I enjoyed your story. Most of it I can rate to exactly.
Thanks it brought back memories of my Dad. He too fought at 18 in WW2. Started in North Africa.

He and your Dad were children of the depression, other than 1 pre 64 M 70 in 270 he only had what was for the time less expensive guns.

Then I had to shed some tears, my Dad spent his last year in a Veterans Home not knowing who he or I was except for one thing. When he was in early dementia I went on an Elk and bear hunt in Colorado. In some thick brush a big boar black bear was growling and snapping his jaws to run me off. I dropped my day pack and coat. I went in after him. At some point he ran out the back side.

When althiemers was at its worst it hurt me bad to go see him. My wife held my hand while I cried and died inside.

At some point in those last 6 months he never seemed to recognize me but started saying Bear, bear, bear. After the 2nd time I would tell him the bear story, he calmed down and held my hand. I guess it's the only way he could let me know he knew who I was.