Jamal, a medic, tells Perry that Captain Stewart reported that three Viet Cong soldiers had been killed on patrol; Perry states that only one enemy was really killed, and Jamal says that the report says three. Perry thinks about the dead soldier and wonders about his family and life. He tries to come up with a plan for what he wants to do after the war, but he is unable to think of anything and becomes depressed. Walowick, another member of the squad, plays chess with Perry and talks to him about the false report; Walowick states that as long as it isn’t them who are killed, it doesn’t matter.

Perry becomes extremely sick with an intestinal illness, and he spends several days recovering. Later, Johnson and Walowick get into a violent fight over racist comments made by Walowick after Johnson teased him for growing up in the country. Perry helps Peewee to write a letter to his girlfriend, Earlene, since it is too painful for him to write; Earlene cheated on him, and he wants to write her a letter to make her feel guilty. Perry is asked to join a patrol with Charlie Company since he missed a patrol with his own squad while he was sick; Lieutenant Carroll warns Perry not to be a hero.