"Armies, for the most part, are made up of men drawn from simple and peaceful lives." "In time of war, they suddenly find themselves... living under conditions of violence, requiring new rules of conduct that are in direct contrast... to the conditions they lived under as civilians." "They learn to accept this and to perform their duties as fighting men." "But some begin to perform, as military language puts it," ""at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty."" "Military histories are filled with incredible examples of individual courage... that are only made more incredible by the fact that they were everyday events." "As Senior Staff Officer at Supreme Headquarters in Worid War II, it was my privilege to know the records of many such men." "The story you are about to see is theirs:" "The true story of the foot soldier, as seen through the eyes of one of them, Audie L. Murphy." "He received every decoration for valor that his country could award, and he became the most decorated soldier for combat action... in the military history of the United States." "In 1937, in northeast Texas, at the age of 12," "Murphy was already a fair rifleman." "I don't suppose you girls have had time to fill the wood box." "Uh-uh, Audie." "Hey, Audie, look at me!" "Get off that woodpile, Preston." "Do you want to break a leg?" "Did you get another rabbit today, Audie?" "Yeah." "Now you come with me." "You sit down right over there." "You watch that until I get back, okay?" "Okay." "It'll keep you off the woodpile." "Now, you watch it." "Hi, Mom." "Audie." "I saw Mr. Huston today." "He said he'd get the window fixed." " That's good of him." " He was askin' about Pa." "No word today." "But we'll be hearing from him real soon." "Hi, Mr. Brooks!" "Hi!" "Any mail for us today, Mr. Brooks?" "Nothing today, Mrs. Murphy." "Sorry." "Thank you." "Maybe tomorrow." "Bye." "Why does Mom get so worried when no mail comes?" "Because we got no money." "Here, take these to the house." "Where are you goin'?" "I just made my mind up about something." "When he makes up his mind, he sure does it sudden." "Where is he goin'?" "Hi, Mr. Huston." "Hello, Audie." "That was a first-rate job you did on that chicken coop the other day." "Thanks." "Hi, Mrs. Huston." "Hello, Audie." "Sir, I know you don't hire any steady help except at picking time, but could you give me a full-time job?" "A full-time job?" "I wouldn't want much money, and you could keep half until we pay back what we owe you." "What does your ma say to that?" "I wanted to talk to you before I said anything to her." "It's not right." "Why, you'd have to quit school." "Yes, ma'am, but I need the money." "What about your sister in Farmersville?" "Can't she help?" "Edna." "Corinne's helped all she can, but, well, she's got a family of her own to take care of." "A boy your age!" "You can't do it, Ben." "This is man's talk." "Will you please go to the house, and let me run the farm?" "Seems like she's forgot, Audie," "I never finished school neither." "A couple years older than you, I quit to go in the Marines when we was in the big war." "Sometimes I wish I'd stayed in." "Probably be retired by now on more money than I make out of the farm." "Now about that job..." "I guess the best thing to do is leave it to your ma." "Thanks a lot, Mr. Huston." "Ma, I got a full-time job!" "I'm gonna work for Mr. Huston in the morning." "But you've got to go to school." "I don't care for school." "I don't like it anymore." "You can't stop your education now." "I'll learn, Ma." "I'll read books." "We can't go on without money." "We can manage a little longer." "Your daddy's doing the best he can, and we can wait..." "We can't keep waitin' for some old letter that maybe won't ever get here." " What's the matter, Mom?" " Nothing, dear." "Audie and I were just talking things over." "Something bad?" "Of course not." "We just decided who the head of the family is." "It's your turn." "I did them yesterday!" "You did not!" "Gene keeps saying..." "Shh!" "Gene keeps saying it's my turn to do the dishes today." "Who did them yesterday?" "I forget." "Beatrice and I did them, and he knows it." "Then you do them today, and you won't forget tomorrow." "Besides, your hands could use a little soap and water." "Smarty." "I told you so." "Time for breakfast, Mom." "Oh, thank you." "All the kids are home from Sunday school." "They can do everything that needs to be done today, so don't you try to get up." "Yes, sir." "I'm gonna take a run over to Mr. Huston's." "But this is Sunday." "This is not about work." "Jim, their nephew, is on leave from the Marines," "I haven't seen him since he went in." "Oh, I see." "You try to eat." "I won't be long." "All right." "The Japanese bombers swept over the island..." "Come in, Audie." "At 7:55 this morning, Honolulu time." "Pearl Harbor has been attacked." "The attack was without warning, and launched from aircraft carriers standing off Hawaii." "Casualties among naval personnel will run into the thousands." "At Hickam Field, the barracks sustained a direct hit." "Details are at a minimum, but we will continue to interrupt broadcasts... as more information reaches us." "Ben, we're really at war." "We sure are." "How does this affect you, Jim?" "I'll probably be ordered back to base right away." "It'll be an honor to serve, and don't you ever forget it.!" "You've got the best training.!" "I've had a lot of it, anyway." "Why, you leathernecks... will have this war won in two months." "Just wish I was young enough to help you do it." "Biggest mistake I made was gettin' out." "Why, I might have been a general by this time." "I'll bet you..." "Never mind, General." "War or no war, you boys are gonna eat the doughnuts I fixed." "I'll get a pitcher of milk." "I was too optimistic, Audie, but so was a lot of folks." "War is gonna last longer than most of us figured." "How aboutJim?" "You heard from him lately?" "He's doin' real good." "Up to sergeant now." "Audie!" "You gotta come home!" "It's Ma!" "All of a sudden Ma got worse!" "How about Doc Snyder?" "Is he with her?" "I called him." "He should be by now." "Doc, is she..." "She went peacefully." "I should have been with her." "She didn't know, Audie." "She was happy and proud of you and her family, right up till the end." "I'll telephone Corinne... and make all the necessary arrangements." "If you don't let the children come into the church orphanage," "Social Welfare will place them in some public institution." "I took care of'em for a long time." "I can take care of'em now." "He's right, Audie." "All right..." "if that's the way it has to be." "As soon as I can, I'm gonna get them out." "I know this must seem like the end of the world, Audie, after taking care of your family all these years, but look at it another way." "You've got no responsibilities left now, except to yourself." "It's time you were thinking about your future." "I have been." "That's what I wanted to tell you." "After all the talk you and I had about it, I've decided to go into the service." "I was hoping you'd say that." "It'll be a great chance for you to catch up on your education." "Yeah." "The only thing is, I hate running out on the kids." "They've had enough of that." "You can do more for 'em with your service pay than you can by staying here." "I guess I hadn't thought of it that way." "Course, being under age, you'll have to get a letter of permissión." "I'll get Corinne to write one for me." "Good-bye, Mr. Huston." "Thanks." "If I were you, Audie, I'd think about it for a career." "You stay in 20 years, and you can retire on good money." "Don't make the mistake that I made." "I might have been a general..." "Yes, sir." "I'll remember that." "It'll take more than a letter from your guardian to get you in this outfit, sonny." "We separate the men from the boys, but we like to have something to start with." "Why don't you try the Army?" "I'm sorry." "The Navy makes men out of boys, but you're too much of a job for us." "Why don't you try the Army?" "Attention!" "Attention, please!" "This being our fourth day at sea, it is now permissible... to report our destination as being French North Africa, which we will reach in approximately five more days." "According to the last communique on the fighting in Tunisia, the Axis forces are still retreating toward the coast." "Their losses in men and equipment are reported to be extremely high." "Further bulletins will be announced as received." "That is all." "Sure picked a beaut for acting platoon sergeant, didn't they?" "Huh?" "Murphy, here you are." "Baker Company." "Well, what do you know?" "We're being reinforced." "Wonder what Boy Scout troop they dug him out of." "Don't let them old soldiers eat you alive." "Man, that's really fresh meat, huh?" "Sergeant?" "Hmm?" "I'm supposed to report to Captain Marks." "All officers and noncomms are at división briefing." "You're the replacement?" "That's right." "Let's have your orders." "Hey, Sergeant, send him over here." "I need somebody to help carry my Purple Hearts." "At ease over there!" "Fall in for inspection." "You go to 3rd Platoon." "Hey, wait a minute." "I see you were acting sergeant on the trip across." "Ain't that nice?" "I think you should see the way some real tough veterans handle their equipment." "You inspect the 3rd Platoon!" "Acting Sergeants, take over and inspect your platoons!" "Platoon, attention.!" "What's this man's Army coming to?" "Ayardbird replacement, already he's taken over the platoon." "Open ranks.!" "Open ranks, march.!" "Platoon, attention!" "Open ranks, march!" "Ready, hut!" "How did you collect all those Purple Hearts?" "Did your rifle blow up?" "... promote the general welfare and secure the blessing... of liberty to ourselves and our póster-ity..." "Posterity." "Ah, that's what I said." "...do ordain and establish this Constitution... for the United States of America." "By George!" "I know that, all right!" "That's pretty good." "Now, what date was it adopted?" "Uh, 1774." "Oh.!" "Six.!" "No, no, no." "What was signed in 1776?" "Oh, the Declaration of Independence." "Right." "That other was 1774." "No, it wasn't." "Chief, he doesn't want to be an American citizen." "He isn't even trying." "Uh, 1780... 1787." "That's right." "But don't just guess." "Memorize it." "Yeah, I do that." "Hey, Chief, coffee ready." "You have some, huh?" "# From Casablanca to Bombay So send me... ## Hey, Johnson!" "What do you got this time?" "Bonded date juice." ""Bonded date juice"?" "You're gonna go blind drinking that native stuff." "I might as well with nothing but you Joes to look at." "That reminds me of an old gal I met in Omaha." "She was colorblind." "Took her out to buy her a red dress..." "Never mind." "We've all heard that one." "You and your dames." "It's the dying' truth." "Here." "Oh, no, not me." "I wouldn't touch that with a bayonet." " What are you doing with my rifle?" " Now, drink!" "Now hold it on me so I can have one." "This stuff don't smell right." "You don't suppose that conniving' first sergeant..." "He knew I had it." "Knock it off so a guy can get some sleep, will you?" "Mail call!" "Mail call!" "Here we go for the "DearJohn" roundup!" "Stevens.!" "Right here.!" "Arthur.!" "Yo.!" "Jacobs.!" "Here.!" "You know about mail call?" "Casano.!" "Yep.!" "I don't think my mail... has caught up with me yet." "Oh, too bad." "Brooks.!" "Here.!" "Cooper.!" "Yeah." "Gomez.!" "Here." "Eisenburg." "Uh-huh." "Davis.!" "Oh, Brandon." "Dugan.!" "Yo.!" "You dropped something." "Everett.!" "Family?" "They were once." "Harper.!" "Roger.!" "Sir, Private Murphy reports to the company commander as ordered." "Lieutenant Harris, 3rd Platoon leader." "Murphy." "We've been looking over your file." ""Spent the first week of basic training in the hospital:" "Reaction from inoculations. "" "Yes, sir." "L-I'd never had any shots before." ""Spent most of the trip over in sick bay."" "Yes, sir." "L" " I'd never been on the ocean before." "Well, there were a lot of other guys in there with me." ""Requested transfer to paratroops." "Denied due to physical deficiencies."" "It was a mistake assigning you to a rifle company, and I'm going to see that you're reassigned." "But, sir, I asked for a combat outfit." "I don't want anything else." "Well, except for the jumps, duty with us is just as rugged as a paratrooper's." "The captain's trying to do you a favor." "I know that, sir, but..." "I don't want any favors." "I don't want to be transferred." "All right." "I believe in giving a man a chance." "Especially if he wants one as bad as you do." "That's all." "Feisty pup, isn't he?" "Yeah, but he's got a good side to him." "Did you notice?" "Practically all his pay goes for bonds in the name of an older sister." "It looks like he signed for every educational course we've got during training." "He's got the spirit, but, in action, it's gonna take two strong men to take care of him." "# I wouldn't give a bean #" "#To be a fancy pants Marine #" "# I'd rather be a dogface soldier like I am #" "# I wouldn't trade my old O.D. S for all the Navy's dungarees #" "# For I'm the walking pride of Uncle Sam #" "# On all the posters that I read, it says #" "#The Army builds men #" "# So they're tearing me down to build me over again #" "# I'm just a dogface soldier with a rifle on my shoulder #" "#And I eat a Kraut for breakfast every day #" "# So feed me ammunition #" "# Keep me in the 3rd División #" "#Your dogface soldier boy's okay ##" "Hey, that connivin' first sergeant must have been here too!" "Comeon,honey, have a slug of this stuff." "It won't hurt you a bit." "Honest." "This is good for you." "It picks up your whole attitude." "A toast to the one and only 3rd División.!" "Turn on the radio so we can dance!" "Can you jitterbug?" " Little Texas.!" " One day, I was drivin' along..." "Hey, Little Texas, where you been?" "I went to Alaska on a vacation." "Hey, that's great." "You must need something to warm you up." "Come on." "I got just the thing to do it." "Hey, Cleopatra!" "Come here!" "Come here!" "I want you to meet a friend from Alaska." "He owns a gold mine." "Would you like to dance with me?" "I'm not very good at it." "If Cleo can't teach you, nobody can!" "What's all the excitement about?" "The Germans have surrendered in Tunisia!" "Did I hear right?" "Africa's all ours?" "That's what she said!" "Hey, talk about luck!" "With us about to move into the line!" "All that training for nothing!" "We'll be goin' home!" ""Goin' home," he says." "That's where we're goin'." "I just didn't know we had to take Sicily to get there." "To hell and back, that's where this outfit's goin'." "General Patton was just tellin' me the other day," ""You boys think that Fedela landing' was somethin'," ""you just wait till the next one." "It'll be so rough, they'll be hauling' dog tags back by the truckload."" "Shut up, Johnson." "You're scarin' us to death." "It's the dying' truth, son." "Hey, Murphy..." "I'd unfasten that chin strap if I were you." "Why?" "The first time a shell goes off anywhere near you, the concussión will blow your helmet off, your head with it." "How do you keep it on?" "Half the time, you don't." "One of us better stick with him when we hit the beach." "The way I see it, after we take Sicily, we'll hit the Italian mainland." "That's when this war gets real personal with me... because I'll be liberating my ancestral home." "Home?" "Weren't you born in Flatbush?" "Sure, I was." "But my mother was born in Naples." "I promised her I'd look up the family." "If I get there in one piece, I'll bet they'll greet me like a conquering hero." "Sure, they'll put your statue right next to Mussolini's." "I'm gonna fix you guys spaghetti like you never had before, with my own Valentino sauce." "Hey, Kovak, will you let me use your stove?" "By George, you get your own." "Everybody think they're so smart they throw their stoves away." "I keep mine." "No, this is for Chief and me." "All right, you guys, check your gear and get ready." "Come on, Little Texas." "You stick with me." "How did you like the rough landing Johnson was yellin' about?" "He never got the right dope in his life!" "Murphy, you see how lucky you were to land in the 3rd?" "When theJerries heard this división was comin', they headed for Berlin!" "Yeah, I'll bet." "I never thought the first day would be this easy." "They got the lieutenant.!" "Steiner, take three men and see what we're up against." "Right." "Johnson, Brandon, Murphy." "Is it rough enough for you yet, Murphy?" "I figure there's only one machine gun up there." "Right?" "Yeah." "I'll get word back to Klasky." "Keep 'em busy." "Where does he think he's going?" "I'm supposed to take care of him?" "Hey, you think you got a private war?" "No, I think there's enough to go around." "Keep low, Brandon!" "Stay there!" "This more the way you figured the first day would be like, Murph?" "Somewhat." "Relax." "Get through the first three or four days, you'll be just like us." "That's what it means to be a veteran:" "You're scared all the time." "I didn't notice you being too scared." "Just crazy, standing up like that." "I had to take care of you, didn't I?" "War, to the foot soldier, is a continual fight for a few yards of dirt... that always seem to lie ahead ofhim, to be taken from the enemy or to be held at all costs." "Why?" "As often as not he doesn't know... in regard to the overall campaign." "On Sicily, all he knew was that he took the entire island in 38 days." "What he had accomplished gave the Allies... a giant base of operation close to the Italian mainland." "Hey, you guys, you know what we've been doing the last few weeks?" "I want to forget." "We've been "advancing against light resistance... and squeezing the last of the enemy forces off Sicily." What do you know!" "And our spirits are high!" "Speaking of high spirits, you know what this jug cost?" "In Tennessee, I could have gotten a fifth of bourbon..." "3rd Platoon.!" "On your feet!" "We got a new lieutenant." "I hope he's luckier than the last one." "As you were, men." "I'm Lieutenant Manning." "I've been told that Sergeant Klasky here... has been handling the platoon for quite a while now." "He's been doing a good job so there won't be any changes, at least for the time being." "Any news from up above, Lieutenant?" "Yeah." "The 36th División and the British 10th Corps has landed at Salerno." "They're having a rough go of it." "Looks like we're a cinch to be going across too." "Why us?" "We took enough beating' already." "The 36th is a Texas outfit." "Somebody's gotta give them a hand." "They were doing all right till they started drafting' you Yankees." "At ease." "I've got a special order here." "One promotion." "Murphy to corporal." "I don't want any stripes." "I didn't hear anybody ask you if you wanted them or not." "All right, that's all." "Why'd he pick on me?" "You ought to get the promotions." "You've been in this outfit longer than I have." "When you've been in the outfit as long as we have, you learn how to avoid these things, Corporal." "Don't feel bad, Murph." "We recommended you, so you could lead us on to victory." "Hey, you guys, welcome to sunny Italy, the beautiful home of my ancestors!" "How come there wasn't any brass band to meet you back at the beach?" "When we hit Naples, I'll get the big greeting, and you'll get your spaghetti dinner." "How's it been going, Mac?" "Been a bit sticky." "Glad to let you chaps have a go at it." "Looks like Jerry's making his stand at the Volturno River." "How do you know?" "The blokes blew out the blasted bridges!" "Have a good time." "Yeah, thanks a lot." "Sure looks peaceful, don't it?" "That's what I don't like about it." "LfJerry's over there, he's sure invisible." "He's over there, all right." "They've already blown the bridge, Lieutenant." "Hey, Lieutenant.!" "They want you for battalion briefing." "After dark we'll move down close to the river and dig in." "Gentlemen, our missión here is a diversionary one." "We're to make the enemy think that the main effort will take place here." "Actually, the 7 th Regiment will be the attacking force." "They'll go across upriver from us." "Captain Marks, Baker Company will start things off." "River like this reminds me of an old gal I knew in Perth Amboy, New Jersey." "Had a pet seal." "She was a beautiful thing." " The seal?" " No, the girl." "Sure is quiet." "Jerry must know we're over here." "Be more natural if he opened up." "Why open up tonight and get ten of us... when they can catch a hundred in the middle of the river?" "It's none of my business, but you got something on your mind?" "It's nothin'." "Thinkin' about home?" "Yeah." "About my little girl, my ex-wife." "Sometimes I think I got my mind rid of her, but... when it gets quiet like this, she keeps coming back." "How come you busted up?" "We were still in school when we got married." "Then the baby came." "I had to give up school and work full-time." "I began blaming' them for all the big things that I'd planned that weren't panning' out." "I just walked out on them." ""Walked out on them"?" "A guy with your guts?" "I sure did." "Did she get married again?" "I don't know why, but she hasn't yet." "Sounds like maybe you ought to try patching things up when you get back home." "Maybe it's better if I don't make it." "Oh, knock off that kind of talk." "I fouled up once." "Who can say I wouldn't foul up again if she gave me another chance?" "I'll say you wouldn't." "Thanks, Murph." "Say, what are your postwar plans?" "I think I'll let the Army do my planning for me." "Think I'll stay in." "Hey, Murphy.!" "The lieutenant wants to see you." "That Klasky..." "Learned to whisper in a sawmill." "We gotta get a combat patrol across the river and stirJerry up." "Do you think that squad of yours can cut it?" "Give it a good try, sir." "All right." "Move out as soon as you're ready." "What's goin' on?" "Nothin' much." "What do you mean, "Nothin' much"?" "Oh, I almost forgot." "Klasky wants to see you at the C.P." "What about?" "I don't know, but you better get yourself up there." "Get that flare.!" "Back out of here!" "Open up!" "Klasky didn't want me." "How come you left me behind?" "'Cause I got sentimental?" "No, 'cause you take too many chances." ""Too many chances"?" "Look, you take care of you, and I'll take care of me." "Remember?" "I ought to let you freeze to death." "I might anyway." "Sounds like the patrol worked, Murph." "They're really moving motorized stuff in." "At 0500 we'll open up with small arms fire." "The 7 th will move across at the same time." "I'm sure theJerries will throw some entertainment our way too." "You can count on it, Lieutenant." "Yeah." "Just sitting here being a target isn't my idea of how to start a day." "You ever think of resigning?" "Who'd win the war if I did?" "Baker Six, this is Baker Three." "Medics!" "Get Klasky." "He and Jones are both dead, sir." "Baker Three.!" "Baker Three.!" "Baker Three, this is Baker Six.!" "Baker Three!" "Corporal Murphy speaking!" "Isn't Manning down there now, Murphy?" "Lieutenant Manning's been hit pretty bad, sir, and Sergeant Klasky's dead." "You'll have to take charge of the platoon." "We're still taking a pretty bad pounding, sir!" "Shall we pull back?" "Stay where you are." "Increase your fire if possible." "The 7 th is about ready to cross." "TheJerries have shifted the artillery onto the 7 th." "However, they are across and in good shape, so get moving!" "Yes, sir!" "The 7 th made it!" "Come on!" "For the next couple of months, the 3rd División continually engaged the enemy." "As usual, the foot soldier wasn't concerned with why." "His greatest concerns were a vicious German defense, the fact that Italy was one mountain after another... and that weather conditions were impossible." "These elements, combined, finally brought the Allied advance to a stop at Cassino." "Hey, watch what you do!" "Why don't you put a sign up?" "I put a sign on your face!" "All right, break it up, you two!" "We got enough trouble without this kind!" "You clumsy fool." "Kick over my stove." "We better keep an eye on Kovak." "He's gettin' a little edgy." "He any different than the rest of us?" "Who isn't?" "Look who's here." "Lieutenant Manning.!" "Hello, Lieutenant." "It's good to see you." "Kerrigan." "We figured you'd be married to a nurse by now." "Good to have you back, sir." "Thanks, Murphy." "Nice to be back." "I've got some good news for you men." "We're moving back to a rest area near Naples." "Naples!" "I was beginning to think we missed it for good." "Do they think we're getting soft, Lieutenant?" "We've only been in the line two months solid." "I know." "After medical inspections, there'll be some passes." "What do they think we got, mud sores?" "A few weeks of easy soldiering... while we get replacements and new equipment." "Then we're going to practice up on amphibious tactics." "What you think this is?" "I've got some more news for a couple of you." "Promotions." "Murphy to sergeant." "Hey, Sarge!" "Johnson to corporal." "Did you buck me into that?" "I have a request, sir." "What is it?" "I'd like to change to another squad." "With Johnson heading this one, the war is lost." "Oh, yeah?" "Forget the war." "Imagine, 12 hours in bella Napoli.!" "Oh, at the speed of one woman per hour!" "Yow!" "You guys can have the town." "I'm gonna stay in camp and see what some real sleep is like." "Would you like my mashed potatoes?" "There will be trucks leaving this corner for camp tomorrow morning at 6:00." "If we're not here, don't wait for us, Mac." "We've got ground to cover." "I sure wish I could do the town with you, but I promised my mother I'd look up her family." "You really got relatives here?" "Sure." "You don't think I'd give my extra G.I. Shoes to anybody else, do you?" "These are worth their weight in gold." "Take it easy." "I'll see you in the morning." "Good luck, Val." "All right, let's move out." "Oh, pardon me!" "Sergeant Murphy, CorporalJohnson." "I can see Valentino now." "Big family reunion." "Valentino kicks open the door, tosses in the grenade... and then counts ten before he enters the old homestead." "By George, he do that!" "That only way he know how go in house anymore!" "It should be right down the end of this street and around the corner." "Hey, Joe, no papa, no mama." "Hey, Joe, you want a fried egg?" "You want a beef steak?" "No, thank you." "Hey, you got a cigarette?" "You give me one cigarette?" "You're too young to smoke." "For my papa." "One cigarette for my papa." "Hey, "no papa." Remember?" "No cigarette?" "No cigarette." "How about this?" "How about you?" "You want a chocolate?" "No grazia." "Boy, they sure picked a great time to be born, didn't they?" "By George, they no start Hitler's war." "Look!" "Look what it does to them.!" "Well, we didn't start it either." "Let's get rolling." "I don't want see this no more." "It makes me think of Poland." "I go back camp." "It'll do you good to blow off steam!" "Come on, Kovak!" "I know what I want do!" "Got him pretty good, hasn't it?" "Let's not let it spoil things." "Let's go!" "You stick with me, Little Texas." "Man, I invented women!" "Hey, what is this?" "These fly-boys got a corner on all the livestock?" ""Livestock"?" "Oh, aye!" "They're stationed here." "And they got the medals to charm 'em." "Maybe the infantry can tear that charm down a little." "Hey, dogfaces!" "# Into the air, Junior Birdmen #" "#Into the air Boy Scouts too #" "#Into the air Junior Birdmen #" "#And keep your nose up in the blue #" "# Up in the blue #" " #And when they make that presentation #" "#And hand out those wings of tin #" "#You, too, can be a Junior Birdman #" "# If you'll send your box tops in ##" "Charge!" "Hello." "Break it up!" "Come on!" "Break it up.!" "Come on.!" "I said, "Break it up!"" "What's the matter?" "Don't you guys get enough fighting at the front?" "All right, who started it?" "He did." "He didn't like our singing." "All right, all right!" "If he started it, how come you were mixed up with the Air Corps?" ""Mixed up with the Air Corps"?" "Why, they're our pals!" "Yeah." "That's right." "We've been sittin' here drinking." "After he started the trouble, we were so anxious to stay out of it, we all headed for the door at the same time and got tangled up." "Don't let it happen again." "Grazia." "Man, that's what I call a real joint operation!" "Drinks on the house!" "I can't find my hat.!" "Seven and three-quarters!" "No, I don't think so." "Come here, baby." "He doesn't understand women." "Here." "She reminds me of an old gal I knew back home." "She was a real beaut." "Comes up to me in a U.S.O. Club in Nashville." "Takes me ridin' in a yellow roadster." "We hit a curve doin' 65 miles an hour... and the cops take after us." "Says she, "Don't..."" ""Don't say a word while I lay the charm on these boys."" "Hello there." "Can I have a shine, please?" "All right." "I don't seem to have any money, but, uh... how about this, huh?" "Grazia." "Vincenzo!" "My brother do not beg, soldier." "He wasn't begging." "He did a job for me, and I paid him." "I see what you call job." "You do not let him finish." "Oh, why don't you let him have it?" "Here, I have enough for all the children." "No." "Well, we tried anyway." "Wait." "There is no begging here, but... if you would like to share our food, then the children can have your chocolate." "You don't have to do that." "If you are nice to the children, my mother and I want to be nice to you." " Please stay." " All right." "It's a deal." "I sure wish I knew what she was saying." "It was nothing." "She was..." "Maria." "Come." "You go with us." "Oh, no." "I'm not spending my first pass in some bomb shelter." "Please, you can't stay here." "You run along." "As soon as the streets clear, I'll head back for camp." "Maria.!" "Oh, this is just what I've been needing." "No, no, don't get the wrong idea." "I've been looking for a long time for somebody I could talk to, and you are it... because you can't understand a word I say." "Si, si." "I want to talk about my girl, the real one." "She's gonna be my wife if I get home." "You see, I can't tell my buddies about the real one." "They'd have to make cracks about her and say things that I don't want to hear, even if they are joking." "Naw, I gotta make up some wild ones... for the entertainment of my buddies." "But you, I can tell the truth to." "Can't I?" "Can't I?" "You just keep it that way, 'cause I'm gonna talk about my girl all night long." "I got an awful lot to get off my chest." "Well, what do ya know, a rug." "I haven't rested my poor dogface feet on a rug in two centuries." "Man, I gotta lay my feet on that rug." "You sit down." "I pour your wine." "I sure will." "Man, this is really livin'." "You are crazy to stay here." "How about you?" "Why did you come back?" "I do not know." "I'm sorry I could not talk to you before, but my mother does not like for me to speak English." "The English have killed my older brother in Africa." "Then she must have hated me too." "No, she do not hate." "But when she hear English, she think of her son she love very much." "I'm sorry." "I'm not anymore." "What good is it?" "One cannot feel sorry for all who die." "It's too much." "My little brother, Vincenzo, he like that sound." "He say he is going to shoot big gun when he grow up." "I hope he doesn't have to." "Where is your father?" "He went away when bad times come." "He never come back." "Well, I guess we all want to quit sometimes." "It's hard not to take the easy way out when it's right there in front of you." "Why do we talk of bad things?" "It is no good." "Are you afraid?" "All the time." "I, too, am afraid, but I am glad I come back." "I am too." "It can be so lonesome when the bombs fall." "When war is close, a woman wants someone to hold." "The family wanted you guys for the spaghetti dinner... after we got back from the bomb shelter, but I couldn't find you." "Hope we get you into camp before the M.P. S spot you... or you're gonna be in trouble." "Be in trouble?" "Man, where do you think I've been?" "I was rolled by an expert." "Takes an expert to get old Kerrigan's shoes." "I told you they were worth their weight in gold." "Hey, Johnson, how come you're not bragging up that old gal you were with?" "Lost my voice." "Must have been bad wine." "Hey, to keep you from talkin', I wish I had a truckload of it." "You should have stuck with me, Murph." "You've gotta just quit being scared of women." "There wasn't much time to think about women... because, in a few weeks, the combined force... of British, Canadian and American units was landed at Anzio... to bypass and cut off Cassino and open the road to Rome." "A beachhead only seven miles in depth was consolidated." "It took everything, including naval gunfire support, to hold it... because five crack Nazi divisions were thrown against it,:" "Divisions that otherwise would have opposed the impending invasión of Normandy." "Hey, who's Sergeant Murphy?" "I'm Murphy." "We're your replacements." "I'm Thompson." "This is Saunders." "I'm Sanchez." "Well, you men picked a good time to come up." "Find yourself some cover." "I'll be right with you." "They're blasting Johnson's squad out of that house, Lieutenant." "And thoseJerries will be right on his tail." "Bronson, bring that gun up here with me!" "You men over there, cover 'em!" "Give 'em fire!" "Let's get out of here!" "We'll never get out of here!" "Take it easy!" "We'll never get out of here!" "Take it easy!" "Get down!" "Jennings, huh?" "Yeah." "Didn't last long, did he?" "That farmhouse cost us five casualties already." "Who wants it anyway?" "Some general lookin' for a place in the country?" "Why don't you be clever someplace else." "With Jerry holding all the high ground, every company in the line... fights for a two-story building for observation purposes." "Just asking." "Sergeant Murphy!" "Thompson, Saunders and Sanchez, Johnson." "Best I can do for your squad." "What difference does it make?" "I'm not gonna be here to watch over them." "Feel like I'm gonna walk into one for sure this time." "Knock it off." "Ten to one, wejump off again." "To hell and back, that's where we're jumping off to." "We've been in that farmhouse five times, got knocked out six." "The law of averages got to catch up with you sometime." "This is Lieutenant Lee, our new forward observer." "Just in from the beach." "How are things going there, sir?" "It's under artillery fire and dive-bombers all the time." "Men and equipment gettin' to shore any better?" "It's pretty rough." "We've got to hit that farmhouse again, Murph." "German tanks have been spotted moving into the area." "Wouldn't take many to push us right back into the ocean." "If we can take that house in one piece, we might be able to keep those tanks off you." "We haven't had too much trouble with them." "They've been held to the road." "The fields have been too muddy to support them." "If it starts to rain again, I'll feel better." "We'll get ready to go, sir." "I never thought I'd hear a foot soldier ask for rain." "I make some coffee, then, by George, I go back, I kill all Germans." "You better make it good and strong." "All right, you guys, we got to hit her again." "Again?" "What did I tell you?" "You new men drop your packs here." "Oh, sure." "You all right?" "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." "When it cuts loose, stick with us older men." ""Older men"?" "A couple of days, you'll be as old as we are." "Okay, on your feet." "Let's go." "Set your gun up behind that wall over there." "Yes, sir." "You men stick with the first squad." "Keep working on that second-story window." "Murph!" "Murph!" "I'm hit!" "Murphy!" "Where is it?" "My back!" "I'm bleedin' to death." "I can feel it!" "You clown, get moving." "Murph, you can't leave a man!" "They shot my back clean off!" "All they did was spoil your lunch." "Well, I'll be a dirty name." "Hey, give me back my Thompson, will you?" "All right, you guys over there, get ready to go!" "You stay here and make sure those artillery people get up there all right." "Hey, wait a minute!" "Cover us, Johnson!" "We're going in!" "All right, you men!" "Get moving!" "Come on!" "Man, that's the first time I ever saw a Texan beat himself to the draw." "You say one word about this to the other guys, and I'll turn this loose on you." "Don't you go blabbing either." "That machine gun's on the other side of the house." "Let's go get it!" "Kovak, hurry up!" "It's no use, Chief." "You'll get yourself killed too." "What's going on?" "He'll be all right in a minute." "Kovak." "Must be the same gun that got Lieutenant Manning." "We'd better get it, Murph." "Stay right where you are." "Our orders were to take this house and hold it." "Why did Manning have to come back anyway?" "He didn't have to come back." "I guess he figured the platoon needed him." "Crank that thing up before they blast us out of here!" "Red nine!" "Red nine!" "Five tanks attacking near eastern junction!" "Coordinates: 4-1-8-6-0-3!" "Situation urgent!" "Fifty short, 200 right!" "One hundred right!" "That's good shootin', Lieutenant." "With that tank blocking the road, they can't get to us, as long as the field's muddy." "I sure wish it would rain." "Kovak was sure a good soldier." "You'd have thought he was fightin' a holy war." "Maybe he was." "Are you nuts?" "What did he have to save?" "Not even a citizen." "His whole family liquidated in Poland." "Then maybe he didn't mind dyin'." "Maybe that's what fightin' for a cause means." "Something none of us really understands." "Look what I found!" "A stove!" "Now we can have some coffee!" "Takes a new guy to take care of you fellows." "Wait a minute!" "Let him alone!" "You expect me to take that kind of stuff?" "What's the matter with him?" "You'll find out... sometime." "Sarge, can you hear that clanking noise out there?" "Yes, sir, Jerry was sure nice to let us borrow the house from him for the night." "Now tomorrow, if he wants it back just a little bit, he'll wake us up with some of that 88 millimeter stuff;" "you know, small caliber." "If he wants it back real bad, he'll open up old Annie." "Rumor says its barrel is just short of a quarter of a mile long, can use old railroad cars for shells and a pile driver for a ramrod." "Did you tell them about that bean can that won you the Purple Heart?" "Um, yeah, I was just gettin' around to it." "Three machine guns lined up on me..." "You three guys just volunteered to go fight a tank." "What?" "I heard them working on that one that got hit." "If they get it off that road, we're sunk." "Anything to get away from this guy." "I better tag along so you won't miss the ending." "Oh, no, you don't." "Probably see that theJerries heard it too." "I'll go, Sarge." "Me too." "We don't need you." "What's eating him?" "He was friendly enough this morning." "Does he have to snap our heads off just 'cause we offer to go with him?" "He doesn't want you for friends." "That's why he did it." "You see, when you guys have been in the line as long as we have, you find out it's no good to make friends." "Because when a friend gets it, well, it's rough on you." "The buddies that come with you, you're stuck with, but you don't make no new ones." "It's the dying' truth." "They've got a machine gun on the right." "You stay here and cover me." "Less chance of noise." "Hey..." "Shh." "As soon as I open up on those tracks, let 'em have it." "Hey, you guys keep your eyes open." "Those fields are really drying up out there." "Captain." "Nice work last night, Murphy." "I'm recommending you for a decoration." "Well, there were three other men with me, sir." "Yes, I know." "They told me the story." "Coffee, Captain?" "Hope you can take it black." "Thanks." "I've been talking to Colonel Howe." "We want you to take a battlefield commissión." "Oh, no, sir." "I couldn't do that, sir." "You couldn't?" "No, sir." "I'm not qualified." "What do you mean?" "Education, for one thing." "Another is I'd have to transfer from the outfit." "That's the rule in this división, but I still think you should take it." "I couldn't transfer, sir." "Why not?" "It's a hard thing to answer." "Murph, they're moving up tanks and infantry!" "They're trying to use the fields!" "Lousy break, those fields drying out." "Pull back to the old positions." "I'll contact the other platoons." "Yes, sir." "Lieutenant Lee, we're pulling out of here!" "Come on!" "Get ready to go!" "You did right turning' down lieutenant." "Don't ever take it." "If you do, I hope you get your can shot off!" "Thanks a lot!" "Hey, Murph, looks like you'll be up for retirement... before we get off this beach." "Don't bank on it!" "What's the matter with Johnson?" "Don't this remind him of some old gal he used to know?" "Hey, what is wrong with you?" "Just a scratch." "A silly, little scratch." "It's the dying' truth." "For one lousy farmhouse." "The trouble is makin' friends, learning' to love guys like Kovak and Johnson." "Well, isn't it?" "I'm sure you'll all agree that the four months here on Anzio... have been the longest of your lives." "The enemy has played host with a vengeance." "Every time we've gotten a división ashore, he's moved two in to face it." "But we've finally gained the balance of power over him." "The 1 st Armored División's been landed, and we're going to break out." "We're going all the way to Rome." "We'll have strong air cover." "We'll mark our own position with red smoke." "H" " Hour is 0500." "Good night, gentlemen." "Captain Marks?" "You're still short a second lieutenant." "I'll see what I can do about it." "I'd rather not have a new man, sir." "Murphy's one of the best platoon leaders I've ever had." "Then why won't he take a commissión?" "Something about not wanting to take responsibility." "He's mixed up because, instinctively, he does take it all the time." "The main reason is he doesn't want to be transferred." "Maybe we can do something about that." "Good luck, Marks." "Thank you, sir." "Look what's coming!" "Oh, you beautiful dolls.!" "I'lllayyou two to one, the Chief traps one." "Yougotabet ." "Hey, you guys, get a load of this." ""Normandy beaches fully consolidated." "Allied forces continue advance." They're doing all right." "It figures we'd miss that landing." "Must have been a breeze." "I heard a couple of officers talking." "With things going so good in Normandy, we're gonna stay right here and garrison Rome." "No kiddin'?" "What's the matter with going home?" "Home?" "With all these Rome women?" "Here comes Murph and the new 90-day wonder." "Men, this is Lieutenant Burns." "Rest." "You picked a good time to join us, Lieutenant." "Oh?" "I got it from a good source, we're gonna garrison Rome." "I've got it from a better source, we're on orders to move to the coast tomorrow for amphibious training." "More of that?" "I feel like I got webbed feet now." "I thought the Marines were the amphibious experts." "They are, but we're the only Marines in Italy." "Any idea where we're goin', sir?" "Could be southern France." "It was southern France." "For the fourth time in Worid War II, the 3rd División was about to land on a hostile shore." "But this time the foot soldier knew why he was there." "He knew the enemy, being closed in on from two sides in France, was now falling back toward his own border." "He knew the sooner the enemy was pushed into Germany, the sooner the war would be over." "And this was all he lived for." "How bad is he?" "He'll go home." "You got the million-dollar wound, Chief." "Hey, you timed that just right." "You only had one left." "See what chance we have to flank that hill." "Yes, sir." "Take a radio so we can be in contact." "Yes, sir." "You three men right here, you with the extra radio, come with me." "Brandon, this is Burns." "Over." "Brandon!" "I can't contact Brandon." "Do you think I ought to send up another patrol?" "Why don't you give me about ten minutes to check first?" "All right." "Go ahead." "Sure caught us cold, Murph." "Yeah." "See if you can get him on down the hill." "Are you trying to win yourself a wooden cross?" "I told you to get down the hill." "Thought you might need this." "Think you've got a corner on this real estate?" "Come on." "They can kill us, but they can't eat us." "That's against the law." "That did it!" "Get down Brandon!" "Why didn't you stay down?" "Murph..." "Come on, Murph, before the rear echelon catches up with us." "We're being pressured by División for being held up." "We've got to get that German artillery off of us so we can push through." "They have an observation post somewhere on Hill 481." "I can back you up with a couple of pieces of armor." "Send a platoon out, and get rid of it." "Right, sir." "You sent for Murphy?" "He's on his way, sir." "He can't turn it down this time." "Did you know he was turned down... by the Navy, the Marines and the paratroops?" "It's not so funny, sir." "I tried to get him transferred out of the company... as being unfit for combat." "Sergeant Murphy's here, sir." "Sir, Sergeant Murphy reports to Battalion Commander as ordered." "At ease, Murphy." " How would you like to go to West Point?" " West Point?" "He means it." "Quite a few men who have shown special qualifications are being picked." "I talked it over at Regimental, and we think you ought to be one of them." "You'll never find a better break than this." "Sir, it's true I've decided to stay in the Army, but..." "West Point." "I'm not qualified for it, sir." "I didn't even finish grade school." "The courses you took... and the coaching we can give you will get you through." "After we move through the Colmar area, we'll get things rolling." "In the meantime, you'll take a commissión." "But, sir, how about..." "You won't have to transfer." "With the replacement shortage being what it is, the rule has been waived." "You are now a gentleman by act of Congress." "Take a bath, shave..." "Well, anyway, take a bath and get back into the lines." "Thank you, sir." "Congratulations." "Thank you, Captain." "Why is it always the 3rd División that takes the beating?" "Yeah, and the closer we get to the German border, the tougherJerry's gonna be." "You mean they can get tougher?" "With somebody moving in on the States, wouldn't you?" "You see what I see?" "Well, what do ya know!" "Well, congratulations." "It's time you took it, sir." "Shavetail." "I still say you're gonna get shot right in the..." "At ease." "Take your cotton-pickin' hands off me." "From now on, there'll be a little more respect shown second lieutenants." "Yes, sir." "And another thing," "I want to thank you two for all the bucking' you've been doing for me over the past two years." "Ah, don't mention it, Murph." "Ah, forget it, Murph." "Forget it?" "Just when I'm in a position to repay you?" "You take over the platoon, Sergeant Kerrigan." "But I don't want the rank." "I don't deserve it." "Give it to one of the other guys." "I didn't hear anyone ask you, soldier." "All right." "That's what I like in enlisted men:" "Spirit." "Sergeant Kerrigan." "What are you laughing about, Corporal?" "Huh?" "Oh, not me, Murph." "Get the platoon ready to move out." "Yes, sir." "I'm Murphy." "Pierce." "They brief you back at headquarters?" "Just generally." "That German observation post that's breaking our back... seems to be located along this ridge about five miles up." "It's up to us to take him out of there." "All right, you men, from here on down, get on the first tank." "The rest of you take the second." "As Platoon Sergeant, I will assume my proper position." "Your hand, please." "Be my guest, Corporal Valentino." "Thank you, Sergeant Kerrigan." "Hey, Lieutenant, you tankers have really got it soft." "This is the way to travel, with a hundred thousand dollars worth of machinery under you." "If we run into German Tigers, you won't think so." "This thing's only got about four inches of armor." "Oh, yeah?" "Say, how thick do you think this G.I. Shirt is?" "Sergeant Kerrigan, have the men dismount." "All right, you guys, bail out!" "Valentino, get those men out of here!" "Move out!" "See what promotion does to you." "You lucky son of a gun." "Looks like somebody just handed you a ticket home." "Who wants to go home?" "And I was getting used to the rank." "Just to the right of those trees!" "Can you get a few rounds in there?" "Murphy." "Lieutenant Black." "I brought him down to help you out." "Black." "How are you?" "You're gonna take over the company." "Captain Marks, sir?" "His jeep hit a mine." "He's busted up pretty bad." "We're moving into the Colmar area immediately." "The battalion objective is this wooded area... on the outskirts of Holtzwihr." "It's heavily defended because it's Jerry's last foothold in France." "You can expect them to throw everything they've got at you, but it's got to be taken at all costs." "When this city's reduced, there's nothing between us and the German border." "Able Company will be on your right flank, Charlie on your left." "Be in position here at 0600 and ready to jump off." "Yes, sir." "Good luck." "Thank you, sir." "Colonel Howe?" "Sir, we're on our objective, but I haven't been able to contact the companies on either flank." "Artillery's delayed them temporarily." "Any change in orders?" "No, you'll attack in ten minutes." "You'll get your support." "Yes, sir." "Get the men ready to jump off." "Yes, sir." "Should we dig in?" "Too late for that now." "We'll never be able to stay here with 30 men." "Pull back and tie in with "A" Company." "What about you?" "I'm gonna see if I can get some artillery working." "Better knock on it." "You two get out of here." "Artillery, I need a round of smoke... at coordinate 3-0-5-6-0-1!" "What are you up against?" "Five tanks that I can see... and two reinforced rifle companies." "Tell thoseJoes to get the lead out!" "One hundred short, 50 right, and fire for effect!" "You're right on the nose!" "Keep it coming!" "Keep it coming!" "Keep it coming!" "That's good shootin'!" "The tanks are heading for cover!" "Give me a correction!" "Let's stay on those tanks!" "Never mind the tanks!" "Let's keep after that infantry!" "Are we too close to you?" "Keep firing for effect!" "How close are they?" "Hold the phone, I'll let you talk to them!" "He's got more guts than sense!" "That tank is loaded with gas and ammo!" "It'll blow up!" "Murph, get outta there!" "Murph!" "Murphy, are you..." "Keep 'em rollin', Black!" "Medic!" "Medic, over here!" "I'm all right, Val." "Get movin'." "You crazy Irishman, you ought to be dead!" "Well, I'm not, so get movin'!" "Okay, I'll see you, Murph." "Take care of yourself." "And you still owe me a spaghetti dinner!" "Hey, Murph... uh, sir." "You aren't supposed to be in this ward." "I know, sir, but I've got to see my old buddy." "You're liable to get into trouble." "Sir, if I have to," "I can prove I'm a bird colonel from Intelligence in disguise." "You shanty Irishman." "I figured you'd be on your way back to the States." "No, not for a while yet." "Where'd you get it?" "In the hip." "Wha..." "But where did it come out?" "You know where it came out." "I told him where he was gonna get it." "Didn't I tell ya?" "Sergeant, you'll have to leave." "Look, sir, he's a friend of mine." "When he goes to West Point, I'm gonna open a bar right across the street." "What's the matter?" "What's wrong with a bar?" "His wound's going to keep him out of West Point." "It will probably put him out of the Army." "Gee, I'm sorry to hear that, Murph." "It doesn't matter." "You're probably better off anyway." "Let 'em bust you right back to civilian." "You'll be in big demand back in the States." "You can pick off a man at 500 yards with an M-1," "You can toss a grenade further than anybody in the neighborhood... and you can bathe in ditch water!" "Sergeant, roll up your sleeve." "At least I can quiet you down so my patients can get their rest." "Okay, sir." "I was just leaving." "I'll be back and see you later, Murph, uh, sir!" "On August 9, 1945, a little more than three years after his enlistment... and shortly after his 19th birthday," "Lieutenant Audie L. Murphy had fought in seven major campaigns of Worid War II." "He had been awarded three Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star Medal, a Bronze Star Medal with a Bronze Service Arrowhead, a Legion of Merit, two Silver Star Medals, the Distinguished Service Cross,:" "And, from the French government, two Croix de Guerre with Palm and the Legion of Honor Chevalier." "On this memorable day in his life, he was awarded his country's highest decoration, the Congressional Medal of Honor."