| A | B |
|---|
| Tim O'Brien | Author & Narrator |
| Jimmy Cross | The Lieutentant |
| Mitchell Sanders | another storyteller; tries to find the moral in events |
| Kiowa | strongly religious and proud of his heritage |
| Norman Bowker | described as gentle and caring but who carries a human thumb |
| Henry Dobbins | a big man who exemplifies decency |
| Bob "Rat" Kiley | medic who finally "loses it" |
| Curt Lemon | childish soldier killed by a trap |
| Ted Lavender | prefers a dreamlike state and is killed by a sniper |
| Lee Strunk | changes his mind about a pact after being injured |
| Dave Jensen | has a disagreement with Strunk early on |
| Azar | blows up a puppy and tortures the enemy |
| Bobby Jorgenson | bumbling replacement medic |
| Elroy Berdahl | O'Brien claims he was saved by this person's silence |
| Kathleen | O'Brien's daughter |
| Mary Ann Bell | girlfriend of Mark Fossie |
| Mark Fossie | loses his fiance to the war |
| Linda | child who dies of a brain tumor |
