Richie Douglas

Richie Douglas is an enlisted man living in Army quarters alongside Roger Moore, Billy Wilson, and Martin. Notably effeminate, Richie is frank about his homosexuality and his attraction towards Billy, which his fellow soldiers dismiss as unserious. Richie’s early abandonment by his father prompts him to assume a protective, fatherly demeanor towards the troubled Martin, even attempting to manage Martin's suicide attempt himself. Despite his adjustment to Army life, Richie unwittingly becomes the catalyst for a tragic sequence of events. His flirtations initially focus on Billy, creating tension, but later shift to Carlyle, leading to a disastrous confrontation that results in Billy's untimely death. Richie is quick to suspect Carlyle of being dangerous and warns his peers of the potential threat Carlyle poses.

Carlyle

Emerging from basic training, Carlyle is a volatile young black man with a complex demeanor. His street-hardened experiences leave him nervous, suspicious, and clad in unkempt fatigues. Carlyle's resentment over racial issues and feelings of isolation, even among black soldiers, fuel his bitterness. His desperate wish to bond with Roger Moore leads to reckless behavior, including taking Roger and Billy to a brothel. Carlyle's demeanor fluctuates unpredictably from charm to aggression, culminating in unwanted sexual advances towards Richie, which unsettle Richie unexpectedly. Tensions escalate when Carlyle engages in a violent altercation with Billy, stabbing him fatally. In a misguided attempt to escape repercussions, Carlyle murders Sergeant Rooney upon discovery of the crime.

Billy Wilson

Billy Wilson is a white, trim, blond soldier in his mid-twenties, deeply disturbed by Richie’s overt jokes about homosexuality. Billy is committed to the Army and the war effort, yet harbors a profound fear of the snakes he anticipates encountering in Vietnam. An introspective thinker, he has always felt out of place, a sentiment stemming from his teenage years in Wisconsin when he aspired to priesthood to help others. Despite his discomfort with Richie’s advances, Billy's loyalty and sense of duty lead him to inadvertently insert himself into the fatal encounter between Richie and Carlyle, resulting in his tragic demise at Carlyle’s hands.

Roger Moore

Roger Moore stands as the moral compass among his peers. A tall, robust black man, he is driven by loyalty to his comrades and the Army, often moved by patriotic expressions such as the national anthem. Despite this, he grapples with the reality of racial oppression and questions the Vietnam War's legitimacy. Having been under psychiatric care for headaches, Roger endeavors to improve his communication, particularly with his close friend Billy. Roger's meticulous nature starkly contrasts with Carlyle's chaotic presence, and his inclination towards order sees him cleaning up after Billy's murder, a task weighed down by his grief and guilt over underestimating Richie’s feelings.

Cokes

Sergeant Cokes, a seasoned paratrooper in his fifties, presents a figure of both camaraderie and isolation. Overweight with short, whitish hair, Cokes maintains a slightly neater appearance than his fellow drinker, Rooney. Recently returned from Vietnam sporting canvas jungle boots, Cokes desires to return but is barred due to leukemia, a diagnosis he refuses to accept. His storytelling, often boisterous and inebriated, recounts harrowing tales of paratrooper deaths and a fatal encounter during the Korean War. These anecdotes reveal his internal struggle with mortality, especially following the murders of Billy and Rooney. Cokes showcases surprising sensitivity towards Richie's homosexuality and concludes the play with a rendition of "Beautiful Streamer," oblivious to Rooney's demise.

Rooney

Sergeant Rooney, a World War II veteran and Cokes's drinking companion, exhibits a portly build and short, whitish hair. Though a demolitions expert, his consistent drunkenness leads to debilitating shakes. Rooney nostalgically relives airborne missions...