Sergeant Elias K. Grodin was a soldier in the Vietnam War. Assigned to the Bravo company, 25th Infantry Division, he was the leader of Alpha squad in the platoon. He was a friend and mentor to Chris Taylor as he helps him after he falls down from exhaustion and kindly carries his excess baggage, and welcomes him into the Underworld. Later on he defends him after new recruit and Chris's friend Gardner is tragically killed in a ambush by the NVA from Sgt Red O'Neil and Bunny who chastises him after he is wrongly accused of falling asleep on ambush and also confides in him that he had long ago lost faith in the Vietnam war and knows that the Americans will lose.