Joseph Eastman, a homeless shoe shine man is stabbed to death. Eastman was a Vietnam War veteran who had received medals for his service. During Briscoe and Green's investigation. They take a look at the men the deceased served with, including oil executive Nolan Tinsdale. Eastman had wanted to come clean about a massacre of 25 South Vietnamese civilians that his squad had taken part in. But a few members of his platoon killed him to stop him from talking to the papers about their actions.
Tropes present in this episode:
- All for Nothing: Eastman had terminal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that he was not getting treated. Add to that his substance abuse, and he would have died before the end of the year.
- He Knows Too Much: Why Eastman was murdered. He wanted to come clean about an event for which he was decorated, but had really been a massacre of civilians.
- Lonely Funeral: For Eastman. His elderly aunt and uncle are presented with the flag; the only others in attendance are another friend from the platoon not involved in the murder, two military soldiers and Briscoe and McCoy.
- Not The Illness That Killed Them: It soon comes out that the murdered man, Eastman, was terminally ill with cancer that he was not treating.
- Outliving One's Offspring: A witness comes forwards from Vietnam who says her 2-year-old daughter was killed by American soldiers.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran: Joseph Eastman was still haunted by the war and his actions.
