Cracker By Cynthia Kadohata
p. 128
Parker Frey

Rick and Cracker have become the best of friends. They have been doing well in the training courses. For the competition to see who has the best trained dog Rick and Cracker started the competition and Rick screwed up and went in front of Cracker and set off a fake mine. They ended up not placing, but they still felt good about how well they did. Finally, training was over and Rick and Cracker were sent off to Veitnam. they got to the camp where they would be staying at. The first four days, Rick had the job of filling sand bags, which were more like mud bags since it rained there all the time. Some of Rick's friends were sent off on some missions and he was hoping for his chance. It finally came a few days later. Rick, Cracker, and a short-timer went out looking for booby traps. Rick and Cracker found a lot of mines saving other soldiers lives. When he got back to camp, everyone heard about it and gave him a good nod.