Why the Characters Are in Vietnam in "Fallen Angels"

The Draft

In Walter Dean Myers' Fallen Angels, Richie Perry, Peewee, Jenkins, and others are in Vietnam because they were drafted (or enlisted under draft pressure) into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.

Racial Dimensions

• They are young Black men—disproportionately drafted, assigned to combat units, and denied stateside postings.
• The novel exposes institutional racism: unequal promotions, harsher discipline, dehumanizing stereotypes.
• Richie's education and sensitivity contrast with military expectations—heightening his alienation.

Correction on Characters

The source mentions "Lobel"—the character is Talon (or "T"), not Lobel. Lobel does not appear in the novel. The core squad: Richie, Peewee, Jenkins, Johnson, Brunner, Monaco, Talon.

Themes

• Loss of innocence.
• Moral ambiguity of war.
• Brotherhood across race/class.
• Survival vs. humanity.

Why It Matters

Their presence in Vietnam isn't accidental—it's the engine driving the novel's exploration of race, class, and the human cost of a war fought largely by the poor and marginalized.