"We had lost some very good men there." "Toye and Guarnere had lost their legs there." "Guarnere..." "Gordon was badly hit." "A number of other people were killed." "It was a difficult situation there." "I don't know the exact amount of men that got killed in that but six, seven of 'em, were real close friends of mine." "Skip Muck died, and Eugene Roe came to me about 10 minutes after he was killed and he wanted me to see if I wanted to go look at him." "I said, no, I wouldn't be able to stand that." "So, I didn't go look at him." "After Bastogne, we went to Haguenau." "There was another push there." "We wanted to know what was across the river there what kind of strength they had." "You have a feeling you're gonna live through the war." "You have a feeling it's starting to ease off." "You can't account for it." "It's just a gut feeling." "But everybody had that feeling." ""I believe I might be able to live through it."" "So, walk carefully, take care of yourself." "The 101st Airborne had been made famous by what it did in the Battle of the Bulge." "Newspapers called them "the battered bastards of Bastogne."" "They'd been through hell and were now pulling into the comparative paradise of Haguenau the sounds of the war still coming from just across the river." "I had missed Bastogne." "All I knew was what I'd read and heard around the replacement depot that we had broken the enemy, and the war would soon be over." "Thanks for the lift." "When I was finally able to rejoin Easy Company they looked nothing like the heroes who had just helped win the war." "George Luz!" "Yeah?" "It's me." "Come on, I haven't been gone that long." "Jesus, yes, you have." "Now, look what I found." "Hey, guys." "Sgt. Martin." "What do you want, Private?" "I'm sorry, sir." "My name's David Webster." "I just got back from the hospital." "Good for you." "Where's the rest of the guys?" "This is everybody." "Come on, Sgt. Martin, this can't be everybody." "What about Hoobler?" "Where's he?" "Lt. Foley, 2nd Platoon lost more guys than we did." "They're really short-handed." "Right, report to 2nd, Webster." "They'll find a place for you." "Next truck up, Webster." "You'll find 2nd." "Move." "Hey, guys." "Some lieutenant told me to report to 2nd." "Your name's Jackson, right?" "That's right." "Who's leading the platoon?" "Sgt. Malarkey is." "What, no officers?" "I guess you didn't hear." "No, what's that?" "They're making Malarkey a lieutenant." "He's on the fast track now." "Really?" "That's great." "Yeah, isn't it?" "Yeah." "Jackson, help me up, will you?" "So, you come from the hospital?" "Yeah." "Must've liked that hospital, 'cause we left Holland four months ago." "I wasn't there the whole time." "There was rehabilitation, then the replacement depot." "I'm sure you tried to bust out and help us in Bastogne, Web." "I don't know how I would have done that." "That's funny, 'cause Popeye found a way." "So did Alley, right, back in Holland?" "And Guarnere, and..." "Yeah, where is Guarnere?" "He still your platoon sergeant?" "No." "He got hit." "Yeah?" "Yeah, Bill got hit." "Blew his whole leg off." "1st Platoon, moving out!" "Okay, spread out." "Hold along this line till I figure out where we're going." "Sarge?" "What's the matter, Webster?" "Nervous in the service?" "No." "No, I'm fine, Sarge." "Why don't you go talk to Capt. Speirs." "Make sure he wants you with us." "Capt. Speirs?" "What happened to Capt. Winters?" "He's running the whole battalion now." "Go." "So, Easy Company had a new CO to go along with all the other new faces." "The guys I knew were either gone, or very different from what I remembered." "I was a veteran of D-day and Market Garden had been with the company since its formation but because I had missed Bastogne, I was treated as a replacement and felt like I was starting all over again." "Look who it is." "Nice digs, Lip?" "Yeah." "Sgt. Lipton?" "Hey, look what I found." "Feeling all right?" "There you go." "He's got pneumonia." "I'm sorry to hear that." "What are you sorry about?" "He's alive, he's got a couch, a blanket, snug as a bug." "Yeah." "Sgt. Malarkey said to check with the CO if I should be in 2nd Platoon." "Have a seat, Webster." "We'll get you situated." "How long have you been sick?" "Long enough." "He wants us to cross the river." "Yeah, I bet that water's cold." "Should be able to get you some boats." "Had to be a full moon." "So much for the cover of darkness." "It's gonna leave the patrol exposed." "Is this the company CP for Easy?" "Yes, sir." "As you were." "Lt. Jones looking for Capt. Speirs." "He's on his way, sir." "Why don't you sit down?" "Can you get me a coffee?" "Would you like a coffee, sir?" "No, thank you." "All right." "What platoon are you in?" "We're about to find that out." "You got any soap?" "I need a shave." "I'll send some down." "You know what you're doing for this?" "I'm gonna let Speirs handle it." "Right." "Capt. Speirs, sir." "This is Lt. Jones." "Listen, will you go back in the back and sack out?" "There are beds there with fresh sheets." "I will, sir." "Just trying to make myself useful, sir." "Listen up." "Regiment wants a patrol for prisoners." "This one comes straight from Col. Sink, so it's not my idea." "Since the river's the line of resistance, we'll cross it to get to them." "What do we need to do?" "There's a three-story building on the enemy side, up the embankment." "We know it's occupied." "You can have 15 men." "Think very hard about who you wanna lead the patrol." "You'll need a lead scout, a translator." "I've got the entire battalion on covering fire." "When?" "Tonight, 0100." "Yes, sir." "Speirs, I want this one to be as fool proof, and as safe as possible." "Yeah, don't take any chances on this one." "We're too far along for that." "Speirs, I want to discuss who might go along." "Who are you?" "Lt. Jones, sir." "Right, our West Pointer." "Yes, sir." "When did you graduate?" "June 6, sir." "June 6, of last year?" "D-day, yes, sir." "All right." "Don't get hurt." "Sir, I'd like to volunteer for the patrol." "Speirs, talk to you in an hour." "Yeah." "Lt. Jones?" "We are short on offices." "You think a noncom could lead this?" "I can think of a few possibilities." "Martin, Malarkey, Grant?" "Honestly, sir, most of the NCOs could use a rest." "Captain, request permission to go on the patrol." "There's your answer." "No." "You don't have any experience." "Report to 2nd Platoon." "Yes, sir." "Tell..." "Tell Heffron, Ramirez, and McClung they're going." "Yes, sir." "Sir, this is Pvt. Webster." "Sir, I'm Pvt. Webster from 1st Platoon." "I just got back from the hospital and Lt. Foley told me to go to 2nd but Sgt. Malarkey said I..." "Fine, 2nd." "Take Lt. Jones." "Lieutenant, OP-2." "Come on." "Are there other officers in the platoon?" "No, sir." "Just St. Malarkey." "But they tell me he's getting a battlefield commission." "Maybe he'll be assisting you, sir." "Who's that?" "Webster?" "That's right." "How you doing, Sgt. Kiehn?" "Hi, Webster." "Hey, Sarge." "Look what we just scrounged." "We got some spuds." "Hey, OP-2, this way?" "Shit, move!" "Go!" "Shit, they spotted us!" "Is that it?" "I don't know." "I think so." "Go, go, go!" "Come on, come on." "All clear!" "All clear!" "Okay." "Wait, it was Heffron, McClung, and..." "Ramirez, come on." "Right." "Hey, guys." "This taken?" "Go ahead." "Sergeant, this is Lt. Jones." "Just assigned to 2nd Platoon." "Malarkey, Platoon Sergeant." "Congratulations on the battlefield commission." "The what?" "They're making you an officer, no?" "Me?" "No." "You must be thinking of First Sergeant Lipton." "My mistake." "So, you're without a platoon leader?" "No, not anymore, Lieutenant." "Right." "So, do you wanna introduce me to the men?" "Well, some are sleeping downstairs and the rest are right here." "Sergeant, a patrol's being planned for tonight 0100 hours, across the river." "Regiment wants POWs for interrogation." "What's the situation?" "Hey, Web." "What?" "Come here." "I wanna talk to you for a second." "Why?" "You want some coffee?" "No." "Fifteen." "Fifteen what?" "Lugies since D-day." "Any mortars?" "60s, out back." "Is this kid out of high school yet?" "Out of West Point." "West Point?" "Isn't that where Ike went?" "Yeah, he actually graduated with his son." "Shit, so..." "What do you know about this patrol thing?" "Nothing." "Come on, you gotta know something." "I don't." "Bullshit." "You were there, right, at the CP?" "This is a prisoner snatch, right?" "Hey, Chuck, listen to this." "Come on, Webster, spill it." "Capt. Speirs is to pick 15 men." "Lt. Jones wants to be one of them." "I say let the kid go." "He could use the experience." "Probably could find 14 replacements to help him out." "I take it this was already an outpost when you arrived?" "There were some dogies from the 79th Infantry but they left in a hurry." "What's the report on enemy activity?" "Expect some flares, a few mortars at night scattered 88s, snipers during the day." "Yeah, we dodged some mortars on our way in." "They also got some sort of railroad gun back there." "Shells about the size of a deuce and a half." "Sounds like a freight train when one comes over." "They haven't attempted to cross the river?" "No." "They have roofs over their heads, sir." "Just like us." "I don't think anybody wants to do anything stupid at this point, right?" "Why are you holding out?" "I know you know." "Just give us the names, Web." "Who?" "There are three men here in this room, that think they should be on the patrol." "Who?" "If I tell you, you can't let on that you know." "Your secret's safe, Web." "Who is it?" "Yeah, Heffron." "Shit!" "McClung." "And you." "He want any other guys from any other platoon?" "No, I don't know." "Not that I know of." "Look, that's all I know, I'm sorry." "So, it's McClung, Heffron, and Ramirez." "I'll tell them." "I just need you to point..." "Listen up!" "Got some bad news." "There is a patrol set for tonight, and so far, Speirs wants McClung..." "We know." "Yeah, we just fucking heard." "Webster here told us." "Easy, White." "Yeah." "Okay." "All right, out." "The PX rations just came in." "Including winter shoe pacs." "Beautiful." "Yeah, finally, right?" "Good of 'em." "Now we're in a nice warm house." "Also, we get showers." "All right, let's move!" "Clear it out!" "Come on, move, move!" "Incoming!" "Come on, come on, go!" "Stay down!" "Stay low, stay low!" "Okay." "Showers, let's go, come on." "Somebody's been hit!" "What happened?" "Casualty." "Who is it?" "Bill Kiehn." "I just left him." "I was on my way back." "In war, soldiers sometimes die in the fever pitch of a firefight or by artillery when they're huddled in a foxhole." "Bill Kiehn, a Toccoa man was killed because he was carrying potatoes from one building into another in the wrong place at the wrong time." "He was dead before Doc Roe even heard the call for a medic." "Get him out of here, will you?" "Let's go, let's get out of here." "Yeah, okay." "Did you know him well?" "No, not really." "McClung." "Thanks." "Malarkey." "Jackson, you and Liebgott, Powers, Wynn, and Webster." "All right?" "2nd Platoon, on me." "All right, I'm leading this patrol." "CO wants Grant, Liebgott, Wynn Jackson, Shifty from 3rd Platoon, and Webster." "They want anyone from 1st?" "No." "Anyone they don't want from 2nd?" "Jesus Christ." "That list sounds like everybody to me." "It's always 2nd Platoon." "Swear to God, if we had three guys, they'd still want us for it." "I can't believe Malarkey's gonna lead it." "He only lost his five best friends." "What the fuck's he gotta live for?" "Has it been a long time since your last shower, Professor?" "Come on." "Is it hot water or cold?" "Come on, hurry up, will ya?" "All right." "I guess I don't really need a shower." "I don't either." "Lieutenant?" "Yeah." "You still wanna get your ODs dirty?" "Of course." "I was just thinking." "Sgt. Malarkey's really in no condition to be on this patrol." "And maybe, if you offered, you could go in his place." "Being that you are an officer..." "No, they want someone with experience." "The guys they picked have plenty of that." "Lt. Jones wanted to experience combat before the war was over." "Malarkey had been on the front lines every time Easy Company had seen action since D-day." "If it was possible for them to switch places for the patrol it would be a small moment of justice." "As welcome as a hot shower and a fresh uniform." "The decision, though, was not theirs to make." "Goddamn it, Johnny, you're breaking my heart, I'm telling you." "Come on, George, just give me, I don't know, 10, 15 bars." "Juicy Fruit." "Happy?" "We just got a report of movement." "Lipton wants you to lay a few bazooka rounds into a house across the river." "You'd think we could get at least one Hershey bar." "You're 1st Platoon at heart." "Jesus, Cobb, there's not enough." "Hershey bars!" "Jesus Christ." "Wait your turn." "Who are they for?" "Not you, Lieb." "Come on, George, one bar." "No, there's not enough to go around." "Capt. Speirs here?" "Down by the river, sir." "Hey, big mouth, give the kid a Hershey bar." "You gotta be shittin' me!" "What's up, guys?" "I like what you did with the place, George." "Yeah, I did good." "How you feeling?" "If you keep your hands off my ass, fine." "Have a Hershey." "Thanks." "He gets a fuckin' Hershey bar?" "He got shot in the ass." "Did I tell you to stick your ass out in the wind?" "No, but I expect a little sympathy from you, right?" "I should rub it for you?" "Can you believe this guy?" "Try to get him out of the war, he comes back." "That's not what I heard." "I heard the Krauts are finished." "Yeah, just to make sure we've gotta row across the fucking river tonight grab a few, and ask 'em in person." "Are you kidding me?" "Wish I was." "Welcome back, Frank." "Yeah, Jesus, that reminds me, Web, I need you to run these to OP-2 for me." "Grenade launchers for the night patrol." "Any day now, Web, there you go." "You know what?" "Send these, too." "Did you hear what happened on D-company's patrol last night?" "What?" "Replacement lieutenant blew his foot off." "Stepped on a Schu mine." "Fresh in from West Point." "Had to come back empty handed." "No shit." "Maybe he's a friend of yours, Lieutenant." "What you got in there?" "More Hershey bars and Lucky Strikes for you rear-echelon fucks to hoard?" "Cobb, with the mouth, please." "The kid's just trying to do his job, all right?" "Jesus Christ." "You know what?" "To hell with it." "Count 'em up, Vest." "I gotta go blast this house." "You happy now?" "You coming, Perco?" "Make yourself useful, watch this shit for me." "Web, you're coming with me." "Is Capt. Speirs gonna be where you're headed?" "Same vicinity, yeah." "Then I'll join you." "Where are we going?" "To the house I gotta blast." "Capt. Winters gonna be with him?" "Jesus, look, I don't know, maybe." "Then I'm coming, too." "All right, come on, please." "Take it easy, I've been here all fucking day." "Give me a bar." "Come on, you don't even smoke cigarettes, damn it!" "Come on, I got a wounded ass." "Did intelligence give you any information on the CP?" "Third house on the left." "Soon as our men are in the boats, I want a quad 50 opening up." "Capt. Winters?" "About the patrol." "I feel that I should go on the patrol, sir." "I know I could use the experience." "Denied." "Anything else?" "You're not gonna lead that patrol, Lt. Jones." "Permission to speak, sir." "Go on, Lieutenant." "It looks like Sgt. Malarkey could use a break." "I've discussed it with him, he said he didn't mind if I took his place on the patrol." "That was nice of him." "Capt. Winters." "Yes." "I'd really like to be on that patrol, sir." "If it's true the Krauts are finished..." "I haven't really done anything except deliver mail and type morning reports." "Absolutely." "Thank you, Captain." "He's got a point about Sgt. Malarkey." "Yeah, a point." "Fine, you can go." "There'll be a briefing, CP, 1700." "Yes, sir." "So, who do you have in mind leading this thing, if not Malarkey?" "Come on." "He can't be leading." "I'm not sure what they decided." "No way." "Not on his first day." "Do you see any other officer here?" "What?" "They call you guys, too?" "So, who's in charge of this bullshit?" "No, he ain't." "If he ain't, it's you, Chuck." "Or Shifty or Mo." "That'd be better." "Ten-hutt!" "At ease." "Gentlemen." "Sir." "As you can see, we've assembled 15 of you here for this prisoner snatch tonight, 0100." "Just a couple of points." "Secured four rubber boats to get you across the river." "Lt. Jones here is the ranking officer and he'll be along as an observer." "Sgt. Martin here will lead the patrol in Sgt. Malarkey's place." "The whole battalion will be covering your withdrawal." "We've identified targets." "We've planned fire for 'em." "We hear these whistles, we open up." "So don't blow them till you're back in the boats with your prisoners." "If the house turns out to be empty, sir?" "It won't, but in any case we know it's an outpost, we want it destroyed so you have to lay some demo on a time delay." "You have to move fast, but carefully." "Put a perimeter around the house." "Once in place, get rifle grenades in the window." "Get your assault team in quick." "Okay, good, understood." "Remember, it's about prisoners." "Don't pop the first thing that moves." "Clear?" "Yes, sir." "Good." "Picked your assault team?" "McClung, Sisk, Cobb, Garcia and Webster, as translator." "The rest of you guys, a base of fire with Sgt. Grant." "You speak German, right, Webster?" "Yeah, a little bit." "Good." "That's my team, sir." "Questions?" "No, sir." "Good." "Good luck." "Thank you, sir." "Ten-hutt!" "As you were." "Carry on." "A little German?" "His German's as good as mine." "It's not a concern of mine." "Jackson, you need this." "Can you believe that guy?" "Webster, likes to get out of everything." "Whatever." "I want four men on each block." "Four men to go in." "Four on the left flank, four on the right." "Sir?" "Yes?" "Liebgott and I, we both speak German." "Yeah?" "You said 15 men, there are 16 of us, including two translators." "Fine." "Liebgott, you wanna sit this one out?" "Yes, sir." "Martin, you wanna supervise the street squads?" "Thank you, sir." "Or the two fives?" "Yeah, anyway..." "Okay, you men going on patrol Skinny, nothing rattles, nothing shines, no helmets." "Lieutenant?" "Thank you." "Are you set for tonight?" "I'm ready." "Those Krauts are gonna catch some hell." "So I hear." "I'm not personally going in." "It's Martin, right?" "Martin and McClung." "I'm supposed to stay in the rear and give them cover." "It's the best place to be." "Fifteen men crossing a river to capture prisoners from a German observation post." "Getting back safely could be successfully accomplished in as little as ten minutes." "The same mission could be met with disaster and result in nothing more than 15 Americans killed or wounded in action." "Those of us who had seen combat before put that out of our minds." "Those who hadn't probably thought of little else as we waited for darkness." "Any problems?" "No problems." "It's secured to the tree." "No sign of any AP mines." "Let's go." "Webster, come on." "Keep it steady." "Shit." "I can't swim!" "Garcia, grab Sisk." "Okay, keep going, come on." "Stay focused." "Come on." "Use the rope." "Come on." "Cutters." "Good." "To the side." "Let's go, come on." "Clear." "Easy now, clear." "Powers, go." "Go, McClung." "McClung, move up." "In twos, up." "Powers, Wynn, secure the left flank." "Lieutenant take Grant and Heffron secure the right perimeter and crossroads." "Clear?" "Security out, go." "Move." "Come on, let's go." "Jackson, hold on!" "Let's go!" "Jackson, wait!" "Put it down!" "Put it down, and keep your hands out where I can see them!" "Keep those Krauts quiet!" "Jackson!" "Vest, take care of him." "Ramirez, watch Vest." "Let's go, Webster, let's go." "Split 'em up, come on." "Webster, check 'em for weapons." "Keep those men quiet!" "McClung, cover 'em!" "Take the charges, prime it, bury it." "Shut up, you two, and pick him up." "McClung, these two are gonna carry the wounded Kraut." "Tell 'em." "Bring the wounded man." "I said, shut up." "Ramirez, pick up Jackson!" "We're moving out!" "Come on, where are you going?" "You, move!" "Everybody moves out on my command." "Are you ready?" "Are you ready?" "Shut up, you!" "Come on, we all go together." "Let's go, move, move out!" "Let's go, move!" "Move!" "Webster, come on!" "Powers, fall back, we're moving out!" "Keep those prisoners' heads down, and let's keep moving." "Wynn!" "Fall back!" "We're moving out, let's go." "We're falling back!" "Covering fire!" "Heffron, I want you to fall back now!" "Let's go!" "Move out, get back to the boat, I'll cover." "Go!" "Keep those men moving!" "Lieutenant, take the whistle." "Let's go!" "Go!" "Let's go!" "Stay low, keep moving!" "Fall back to the boats, now!" "Fall back!" "Jesus Christ, come on, blow the goddamn whistle!" "Okay, everybody, get in the boats, right now!" "Come on, get in the boats." "Come on, move!" "Let's go, Shifty." "I'm gonna shoot you, you fucking Kraut!" "Shoot him, we'll have to come back for more." "You, in the boat, now!" "You get up, you Kraut piece of shit!" "Into the boats!" "Quick, get in the boats, come on!" "Let's go, we're moving out!" "Let's get these boats in the water!" "Let's do it, start pulling." "You're okay, Jackson!" "Keep pulling!" "Come on, keep going, come on!" "Perconte, come on, let's go!" "Where's the medic?" "Everybody off the boats!" "Let's go!" "Take cover!" "We got wounded, come on." "Popeye, get the Krauts back there, and shake 'em down." "Move!" "Move!" "McClung, McClung!" "Get onto the company CP!" "Let 'em know what we got!" "Shut up, just shut up." "I can't do this, I can't do this." "Move off." "Webster, stay with him." "Hey, Shifty, watch Vest." "Sir, I'm going to get a medic." "You got this?" "Yeah." "Get his legs." "Jackson, listen to me." "Calm down, or we can't help you." "Settle down." "He's gonna fucking die!" "Jackson, look at me, don't listen to him." "Look at me." "You're gonna be fine." "Everything's gonna be okay." "Keep still." "Be calm, buddy, everything's fine." "Everything's fine." "Goddamn it!" "Jesus!" "You think you're out of this war?" "What do you think you're doing?" "We're not gonna get more prisoners, because you killed one!" "Private, listen to me, Private." "He's gonna fucking die!" "Sit down!" "Jackson, stay calm, the medic is coming." "They're on their way." "Where the fuck is the medic?" "Doc is on his way." "You'll be okay." "All right, Jackson, you got the doc." "Doc's here, you're okay." "All right, Jackson, take it easy, okay." "Okay." "Light, I need some light, give me some light." "All right, look at the flame, Jackson." "Okay, that's good." "All right, let's get him out of here." "You guys, help the doc move him." "I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die!" "It's okay, Jackson." "I don't wanna die!" "Take it easy." "It's okay, it's okay." "You're all right." "Jackson!" "God, my God!" "Jackson, you're not gonna die." "You're not gonna die, I need you to hang on!" "Jackson!" "Eugene Jackson was 20 years old." "He'd lied about his age when he joined the army at 16." "His family, I'm sure, got a telegram from the War Department, saying he died a hero on an important mission that would help win the war." "In fact, Eugene lost his life on a stretcher in a dank basement in Haguenau crying out in agony while his friends looked on helplessly." "He was just one more casualty in a war that was supposed to be all but over." "Did they put that in the report on the ADA?" "We're working on it." "How long are you gonna keep..." "Keep moving, go on." "Get up on the truck." "Up, up." "Status?" "Private Jackson took a grenade fragment from the enemy OP." "It was his own grenade." "He died of his wounds, sir." "Any others?" "No, sir." "Well executed." "It's not your fault." "Talk to your men." "Carry on." "Thank you, sir." "We heard you got two prisoners." "Good work." "Jackson's dead." "Yeah, we heard." "They want another patrol tonight." "What are you doing, Cobb?" "You leave someone on the bank?" "Yeah, yeah, we did." "It's the third prisoner that was too far-gone to bring back." "Maybe we should put him out of his misery." "Fuck his misery." "I can't listen to it anymore." "Sir, want cigarette?" "Yeah." "Who's got a light?" "Here, sir." "Twenty-two." "What you looking at, Webster?" "Yeah, that's what I thought, college boy." "Are you drunk, trooper?" "Leave me alone." "Answer the question." "Yes, sir, I am drunk, sir." "Drunk." "Sick and tired of fucking patrols, taking orders..." "Hey, Cobb, shut up." "It's boring, okay?" "Taking his side, Johnny?" "Yeah..." "I am." "So, he knows we lost a man?" "Yeah, he knows." "He also knows you picked up two prisoners who talked." "About what?" "OB, supply trouble, Hitler's favorite color." "I don't know." "None of it gets us across the river." "What's the point?" "Honestly?" "Sink's been on the phone all day, bragging it up." "I think he's just showing off now." "I don't know, Dick." "I don't know what to tell you." "You gave him a successful patrol, now he wants two." "Successful." "Sir, the men are mustered." "If you want me to brief 'em, I'm gonna." "It's the same roster as last night." "Well, mostly." "Evening, gents." "Evening, Colonel." "At ease." "Y'all did a damn fine job on a tough mission last night." "And I wish you good luck tonight, 'cause I'll be expecting more of the same." "Have you briefed the men?" "Just on our way, sir." "All right." "Make damn sure you remind 'em how proud I am of what they did." "Yes, sir." "So, I'll brief 'em now, sir?" "No." "No, I'll do it." "Sarge, they're on their way in." "Ten-hutt." "Martin." "Sir." "At ease." "This everybody, Grant?" "Sir." "You men did an excellent job last night." "I'm proud." "I just saw Col. Sink." "He's proud, too." "In fact, he's so proud, he wants you to do another patrol across the river tonight." "Any moment now, the outpost we hit last night will go up in flames, Martin?" "Yes, sir." "It means we'd have to venture farther into town this time." "Capt. Speirs, you have the map, please?" "Yeah, Sgt. Grant." "We have enemy movement here and here which means this is our new house target here." "We recovered all the boats so we'll set off from the same place as last night." "We're not changing the plan any, sir?" "No." "Plan is the same." "It will be 0200 hours instead of 0100." "Is that clear?" "Yes, sir." "Okay." "Good, because I want you all to get a full night's sleep tonight." "Which means, in the morning you will report to me that you made it across the river into German lines but were unable to secure any live prisoners." "Understand?" "Yes, sir." "Good." "Look sharp for tomorrow." "We're moving off the line." "Did I fucking hear that right?" "A good man." "Moving off the line." "It's a whole new way to fight a war." "Don't bother writing this up." "I'll take care of it." "I might actually enjoy it." "Okay." "Think you might be onto something, Dick." "Lt. Jones." "Sir." "Join us at the company CP." "First Sergeant Lipton." "Sir." "Your honorable discharge as an enlisted man." "Just keep 'em coming, Luz." "Battlefield commission as Second Lieutenant." "Look what we have here, boys." "Hey, pal." "Congratulations, Carwood." "Thank you, sir." "Lip, congratulations." "Thanks." "Thank you, sir." "Thank you, welcome back, sir." "That's Harry to you." "Congratulations." "Thanks, Harry." "Harry, I didn't expect to see you this soon." "I figured you'd be nursing that scratch for another month or two." "Did you miss me, Lewis?" "Lt. Jones." "Regiment has seen fit to promote you to First Lieutenant." "They want you on staff up there." "Congratulations and good luck." "Thank you, sir." "Dismissed." "Looks like you lost another platoon leader, Web?" "So, a second patrol never happened." "Word was Capt. Nixon wrote up a bogus report and regiment never got wise." "As we pulled out of Haguenau many of us in Easy Company felt that a corner had been turned and we all might make it home alive." "So, we'll know more as soon as we get closer to the line." "Before I forget Col. Sink's unhappy with the appearance of your uniform." "He says it's not befitting to your rank." "Oak leaves." "Congratulations, Major." "Gentlemen, we're ready." "I'll drive." "Sgt. Malarkey good luck, sir." "Sgt. Martin." "Yeah, Lieutenant?" "Good work." "Thank you, sir." "Good to have you along." "Good luck, men." "Here." "I wondered if people back home would ever know what it cost the soldiers to win this war." "In America, things were already beginning to look like peace time." "The standard of living was on the rise, race tracks and nightclubs were booming." "You couldn't get a hotel room in Miami Beach, it was so crowded." "How could anyone ever know of the price paid by soldiers in terror, agony, and bloodshed if they'd never been to places like Normandy Bastogne, or Haguenau?"