Chapter 16 Summary

An Hoa combat base is home to the Twenty-Fifth Marines. Bagger and Cannonball arrive and enter the tent of the First Commander. They are being given R&R, but the Commander tells them to shower, shave, and get haircuts first, to which they are glad to do. They make their way to the transient tent first, which is occupied by new guys, guys coming back from R&R, and other guys who work at the Twenty-Fifth.

Bagger is approached by an old friend, Stretch, who has just returning from Japan. He had hookworm and Bagger thought it was just a stomachache. Bagger laughs at him. Stretch tells Cannonball that Homicide is back, to which Cannonball smiles. Apparently he got out of the hospital, but instead of coming back to the bush, he shacked up with a whore and was caught. He's back for...