Everyone knows someone that has went to war whether it is a family member, friend, teacher, etc. Some veterans don't like to tell their tales of their service while others do. There is always something about war stories that people that have not served cannot believe. Throughout the short story of “How to Tell a True War Story,” by Tim O'Brien we learn about time that he has spent in Vietnam. He tells about two young guys that became best friends in the military and how devastating a loss can be. In this short story we learn what the difference between a true war story and what a real war story is. “In any war story, but especially a true one, it’s difficult to separate what happened from what seemed to happen.” A true war story is not always something that happened but it is something that will make you feel like you were there. Throughout the short story “How to Tell a True War Story” Tim O'Brien tells us about a couple of stories that are story truth. One story that O'Brien tells us is one that he heard from a man named Mitchell Sanders. The story starts off with a six-man patrol that goes up into a mountain to listen for enemies. While they are up there they cannot talk unless they whisper and they have to stay lying there for days. O'Brien tells us, “Often the crazy stuff is true and the normal stuff isn't because the normal stuff is necessary to make you believe the truly incredible craziness.” After reading this we start to think that maybe they weren't up in the mountains listening for enemies. Later in the story, Sanders asks O'Brien if he knows why he won’t believe the next part in the story. Sanders then tells us he won’t believe it because it actually happened. The next part of the story we learn that the soldiers start hearing things such as a cocktail party going on in the woods. After a couple days of hearing this they call in firepower to come and burn down the forest that they are in. This is a