Chapter 21, "Death and Ice Cream" Summary

The next morning, Willie watches the assault boats storm the beach, the tanks and Marines swarm forward, the Japanese return file, and Marines die. He turns on the short-wave radio and eavesdrops on men in tanks. At lunch, while he is pouring thick chocolate sauce over his ice cream, the silverware and glasses rattle from an explosion. Willie, Keefer, and Jorgensen run topside in time to see the main Japanese ammunition dump explode. They are sitting and eating ice cream while the Marines invade Namur a few thousand yards away. Keefer retorts that war is a business in which a lot of people watch a few people be killed and are glad it is not them. Tomorrow they will be sweeping mines in the lagoon and the islands will be secured. The Marines...