Fallen Angels Chapter 4 Summary

  • Turns out Jenkins was killed by stepping on a mine. The guys at the base zip him into a body bag like it's no big thing. That must have been fun to get used to.
  • Their platoon leader, Lieutenant Carroll, comes in and says a prayer for Jenkins. He refers to the other soldiers as "angel warriors" (4.19) because they're boys—not even old enough to vote yet. Yep, the irony of being too young to vote but old enough to get blown up by a landmine isn't lost on anyone.
  • Later, a guy named Brew tells Carroll about the theology school he's applying to, and Carroll says he almost went to seminary. When the men tell him he could still go, Carroll says he has doubts now.
  • When he leaves, the guys tell Perry that Carroll used to be more holy, but then lost it while clearing the road for his men who were being fired at while in a ditch. Carroll killed all the men who shot at them.
  • That's how Perry finds out that he and his buddies were brought in to replace the men who were killed that day.
  • Peewee accidentally shares a chat with a Vietcong being held in their camp. The man tried to get Peewee's pistol, and the captain punches him out and has him shipped to the Intelligence unit.
  • A guy named Lobel makes a joke that they could end the war by shipping the Vietnamese to America and letting them act in war movies.
  • Har har.
  • The squad is sent to a local village to do public relations work. They have to give out supplies with the goal of recruiting communists who want to change to their side.
  • They don't really do any recruiting, but they do meet a woman and her daughter, who they give food and supplies to. Peewee buys some wine, which seems to be on his wartime bucket list. He drinks it even though it's gross.
  • Sergeant Simpson tells Peewee and Perry that Captain Stewart is eligible for major, which means he'll be trying to "pick up his body count." (4.140) Which doesn't sound like it'll lead to anything good.