Is there a file manager that will preserve the original date and time .....

[greenisland]

Thank you both very much for your suggestions.  This has bothered me for quite a while but I let it just hang in the back of my mind as a mystery of linux without following up to track down the problem.  At least now that I know that this really is an issue with the operating systems, rather than the way I was using Thunar, I can get past the psychological barrier.

Thanks!