If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home: Review

A Book Review

If I Die in a Combat Zone is an intense personal account of Tim O'Brien's tour of duty in Vietnam. He starts off as a cocky college student, and through the course of the book, one watches him change. O'Brien uses very vivid descriptions of the terrain, weather and of the conflicts in which his Company is involved. By using these techniques, O'Brien causes the reader to question himself along with O'Brien.

O'Brien is drafted to go to Vietnam in the summer of 1968. When he is drafted, he is confused and contemplates many ways in which to avoid going to the war. He does not feel that he is a fighter; furthermore, he is intellectually opposed to war.

O'Brien goes through basic training at Ft. Lewis, Washington. While at Ft. Lewis, he meets a friend named Erik. Erik is also opposed to the war and is confused about going to Vietnam. He and O'Brien have many philosophical discussions about the war while they are training. Once basic training is over, the two are separated. Erik, who enlisted for an extra year goes off to transportation school, while O'Brien goes to infantry school. After Advanced Individual Training (AIT), O'Brien goes to Vietnam. He is stationed at LZ Gator, the headquarters for the Fifth Battalion, Forty-sixth Infantry. He is assigned to Alpha Company and his tour begins. After several ambushes and battles, O'Brien tries to define bravery, courage, and he tried to find the meaning of hero. This is the underlying focus of the rest of his book.

O'Brien feels that men without courage are men without temperance, justice or wisdom. He also feels that without wisdom, men are truly not courageous. Men must know what they do is courageous; they must know it is right. That knowledge is wisdom to O'Brien. Nothing else, he feels, is wisdom. He says, "That is why I know few brave men." O'Brien feels that it is more likely that men act cowardly and, at other times act with courage, each in a different measure with varying consistency. The men who do well on average, perhaps with one moment of glory, those men are brave.