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Bill
Bill’s foxhole buddy proves negligent when he falls asleep while on watch duty. This keeps him from seeing the Japanese infiltrator who is about to enter his foxhole—and from realizing that his buddy Bill has, in the meantime, left the hole. When Bill later dies as an unfortunate consequence of this series of events, the men in Company K consider Sam responsible for Bill’s death because Sam failed to fulfill his most crucial task as a Marine: protecting the life of his buddy.
Sam Quotes in With the Old Breed
The With the Old Breed quotes below are all either spoken by Sam or refer to Sam. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 1, Chapter 5 Quotes
This standard procedure in combat on the front line was based on a fundamental creed of faith and trust. You could depend on your buddy; he could depend on you. It extended beyond your foxhole, too. We felt secure, knowing that one man in each hole was on watch through the night.
Sam had betrayed that basic trust and had committed an unforgivable breach of faith. He went to sleep on watch while on the line. As a result his buddy died and another man would bear the heavy burden of knowing that, accident though it was, he had pulled the trigger.
Related Characters:
Eugene “Sledgehammer” Sledge (speaker), Sam, Bill
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
108
Explanation and Analysis:
One night on Peleliu, Sledge sees two Japanese soldiers infiltrate Company K’s foxholes. Chaos ensues and, in the scuttle, the Marine Bill is mistaken for a Japanese infiltrator and shot dead. This tragic situation emerges because Bill’s buddy Sam fell asleep while on watch duty and did not see Bill leave the foxhole.
Although no one in Company K actually meant to kill Bill, this episode underlines that any mistake in the war, however small, can lead to fatal consequences. Given the circumstances, the man who shot Bill was justified in doing so. Sam, however, is at fault, because he did not respect a crucial rule that all Marines are meant to follow: to help protect his buddy’s life. In this sense, he failed in his duty.
The other Marines’ anger derives not only from grief at Bill’s death, but from their knowledge that the buddy system is their only protection against the total chaos of violence. This system ensures that everyone benefits from a network of mutual protection, in which all members of the company look after each other’s lives. Without such insurance, Marines are left to themselves, alone in a world of chaotic brutality.
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Sam Character Timeline in With the Old Breed
The timeline below shows where the character Sam appears in With the Old Breed. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 1, Chapter 5: Another Amphibious Assault
...the back. At the same time, he does not understand why his companions, Bill and Sam, have not fired at the Japanese soldier yet.
(full context)
...all agree that the person at fault in this story is not the shooter but Sam, who was supposed to keep watch while Bill was sleeping. This buddy system is crucial...
(full context)
