2. • Richie Perry lives in Bronx, New York. He lives
with his mother and little brother Kenny.
• Perry is a very bright student. And despite his
teachers encouraging to go to college, he joins
the army to support his family.
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3. • Perry was originally suppose to go to Germany
but was shipped off to Vietnam. There, his
best friend is Peewee Gates.
• They both hear and believe in the rumors that
the Vietnam War is going to end soon.
However, they still have along way to go.
4. • Despite having an “easy job” they encounter
terrible situations. On their first patrol, a
trooper is killed by a land mine.
• Perry tries to write to his family, but can’t put
the truth down.
5. • In a patrol, Perry is wounded and sent to a
hospital for a peaceful recuperating.
• After he is declared healthy, he is temporarily
sent to another squad as his original is on duty.
This squad is used for heavy duty patrol. And
during one particular patrol, the team is split into
two. Perry’s side mistakes the rest of the team as
the enemy. And they open fire. This episode left
Perry scared as he stared at the wounded men on
the ground.
6. • When Perry is finally transferred back, he is
regrouped with his friends. He returns to find
their leader was sent back to the States. And their
new leader, Sgt. Dongan, is racist towards blacks.
He makes every black do the dangers jobs.
• However, the squad, glad to have a friendly face
back, bonds together and repels Sgt. Dongan’s
racist acts.
7. • On a patrol, the squad is ambushed by a group
of Vietcong. They make it all out alive, except
for Dongan. They then get a new commander,
someone from their own squad, Brunner.
• Their patrols are all fine until a patrol at night.
8. • The squad is walking up a river when they’re
ambushed by an entire battalion of enemy
troops. Outnumbered, their leader calls a full
retreat. However, Perry and Peewee are
separated from the squad.
• With nothing else to do, they hole up and hope
that the enemy doesn’t find them. They wait until
nightfall to make their escape.
9. • They escape unnoticed but when they get to the air
where a chopper is suppose to meet them, they run
into a problem. A fellow trooper from their squad is
found tied to a tree. Although they can’t see them,
they know that the enemy has set up a trap. Once the
chopper arrives, the friends and the chopper unleash
all they have to save themselves. While they all get
back safely, Perry and Peewee are injured, badly.
10. • Perry and Peewee are injured badly in this
firefight.
• They are declared unable to continue service so
they are sent home, in an airplane with coffins.
• Despite this ugly ending, they both are glad to be
back in the States. Perry has raised enough
money for his brother Kenny to go to school.
