Afterword Summary and Analysis

Back in the battle, the platoon is faced with an intensifying fight, and then on January 31st, the North Vietnamese Tet Offensive begins. There is a list of men in the 1st Platoon, including those killed and wounded, in the book. A week later, the Third Platoon leader triggers a bobby-trap and bleeds to death. Despite using a scout dog, another bouncing betty mine explodes and kills one man, with another losing his legs, though he survives. Later, friendly artillery is aimed wrong and wounds ten Americans in the Company in a fight outside the main city of Danang. A helicopter is shot down in the same battle, and a couple of days later, two more American helicopters are shot down. By February 10th, 1968, the 1st Platoon has so many men killed and wounded that it is no longer a functioning...