I just finished it, myself. Is your friend still living? Maybe share this with him?
This type of material should be shared with every middle school history class.... to hopefully offset some of the social justice spin crap that they likely hear every day.
He has died. When he came back he joined the Army Reserve and served in Korea. After that two wars were enough and he went into banking. He married after WW II and they were together 72 years. He was truly one of the great of the Greatest Generation.