a four year college in Connecticut. Driving my lifted and hot rodded Fathom blue 1960 Corvette at the time. Those were the days.

59BlueSilver

Well, let's see. I've been married 7 years now to a great gal and my one & only. My only son is 4 months old, living in Arlington in our first new house that cost $18,100. Working as a pricing analyst to a major corp. making $5500/yr. Driving a '65 Impala 4 dr. and a '50 Chevy pickup I bought for $80.
Six families on our block pooled our fireworks on that day and we had a terrific display that lasted till midnight.
Life was pretty simple then and not so long ago!

savewave

I know I had recently bought my first Corvette -- an orange '73 L-82 coupe, but my memories of 7/4/76 are more vivid. I drove the Corvette to Washington, Philadelphia and Boston to celebrate the Bicentennial. Saw the opening of the Air & Space Museum, parade and fireworks in Philadelphia and the arrival of the tall ships from Long Wharf at Boston Harbor.

Frankie the Fink

I was in Sinop in '73 (Army ELINT not COMINT) so I never worked the 'Hippodrome'. Had to travel all the way across Turkey by myself when my Dad broke his neck in an auto accident to fly home on emergency leave. I was only there 5-6 months.... Landed in Norfolk, Va in dress uniform and some long-haired gnome asked me, "...how many babies did you kill?"

If I wasn't so tired I would have punched his pinko @ss out. Of course now every military clerk typist and computer nerd is a "hero" -- yeah right ? Dodge some mortar round and then talk to me...

I never did so I'm no hero either!

vettebuyer6369

Summer of '74? Just finished High School and was feverishly training for my first year of NCAA college hockey at Boston State.

Wow that was a long time ago,

Also remember being interested in the release of the exotic gull wing Bricklin that year.

65air_coupe

I can't remember July 4th, '74 specifically...probably due to a mixture of Boone's Farm and weed! I was in my full on hippie mode, long hair, sandals and driving a VW camper van. I'd finished my stint in the Army in '71 and went back to school, driving a semi during the day and carrying a full time load at night, racing motocross on weekends. Good times!

raypilot65

Already had 3 years under my belt as a deckhand on Coastal tankers. I'm still at it today but I'm the Captain now. I was out hurt after surgery on my knee for a torn meniscus. Had a cast on my right leg, but that did not stop me from driving my 63 Volvo P1800, 4 speed with overdrive. Threw the cast into the passenger side and the left foot did double duty. Got really good at it. Oh yeah, I was self medicating.

jackson 63

I was in the Air Force stationed at Plattsburgh AFB New York. I already had my 63 SWC for 4 years. I still have it today.

maxgood

Air Force was 7 years behind me, working for the summer for Burroughs Corp as a Field Engineer on their B-3500 mainframe systems before my last semester of College. Driving a 1968 big V-8 AMC Javelin.

Thought it was a good time for me but little did I know my now ex wife was going to leave me in September. Still finished my Degree but times were tough and my future plans were altered big time.

hugh9222

I was in Mesa, AZ. I was home for the 4th taking a break from a real estate development I was involved in in Santa Fe, NM. I was 2 years out from quitting my job with North American Rockwell at NASA, Clear Lake, TX. I brought my gunmetal gray 340 SWC from TX and sadly I sold it later this summer. I lost $300, selling it for $1,300. Talk of being stupid, but I was going for the big ducks in Santa Fe.

abdo

I was 33 and purchased a retail hardware store including all the inventory, fixtures and building. I went into debt farther than I thought I could ever get out of. I borrowed from my father, brother-in-law, SBA and the local bank. Paid the entire debt off in 10 years of business and ended up with a pretty good chunk of money. In '74 I was driving a 1971 Plymouth Duster, gold and white. The only thing I hated about it was the cheap interior vinyl. Didn't get my first Corvette until 11 years later.

Mike Terry

I had been married for just over a year and wife (I still have her) were living in an apartment on the south side of Indianapolis IN. and I was working for Chrysler making pretty good money for the time.

champs65

I was just turning four...and since it's summer I was probably trying to figure out how to start our pushmower and riding lawn mower without Dad not finding out.

Sometimes I succeeded...Anyone remember pushmowers that didn't have a rope recoil on top, but a ratcheting lever you flipped over, wound up and released? One time I got it to start and forgot to put the dipstick back in and couldn't figure out how to shut it off!

Went better than I expected...

tjstarduster

I had graduated from USAF pilot training in 1972 and strapped an F-100 SUPER SABRE on my peach-fuzz butt. I spent the next several years dropping MK82 "snakeye" 500 pounders and firing several thousand rounds of 20MM(HE&AP). I was too busy with fast jets to mess with Corvettes, that came later after I settled down!

Mark_Milner

I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday and you want me to remember 40 years ago?