Chapter 23 Summary

Cat Man eyes the nearby banana trees and Hodges notices. Hodges remembers what he's been taught. The North Vietnamese lay under the banana trees for shade and eat the small stalks. Cat Man points to the missing stalk and Hodges nods his understanding. The entire troop sets in motion to check it out and when they are fifty yards away the enemy opens fire on them. No one is hit, and Hodges orders them to head for the river bank. They immediately obey.

Big Mac approaches the banana tree and sets off a booby trap. He's dead at once. Phony yells from behind Big Mac. His arm has been torn off. Snake runs over and makes him lay down while Doc comes to bandage the wounded arm. The gunfire continues and two more men are hit. Snake runs over near Hodges and helps...