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Corporal Banks
The 3rd squad leader in the 2nd platoon, C Company, 1st Battalion of the 3rd Marines. Caputo describes him as “short, stock, pugnacious but likeable.” Gonzalez is the first casualty of the war in their platoon. He steps on a small antipersonnel mine and is “blasted into the air.” Caputo recalls how “his left foot turned into a mass of bruised and bloody meat inside the tatters of his boot.” He is carried to safety by Lance Corporal Sampson. Gonzalez has his foot amputated and recovers at the Oakland Naval Hospital.
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Corporal José Gonzalez Character Timeline in A Rumor of War
The timeline below shows where the character Corporal José Gonzalez appears in A Rumor of War. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter Three
Caputo gets into a six-by with Gonzalez’s squad. They ride along for an hour or so, sharing “harsh jokes and laughter.” They...
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Chapter Four
Corporal José Gonzalez becomes the first casualty when he is wounded late in the month. He is leading...
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The company misses Gonzalez after his departure—not only because of his own wonderful qualities but because he is one...
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