The Ghost Soldiers

This short story is about a soldier whose name is Tim O’Brien who explains one of his experiences while in Viet Nam. He tells the story of his comrades who played war games at night to entertain themselves. This was about a medic, by the name of Jorgenson, who Tim thought wronged him when he was shot in combat. The new medic froze while treating Tim and he contracted a bad infection. Tim was bitter and angry. Tim was taken out of combat and sent to safe havens, a supply detail. The medic apologized, but Tim could not accept his apology. He wanted revenge, and so enlisted one of his buddies to play a game. In the end, it was Tim who was shaken by the game.
Tim O’Brien was in holding a grudge against this medic, became fearful of him. He was jealous, because the medic was an accepted comrade and he was out. He was now the civilian. During the game, he was frightened by the fact that he was wrong in trying to scare Jorgenson. It was petty, it didn’t work! In the end, he was angry with his buddy Azar, who wouldn’t stop the game and humiliated him. His guilt consumed him and he apologized to Jorgenson. Jorgenson was the bigger man, in that he knew the whole time what Tim was planning.