The title phrase if i die in a combat zone box me up and ship me home is a military marching cadence dating back to the second world war cadences such as c 130 rolling down the strip and if i die in the combat zone are also used by the united states marine corps the full stanza that is most commonly used in these cadences goes if i die in a combat zone box me up and ship me home pin my medals upon my chest tell my momma i done my best. Combat zone in 1973 was one of the very earliest anti war books written by a vietnam combat soldier and o brien manages to summarize his emotions and feelings about it in a surprisingly brief yet amazingly objective narrative reading this at times i felt as if i were viewing the war through a filter one that captures some of the stupidity the madness the terror and the abject . This item if i die in a combat zone box me up and ship me home by tim obrien paperback 1089 in stock ships from and sold by amazoncom free shipping on orders over 2500 details the things they carried by tim obrien paperback 1121 in stock ships from and sold by amazoncom free shipping on orders over 2500 details going after cacciato a novel by tim obrien paperback 12 . If i die in a combat zone box me up and ship me home tim obrien paperback list price 1700 individual store prices may vary description a classic from the new york times bestselling author of the things they carried one of the best most disturbing and most powerful books about the shame that was is vietnam minneapolis star and tribune before writing his award winning