Chapters 13 through 17 Summary

In Chapter thirteen, "The Nature of the Beast," John is back in Vietnam. He receives a letter from Kathy saying that she loves him and hopes that he realizes that they have both grown up in their time apart and will therefore both have to make concessions to the other's emerging maturity. Soon after receiving the letter, John and his company are involved in a raid on the village of Thaun Yen. As John walks through the village, he sees carnage including men, women, children and animals. He says that no one is "dying quietly" in the chaos. He sees Weatherby shoot "two little girls in the face." Another man has a ponytail, taken from one of the victims, attached to his helmet. John eventually hides in a ditch and is there when Weatherby steps to the rim of the ditch...