In the course of reading their stories we get some insight into the decisions made by the young men of that era and also of the consequences of those decisions. Ronnie chooses to join the Navy and become a medical corpsman, a path that requires bravery most of us will never be called upon to show. The story is primarily his. He wears the caduceus of the title and we come to admire him as he chooses to go in harm's way to save the lives with which he is entrusted.
I recommend this book to anyone who finds the Vietnam War fascinating and to anyone who is in awe of those who are braver than we."