Part 1, Chapter 2 Summary

The following morning at 0400, the ships begin bombarding Anopopei as the soldiers prepare for the landing. Martinez is terrified, almost paralyzed with fear and sure that something terrible will happen to him. Sergeant Croft reassures the men that nothing will go wrong.

The disembarkation process is slow, taking several hours, and the men become impatient. The tension of waiting builds up, and they want to get it over with, although they are afraid of what will happen to them. They try to give each other confidence, joking and laughing nervously. As the landing craft approach the beach, Croft watches Hennessey, and is suddenly certain that Hennessey will be killed that day. Then he recalls that he was wrong about the poker game the previous evening. The men land safely on the beach and Martinez is surprised to find that nothing has...