The Women: Chapter 12 Summary & Analysis

By now, there are over 450,000 American men in Vietnam. Newspapers rarely report the number of casualties. New troops are sent over with only six weeks of training to get men in combat sooner. On the worst days in Pleiku, Frankie spends 18 hours operating. Under Hap, she hones her nursing skills, sometimes under rocket attack and during blackouts. One morning after a MASCAL, Hap tells Frankie to go blow off steam at the Park—the hospital’s outdoor tiki bar. There, Frankie settles in next to Barb, who shows her a picture her brother, Will, took of an anti-war protest in Washington D.C. Meanwhile, the Stars and Stripes falsely reports the war is almost over and the U.S. is winning.

Frankie dislikes the way the protests seem to devalue the men’s sacrifices for their country. At the same time, she feels there is “no winning in war” and questions the American government’s morality. In a letter to Mom and Dad, Frankie notes (with horror) how she has become numb to the death and destruction. It feels wrong to enjoy any part of life, but equally wrong to deny herself small pleasures. She writes about innocent Vietnamese people who are bombed out of fear of the unseen enemy. Many soldiers ask to take a picture with her—she is the last American girl they might ever see. Frankie wonders if it’s possible to condemn the war but support the men fighting it.

A heatwave dries out the highlands and adds to the general discomfort. One day, Frankie sees a lone body in front of the morgue. The young Black man is missing an arm. Frankie thinks of how so many boys volunteered for the war to avoid being drafted into random service, and now an entire generation has been wiped out. Finding the boy’s helmet with his prom picture tucked inside, she puts it in his pocket. Another day, Barb reads her mother’s most recent letter aloud. She is worried about Barb’s younger brother, Will, who has been participating in the violent race riots across the country. Since serving in Vietnam, Will’s anger is unquenchable. Barb’s mother worries he’ll get himself killed.

The camp’s radio operator delivers a message from Melvin Turner (Coyote’s real name), inviting Barb and Frankie to a party in Saigon. Since it’s their day off, the women pack for an overnight stay and board a chopper. Saigon is chaotic, filled with civilians and armed military men. They spend the day shopping and dining in the old French Quarter, leftover from France’s occupation. Frankie can’t believe she is still in Vietnam. They dress for the party. Frankie has lost weight and suddenly dislikes her conservative dress, though it reminds her of home. It feels like a leftover from her mother’s conformist era. No longer wanting to be a good girl, she changes into pants and a tunic top.

Frankie and Barb eat at a rooftop bar before heading to the seedy club hosting the party. American soldiers party while Vietnamese waitresses serve their tables. They find Coyote, who asks Frankie to dance. She thwarts his more overt advances, and he implies she is “the kind of girl a guy brings home to his ma,” not in a negative way. Frankie dances and lets herself feel special. Suddenly, Coyote pulls her off the dance floor to meet his new commanding officer, Riot. He introduces Frankie as his girl, which she starts to refute before recognizing Riot—Rye Walsh, Finley’s friend who told her women could be heroes. They hug briefly, but Rye leaves after Coyote becomes subtly possessive of Frankie.