My dad was 8th AF in WW2 and has ribbons from all three theaters(Europe, Pacific and America). He talked about but he mostly talked about the house boy he had in North Africa, all the surfing and beer, A-20 pilot training to keep from going to the Pacific and how much food they stole from the Navy on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. I have a picture of him on a camel with the Sphinx in the background.
All his friends were war heroes and they all envied him because he never shot at anyone.
My father got malaria while he was in North Africa. Usually it's fatal but my dad was a young, strong man and survived.
However, malaria damages the heart and my dad died BEFORE his time.