Chapter 9 Summary

Caputo returns to Danang after his training in Japan and nestles in at Company Headquarters. However upon returning to C Company's camp to retrieve items he stored there before leaving for Japan, he is greeted by a somber, distant mood from his old platoon. After a brief period, he discovers that Sullivan was killed by an enemy sniper while filling canteens at the riverfront. This is C Company's first casualty, and it hits them all like a slap in the face. Caputo is left alone on his trip back to headquarters. All through dinner, he ponders over death. He thinks of Sullivan, himself and his men.

Chapter 9 Analysis

Although Caputo and his men have been hit with the lesson of their own mortality time and time again, this seems to be a hard lesson for them to learn. Now with the first casualty...