"Yup." "Standing in the door, I could see the lights on a drop zone." "And I had to assume that was our drop zone way in the" " Ahead of us." "And..." "So that" " We had" " Had the red light." "I had everybody standing up, ready to jump." "So when the plane started to get hit, and suddenly the pilot gives me the green light, I'm out the door immediately." "Got such an opening blast from the-- Or opening shot from the prop blast that it broke this chinstrap that we had on this helmet liner." "And that's when I lost this famous leg bag that everybody talks about." "Just from the shock of the opening, it just flew right off my foot." "We came from the sky." "We hit, and in any direction you went, there would be enemy." "You knew it." "And that was all part of-- Of what you accepted." "How do you prepare yourself mentally?" "Each man must do that himself." "Each man must prepare himself mentally to" " To make that jump." "In the back of your mind, you-- You know you wonder what's gonna happen and all that." "You know you've" " You've been trained and trained and trained and what your job is gonna be and what you're supposed to do and" "Oh, that's what you gotta think about." "You know?" "And we lost a lot of people that night." "But you try to put it all out of your mind." "Smith!" "Give me a light." "Lip!" "Did Evans make it?" "Yes, sir." "He's in Lieutenant Meehan's stick, sir." "Lieutenant Meehan." "Lieutenant Meehan." "Bill could use some help." "Bill!" "Bill, hey!" "Bill!" "I need your help here." "Oh, no." "Flying Arado on the wing." "I repeat, we got a temperature on the wing." "Get ready!" "Stand up!" "Hook up!" "Equipment check!" " Sound off for equipment check!" " Ten okay!" " Nine okay!" " Eight okay!" " Seven okay!" " Six okay!" " Five okay!" " Four okay!" " Three okay!" " Two okay!" "One okay!" "Fuck!" "Jesus Christ!" "Let's go, let's go!" " Does that light look green to you?" " Let's go!" "Let's go!" "I'm hit!" "Jesus!" "Tell Meehan to get them out of there!" "Two o'clock!" " Oh, Jesus Christ!" " Hold it steady!" " Go!" " Come on and jump, sir!" "Don't listen to me." " He's staying on the plane!" " Move!" "You're not jumping." " He's okay!" "Go, sir!" "Go!" " All right!" "Son of a bitch." "Where's the goddamn DZ?" " Maybe three more minutes on this bearing!" " We get any lower, we ain't gonna need any frigging parachutes!" " Slow down!" " We gotta get some altitude!" "But they can't jump at this speed!" "We there?" "Oh, God!" "Oh, no!" "Let's go!" " Flash." " Shit." "I don't think that's the correct reply, trooper." " I say "flash," you say "thunder."" " Yes, sir." "Thunder, sir." "Musette bag." "Coach?" "Sir, it's Hall, sir." "I was on the basketball team." " Leg bag?" " Prop blast got it, sir." " And my radio and batteries with it." " Mine too." "It landed somewhere behind those trees." "Okay." "Follow me." "Hell with that!" "Wait until they reload." "Go." " Aren't you D Company?" " Able, sir." "Guess that means one of us is in the wrong drop zone, sir." "Yeah, or both of us." " Do you have a weapon, sir?" " Just my knife." "Do you have any idea where we are, sir?" "Some." " So you're a radioman." " Yes, sir." "Well, I was until I lost my radio on the jump." "I'm sure I'll get chewed out for that." "Well, if you were in my platoon I'd tell you, you were a rifleman first and a radioman second." "Well, maybe you could tell that to my platoon leader." "When we find him." "If we find him." "It's a deal." "First, I need your help." "Locate some landmarks to get our bearings." "Keep your eyes peeled for buildings, farmhouses bridges, roads, trees." "I wonder if the rest of them are as lost as we are." "We're not lost, private." "We're in Normandy." " Who's that?" " Lieutenant Winters?" "Is that you?" "Sit down, down here." " Sit down." "Any weapon?" " No, sir." "As soon as I hit that prop blast, so long leg bag." "All I got is this knife and some TNT." " These 82nd boys got their M-1 s though." " Oh, man. 82nd?" " Where the hell are we?" " Sir, I saw a sign back thataways." "It said "Sainte-Mère-Église."" "Flashlight?" "Raincoat?" " You got a raincoat?" " Yeah, yeah." "We're about 7 kilometers away from our objective." "And four hours away from when we need to have it secured." "So we got a lot of walking ahead of us." "You men'll stick with us until we find your unit." "Let's go." " Hey, sarge, where are we going?" " Causeway Number 2, Utah Beach." "The Germans flooded the fields inland." "We don't clear those roads, our boys ain't going nowhere." "The five of us ain't gonna secure a road." "That looey don't even have a weapon." "I don't remember hearing about any rail roads near our objective." "I'm telling you, this is the spur line that runs parallel to the river." "We should be coming up to a road and bridge ahead." "Yeah, how would you know?" "Because I studied the sand tables, all right?" " Probably a frigging train or" " Shh." " Flash." " Thunder." "Lieutenant, is that you?" " Malarkey." " Sir." "Sir." " Glad to see you, sir." " Hey, fellas." " Hey, fellas." " Hey, everybody okay?" " How are you?" " Good to see you." " Nice to see you." " Get moving." " Guarnere?" " Sir." "You and Hall up front." "Who the hell is Hall?" "Lipton." "Go." "Guarnere." "Wait for my command." "Grenade!" "Grenade!" "That's enough, Guarnere!" " Everyone okay?" " Yes, sir." "Next time I say wait for my command, you wait for my command, sergeant." "Yes, sir." "Here you go, lieutenant." "Kraut weapon." "Fine, Quaker." " What's that guy's problem?" " Gonorrhea." "Really?" "His name, dummy." "Guarnere, gonorrhea, get it?" "So besides having a shitty name, what's his problem?" "None of your fucking business, cowboy." " All right, let's move out." " Yes, sir." "Quietly." " You see him?" "He just sat there." " He didn't have a weapon." " What's he gonna do, shout at them?" " He shouts at me for killing Krauts." "He just wanted you to wait for his command." "Joe, he don't even drink." "Lipton!" "Wynn!" "Anybody who needs supplies or ammo, now's the time to get it." "McDowell!" "You okay?" " Yes, sergeant." " Well, let's go." "Hey, I promised my kid brother I'd fetch him back a Luger." "So I got first dibs, okay?" "Check that one." "It's the Navy." "The landings have started." "Let's go." " Let's move it out." " Right on time." " Yeah?" "Tell that to him, cowboy." " My name's Hall." " That so?" " Let's move out." " You just gotta learn to return his fire, is all." " You just gotta realize it ain't about you." " I just heard his brother" " Malarkey, shut your yap." "His brother got it at Cassino." "Found out before we jumped." "Morning, sir." "Battalion sure will be happy to see you guys." " Where?" " At the farm, sir." "Top of the morning to you, fellas." "Enjoying the war?" "Where you from, son?" "Eugene, Oregon." "Eugene?" "You gotta be kidding me." "Popeye, did you hear this?" "I'm from Astoria." " You don't say." " Yeah." "Orange Street." "What gives?" "What are you doing in a Kraut uniform?" " Come again?" " My family answered the call." "All true Aryans should return to the Fatherland." " Joined up in '41." " You're shitting me, right?" "Hey, Malarkey!" "Stop fraternizing with the enemy!" "Get over here!" " What--?" "What got you to Eugene?" " I was born in Eugene." "Really?" "Popeye." "Hey, Popeye!" " Hey, Harry!" " Carry on." " Easy Company." " Bill!" " Popeye." "Good to see you." " Good to see you." " And this here's Hall, Able Company." " Known as Cowboy." " You from Texas?" " Manhattan." "Lieutenant Winters!" " Hey, fellas, how you doing?" " What's going on?" " What's the holdup?" " I'm not sure." "Five'll get you ten it's got something to do with that." "Yeah." "It's good to see you, Dick." "Yeah, you too, Buck." "What's the situation?" "Oh, not good." "Ninety percent of the men are still unaccounted for." " Lieutenant Meehan?" " No, no one's seen him or anyone from his plane." "You know, if he is missing wouldn't that put you in line to be the next commander of Easy?" "Hey, Lieutenant Speirs." "How many men of Dog Company got assembled?" " Handful, maybe 20." " You the only officer that made it?" "So far." "Still waiting for orders." "You got some cigarettes?" "Yeah." "Hey, keep the pack." "Yeah, so I was in the plant in '39." "That's when I was at Monarch tooling propeller shafts." "No kidding." "What are the chances of that, huh?" "You and me, 100 miles from each other, working at practically the same job." "Jeez." " Hey, Malark!" "We're waiting on you." " Yeah, I'm coming." "Well, I gotta run." "I'll see you around." "Yeah, see you around." "Here you go." "Thank you." "Shit." "Easy Company?" "Easy?" "Hey, any of you guys know where Easy Company is?" " You seen Lieutenant Meehan?" " No, not yet." "Well, Major Strayer wants Easy Company's CO up front." " Well, I guess that means you, Dick." " Come on." "Son of a bitch." "Hey, Malark, where's the best chow?" "In Berlin." " Let's round them up." " Okay." "I'll get at them." "And the MGs?" "I'd say right around here, sir." "But I can't be sure." "There's some Kraut 88s up ahead." "Up ahead and to the right about, what, 300 yards?" "Up through those gardens." "Now, they're right between us and Causeway Number 2." "Firing onto the boys landing at Utah." " Think Easy can handle it?" " Yes, sir." "Because my guess is, they're doing some terrible damage there." "Yeah." "Sir, does the major know we only have 12 Easy Company men?" "No, it didn't come up." "The 88s we've been hearing have been spotted in a field down the road a ways." "Major Strayer wants us to take them out." "There are two guns that we know of firing on Utah Beach." "And plan on a third and a fourth here and here." "The Germans are in the trenches with access to the entire battery." "With machine gun covering the rear." "We'll establish a base of fire and move under it hard and fast with two squads of three." "How many Krauts they think we're facing?" " No idea." " No idea?" "We'll take some TNT along with us." "Despite the guns." " Lipton, your responsibility." " Yes, sir." "Liebgott, you'll take the first machine gun, with Petty A-gunner." "Plesha, Hendrix, you take the other." "Who does that leave?" "Compton, Malarkey, Toye, Guarnere." "Okay." "We'll be making the main assault." "Understood?" "Yes, sir." "All right, let's pack it up, boys." "Shouldn't you be outside with the other Able Company guys?" "See you around, Hall." "Lipton, when you see we've captured the first gun I want you and your TNT as fast as possible." "Yes, sir." "Okay." "Just weapons and ammo, drop everything else." "Got any spare ammo in a pack or a musette bag, bring it along." "Lieutenant, sir?" "I was wondering, sir, you need an extra hand?" " Ain't you Sink's jeep driver?" " So?" "Oh, shit." "What's your name, trooper?" " Lorraine, sir." " You're with me, Lorraine." " Compton, second squad." " Yes, sir!" "All right, you heard the word." "Let's move!" "Let's move!" "Fire!" "Go." "Three cannons." "Petty, we've got enfilading fire." "All right, let's go." "Stay down." "MG42s." "I'll draw their fire to the right from the truck." "Take two men and hit them..." " ...from the left." "Okay, go." " Right." "Take Ranney, envelop right, give covering fire." "Lorraine, on the machine gun." "Don't give away your position until you have to." "And I want that TNT as soon as you see we've captured the first gun." " Go." " Yes, sir." "Go." "I can't see nothing." "Come on, Buck." "Shit!" "Let's go!" "Let's go!" "Follow me!" "Come on." "Fuck!" "My ass!" "I'm sorry, sir." "Jesus Christ!" "Fucking jeep jockey." "Shit!" "I'm sorry, sir." "I screwed up." "Grenade!" "Joe!" "Toye!" "Roll on!" "Roll on!" "Get off!" "Shoot!" "One lucky bastard, Joe." "Guarnere!" "Malarkey!" "Lorraine!" "Secure that gun!" " Compton, covering fire!" " Yes, sir!" " Where you hit, Pop?" " I can't believe I fucked up my ass, sir." "Your ass?" " Oh, shit." " Hey, Popeye, how bad is it?" "I'm sorry, sir." "I didn't mean to fuck up." "I don't" " I don't think it's too bad." "Son of a bitch." "Think you can make it back yourself?" " I think so, sir." " Let's move out." "All right, here we go." "Drop your weapon, Pop, drop your weapon." "Come on." "One, two, three!" "Get down, Dick, get down!" "Pop!" "Popeye!" "Get down!" "Winters!" "One o'clock!" "Grenade!" "Toye!" "Let's go!" "Get out of there!" "Get out of there!" "Toye!" " Joe!" " Jesus Christ." "Fucking twice." "Jesus Christ!" "Lorraine!" "Move!" "Go!" "Malark!" "Ranney!" "Let's move!" "They got the first gun!" "There's the second gun." "Grenades first." " Then keep going." "Go!" " Right." "Okay." "Go!" "Shut up." " No make dead." " Shut up." " Shut the fuck up!" " No make dead." "Toye, stay down." "Stay down!" " Compton!" " All right." "Cover for me." "We must be doing something right." "Look we got them so confused, they're firing on the third gun." "We better blow this thing before they figure out what the hell's happening." " I'm gonna go and see what's keeping Lipton." " All right." "Toye!" "Cover the lieutenant!" " I think one of those dead Krauts has a Luger!" " So what?" "Keep your head low, Petty." "Come on, move it!" "Have a little suppressing fire, why don't you?" "Jesus Christ!" "Malarkey!" " Now you stop firing?" "Beautiful." " Stay low!" "Shit." "Christ, they must think he's a medic or something." "He's gonna need a goddamn medic." "Okay, okay, okay." "Malarkey!" " Stay low!" " What the hell's he doing?" "Come on!" "Forgot your frigging Luger?" "Want I should go get it for you, you stupid mick?" " Where's Lipton with that TNT?" " Don't know, sir." " You'll be all right, Popeye." " I'm sorry." "I messed up." " Don't be sorry." " Hey, sarge?" " Yeah?" " You think this is a ticket home?" " Maybe." " Shit, I just got here." "Hiya, Cowboy!" "Shut your fucking guinea trap, Gonorrhea." "He's all right, that kid." "Jesus, you got a whole Kraut platoon out there." " Probably more, captain." " You need help?" "I need ammo, sir!" "Lots of it." "And TNT!" " I've got TNT, sir!" " Good job, private!" "Jesus." "Hall!" "Ready?" "Sir, I don't have any way to set it off, sir." "Fire in the hole!" "Plesha!" "Covering fire." "Third gun here." "Lorraine, grab some more of those potato mashers and follow me!" "Malarkey, Hall, you two." "Go!" " Running a little low on ammo, sir!" " How about you, Malarkey?" "Okay." "Think you got enough to take the third gun?" "We'll soon find out, Dick." "Malarkey, let's go!" "Toye!" "Cover!" "Okay, Hall." "Keep your head down!" "Hall!" "Leave your TNT!" "Fire in the hole!" "Malarkey, cover the front." "Go to the cannon." "Go!" "Hey, sarge, I'm looking for Battalion Headquarters!" "Are you kidding?" "It's back thataway!" "You mean over--?" "Fire in the hole!" "TNT!" " TNT!" " Don't need it!" " What?" " Don't need it!" " Hall!" " Hall?" "!" "Where'd he come from?" "Winters!" "Hester said you needed ammo." "Malarkey!" "As much as you can, everyone." "You mind if D Company takes a shot at the next gun?" " All yours!" " Let's go, Dog Company!" " Up and at them, D Company!" " Compton!" " Who is that, Speirs?" " Out!" "Get out!" "What's he doing out of the trench?" " Now what the hell's he doing?" " Too late!" "Oh, Jesus." "Sir!" "Had a little trouble getting through that first field." " Oh, Christ." " We're gonna need it at the next gun." " Once it's blown, tell them to pull out." "Go!" " Yes, sir." "Compton, police them up, and pull out!" "Lorraine!" "Toye!" "Move out!" "Move out!" "Move out!" "Move it out!" "MGs first." "Fall back to your original positions." "Everyone else, maintain your base of fire." "Okay!" "Back to battalion!" "Go!" "Go!" "They were 105s, not 88s, sir." "We disabled them and pulled out." "I figure there's maybe 40 or so Krauts still manning three MG42s to the rear." " Hey, Popeye." " Watch it." "Watch it." "Coming through!" " Forty?" " Yes, sir." "We killed maybe around 20, so yeah, probably there's 40 left." "I think we need artillery or maybe mortars might do the job." " Going my way?" " Sure." "Sir." "Careful, don't hurt yourself." " Nice ride you got here, Nix." " Straight from Utah Beach." "We should put them to work before they're missed." "By nightfall, 2nd Battalion had secured Sainte-Marie-du-Mont." "And elements of the 4th Division were beginning to move men and material inland." "Most of the 101 st Airborne, including Easy Company were still scattered all over Normandy." "And the success of the invasion was far from certain." "We had an hour to rest and scrounge whatever food we could before we had to move south and secure the town of Culoville." "Move it!" "Move it out!" "I don't wanna die in the back of this damn truck, is what." "Come on, you're stepping on my legs!" " Jesus, let me out of here." " Light." "Light discipline." "Guarnere, close that flap." "Let the Krauts cook their own goddamn food." " How we doing, Malark?" " We're doing good." " Doing good?" " Yeah." "What the hell do you know about cooking?" "You're Irish." "Sir, if you have a reservation someplace else, I'd be happy to go with you." " Thank you." " Shit." " I'm sorry." "Oh, God." " Jesus Christ, give me some air." "Oh, God." " Evening." " Hello, sir." " Something die in here?" " Yeah, Malarkey's ass." " Any word on Lieutenant Meehan yet, sir?" " No, not yet." "Don't that make you our commanding officer, sir?" "Yeah, it does." " Sir." " Joe, the lieutenant don't drink." "It's been a day of firsts." "Don't you think, Guarnere?" "Yes, sir." "Carry on." " Good night, sir." " Good night, sir." " Oh, sergeant?" " Sir." "I'm not a Quaker." "Being from Lancaster County..." " He's probably a Mennonite." " What's a Mennonite?" "Hey!" " Dick!" " Hey, wait up!" " What?" " You know that map you found?" "That had every Kraut gun in Normandy on it." " Oh, yeah?" " Yeah." "Here." "Don't ever get a cat." "What's on your mind?" "I lost a man today." "Hall." "Thanks." "A John Hall." "New Yorker." "Got killed today at Brecourt." " I" " I never knew him." " Yeah, you did." "Radio op. 506 basketball team, Able Company." "He was a good man." "Man." "Not even old enough to buy a beer." "I'm not hungry." "Hey, Dick." "I sent that map up to Division." "I think it's gonna do some good." "That night I took time to thank God for seeing me through that day of days." "And prayed I would make it through D-plus-1 ." "And if somehow I managed to get home again I promised God and myself that I would find a quiet piece of land someplace and spend the rest of my life in peace."