The Killing Zone: My Life in the Vietnam War Setting & Symbolism

The Killing Zone: My Life in the Vietnam War Objects/Places

Pleiku

Pleiku is a city in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam and the site of the main base of the 4th Division, the larger unit to which Lt. Downs belongs.

C-130 Cargo plane

The C-130 is a cargo or transport plane that Lt. Downs takes to get to Pleiku.

Dinks

Dink is a term used by the people in Lt. Downs's unit to describe Vietcong, North Vietnamese Army people and ultimately all Vietnamese. Other battalions use the term gooks for enemy or in general for Vietnamese.

Montezuma Mountain, Duc Pho

Montezuma Mountain is a hill towering over the coast and by the village of Duc Pho. This is where the Battalion command post is for Lt. Downs. Duc Pho is a village near the coast and Montezuma Mountain, where the battalion has their headquarters.

The Jungle

The jungle is the thickly-vegetated area in the Central Highlands where Vietcong and NVA hide out, concealed from American aircraft. Lt....
(read more)