C'était de la merde, mais Barnes a fait une chose intelligente; il a coincé une grenade entre le corps du pilote et son siège et a tiré l'épingle quand il était sûr que c'était là serré. La cuillère a été retenue par le cadavre. Au moment où le sergent a été fait avec le discours, Barnes est revenu dans le groupe pour entendre qu'il prenait la traîne derrière Pope, ce qui lui convenait très bien. Mais avant qu'ils ne commencent, "Oh, Sarge, si tu entends quelque chose qui part derrière nous, c'est moi qui ai posé une grenade dans l'hélicoptère alors quand Charlie essaie de la reprendre, il n'a rien d'autre que des éclats. De cette façon nous savons que le muthafucka vient aussi."
Il était un peu fier de cette touche, et souriait comme l'enfer quand ils sont partis dans la brousse.
"Et baise toi aussi, Charlie."
Name: Anthony "Buck" Barnes
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Rank: PFC
Ethnicity/Nationality: African-American
Physical Description:

Skillset:
He attended basic training and AIT at Fort Benning and Fort Polk, Louisiana (the infamous "Tigerland") before being deployed to Vietnam. He's about a third way through his tour and has seen some combat so that he's considered a veteran. Favors the shotgun in a fight because he and Derricks had a close encounter once and his M16 jammed; he broke it over the cong's head, whereupon he learned that the M-16 was also not very suitable for close combat use.
Has a bit of mechanical skill by learning from his dad, who knew how to keep a car running and had a knack of machinery.
Serves as the assistant machinegunner for PFC Derricks, helping haul the ammo and keep the gun running.

History:
From the Bronx, his father is a cabbie and he was trying to get into CUNY (but didn't have enough money) to get in before the draft got him; as he likes to put it, "The army was there with a stage hook, waitin' for my black ass to graduate from high school."
He was drafted in late 1966 and put through Benning, then Polk, and then sent to Vietnam as part of the First Cavalry Division.

Equipment: 
Winchester Model 1912 Shotgun, loaded with #4 buckshot (standard issue ammo in the era). Also makes a hell of a hash pipe. He made a sling out of paracord, woven extra wide and with a couple rings in it so that he can configure it to carry as a single point if necessary, which is usually how he carries it.
 Jungle Fatigues, boots, and so forth. Threadbare looking because Vietnam is hot and humid and quickly wears down the clothing. His have some holes in them.
 Two web belts and shotgun shell pouches formed into bandoleers. It's where he got his nickname from.
 GI towel, extra pair of socks, foot powder and so forth. A lot of this goes in a buttpack.
 M1956 suspenders/web gear with two canteens and other sundries.
 Steel pot with cover, "Too Young To Vote; Ain't Too Young To Die" written on cover
 Three M26 frags, stored in a spare canteen pouch.
 M1942 Machete, over the shoulder.
 E-tool, canteens, and so forth.
 Buddhist prayer beads. Not precisely frowned upon, but not entirely considered on the up and up by more officious officers.
 Extra ammo for the pig, spare parts for the pig.
 Oil, rag, and brushes for weapon cleaning.
 Tape player and a fine collection of Motown and, gold in Vietnam, James Brown's latest stuff, including the funky "Cold Sweat." Prized possession.
 Other equipment as necessary. I'm positive I left some out.