The Naval battles were incredible and brutal. Entire ships were blown up with the loss of most on board. Fire on a ship is a nightmare in peace time. Fire on a ship when the enemy is shelling you or bombing you would have to be an incredible nightmare that stayed with the survivors the rest of their life.
The bombing missions over Europe took an incredible toll. Actual land invasions in Italy and Normandy were won by sheer bravery by our guys on the land and those supporting them from the air and the sea.
This is not to take away from those who served after WWII, but these guys were as you noted, THE GREATEST GENERATION!