One of his soldiers fired a grenade at LT McDonough. I watched the film based on this book as well and to my understanding I’m sure Mcdonough saw it as completely on purpose. The Private had previously been reprimanded and had his marijuana taken away and burned. Given the war in vietnam and previous/known fragging incidents that were occuring I would’ve seen it the same way. From my pov another draftee is trying to scare me or threaten my life to get his way. His response to put a rifle in his face and threaten him perhaps in hindsight may have been extreme but I thing of it as a justified moment. It was an emotional moment where he himself or others could’ve been harmed, killed, or maimed due to either the recklessness or the traitorous actions of one of his subordinantes. It set the standard in front of everyone “you better not **** with me” so to speak. It made it very clear that any incidents like that are highly unacceptable and to do it may cost your life. How I would’ve handled it differently is my demeanor/personality is different. I’d be pretty pissed and I wouldn’t want that guy around me. I’d get my NCOs to smoke the **** out of him and charge him under UCMJ. As far as I’m concerned that wasn’t an accident.