Fields of Fire (novel)

Fields of Fire is a novel by James Webb, first published in 1978. It follows the lives of several Marines serving in the Vietnam War. It is told mainly from the viewpoints of three Marines: 2nd Lt Robert E Lee Hodges who comes from a long line of soldiers; "Snake" (no full name given) a squad leader in Hodges' platoon, a tough kid from the streets; and "Senator" - Will Goodrich, an impressionable and sensitive Harvard student who volunteers for service. The major themes are centered on loyalty, leadership, and the brutalizing effects on people in wartime.