Exactly, my dad liked to tell people he flew whiskey and nurses; that is if he told anyone anything until he got a lot older. They didn’t talk much about that war. And he wouldn’t eat rice for the rest of his life.
My Dad (RIP) didn’t mind telling war stories. Although the most exciting it ever got was shooting at sharks (he was on a minesweeper in the Pacific). He said they all hoped to use their depth charges on a sub - but never got the chance.
My one Uncle was a bombadeer on a B-17 and completed the maximum 25 missions over Germany. Only found that out at his funeral. Another uncle still living was a electonics guy/ flight controller and was on Iwo Jima on D+3 getting the air field set up. At least that's what my mom tells me.