1st Lt. Pete E. Donovan, USMC

Pete Donovan is a lieutenant, a commissioned officer with the United States Marine Corps. He is one of the main characters of the story and also acts as one of the narrators. Although Donovan has a position of leadership in the military, he is very unsure of himself and his ability to lead the men and women under his watch. He felt more comfortable letting his sergeant and gunnery sergeant take care of his men. When Gunny Stout was killed in action Donovan had to take more charge of the platoon as he was deemed leader of the road repair crew as well as the bomb squad by his major.

Donovan had applied for officers school on a whim and had never thought he would make it through the training. Even after he graduated and was put in charge of the platoon, Donovan...