The reading room
Fightin' Marines #18
In the main story, Sergeant Burton leads his Marine battalion through heavy combat during what appears to be the Korean War, dealing with nervous recruits and maintaining discipline under fire. The narrative follows the Marines as they endure a brutal winter campaign, marching through knee-deep snow until they encounter an enemy ambush that kills the wounded platoon leader. In a subplot, an old character named Quigley becomes involved in troubles at a military installation, facing complications with a blonde woman and encountering gang members who attempt to force him into criminal activity. The story concludes with the Marines executing a tactical retreat under heavy machine-gun fire, regrouping under a hill as their wounded platoon leader withdraws his men to defensive positions.