Speaking of Courage

This story is following Norman Bowker after the war when he's at home, and he's driving around in his dad's car on July the 4th, thinking about a girl he used to love named Sally Kramer, and how she's married now and her last name is now Gustafon. He talks about how his father is proud of him for the seven medals he earned in Vietnam, and thinks about the Silver Star he almost earned, but didn't. He imagines himself telling his father the story.

He imagines telling a story about the night they camped in a field near the Song Tra Bong river. The field they were camping in tuns out to be a shit field (a literal field full of shit). The story takes breaks and goes to the present Norman Bowker, thinking about his father and Sally's reactions to the stories so far. This kind of made the story slow down, which built up some suspense while making sure you remember where Norman Bowker is now. He continues talking about being in the shit fields and hearing Kiowa scream, and seeing Kiowa sinking in the shit. He tries to save Kiowa, but Kiowa has sunken so low, and the smell is swallowing Norman, so Norman loses Kiowa.
He flashes back to the present, where he's eating his food, and he goes to a park, watching the fireworks with contentment.

I thought Norman was an admirable guy, and that his experience with the death of Kiowa is completely forgivable. If I'd had been in his situation, I'd have probably done the same thing.