I understand what the man believes, trust me. I’ve known dozens of men who have been through combat and everyone of them were never comfortable about talking about it or never reveled in it’s horror. They always said “The real heroes are the guys who never came back’’. I learned at a very early age to be quietly respectful of veterans and never to be showy in thanking them.
I always remember the words of Dick Winters.
“One day my grandson said to me, grandpa were you a hero in the war? And i said to him no I’m not a hero, but I have served in a company full of them.”