In the foreword, the author states his purpose for writing this book. He makes clear this is not a history book, nor is it a historical accusation. The author states that his book is a story about war, based on a personal experience. In the Epilogue, almost ten years after the end of his tour of duty, Philip Caputo returned to Vietnam as a war journalist for a newspaper. Old memories of his war experiences and his comrades flood his mind as he witnesses the fall of Saigon to the troops of North Vietnam. Caputo left Vietnam on April 29, 1975.