U.S. Fighting Men #15

During the Korean War, Cpl. Harry Slade finds himself pinned down with his squad facing a relentless North Korean assault, but the artillery support he desperately needs never comes—because the gun crews have been wiped out by enemy infiltrators. As Cpl. Slade fights for survival amid the chaos, his thoughts turn to Sgt. Burt Hart, a man from his hometown whose rise in rank has gnawed at him since their civilian days, and he realizes too late that his bitterness may have blinded him to the truth about the war they're both fighting. By Joe Maneeley and Hank Chapman, "Cannon Fodder" is a raw look at how pride and old grudges can cost soldiers their lives when they need each other most.

In "Mail Call," Jack Ferris is the careful soldier nobody respects—always hiding, always playing it safe, always thinking of his beautiful wife Gloria waiting at home. When a letter arrives during a brutal Chinese attack on his company, everything changes in an instant, and Ferris transforms into the last man anyone expected him to be.

Pvt. Cass Nichols, a soldier who fears pain above all else, is captured by Korean forces and brought before Major Kee for interrogation. The ruthless interrogator demands Nichols broadcast propaganda to demoralize the American army, threatening unspeakable torture to break his will. Facing the one thing he dreads most, Nichols must find the strength to resist betraying his comrades.

Larry Jones returns home to Centerton on leave from the Korean War, expecting a quiet reunion with his aunt and his old pal Bill Swift—but the town has other plans. When word spreads that the local hero is back, Larry finds himself swept up in a whirlwind of celebration that he never wanted, orchestrated by Mr. Gray and the city council. As the pressure mounts and a grand parade looms, Larry struggles against the weight of everyone's expectations and their need to turn his service into a spectacle.