"This is Armed Forces Radio London, invasion at last." "Allied armies assault enemy held France from sea and skies smashing onto the Nazi held beaches of Normandy." "A vast air armada of allied paratroopers and gliders invade" "Holland from the skies to free the desperate Dutch people from the clutches of their Nazis masters." "Thousands of Hollanders pour onto the roads and streets to greet the allied liberators." "Fighting desperately rifle to rifle, American GI's repel and destroy a massive German panzer army." "General Patton's tanks rush in from the South destroying Nazi forces and rescuing our boys trapped behind enemy lines." "American shock troops capture the Ludendorff Bridge and race over the Rhine river, slashing deep into the heart land of Nazi Germany." "Entire American tank divisions fan out against ever weakening enemy resistance, as Russian troops assaulted his underground headquarters, Adolph Hitler took his own life rather then being captured alive." "Nazi Germany teeters on surrender as the Fatherland crumbles." "Hundreds of thousands of the captured enemy clog the roads as the furious allied onslaught races forward." "Our frontline combat soldiers battle their way deep into enemy territory followed by an endless bucket brigade of support troopers who roll on day and night keeping our fighting boys brimming with bullets, boots and bread." "The expanding gap between the frontline spearhead and the critical rear guard a vast moonscape of wrecked battle debris and enemy dead is a no man's land our GI's have nicknamed, "The Void,"" "this is Armed Forces Radio London." "That rain is really coming down." "You got them?" "Dead in my sight." "It's a kill shot." "What's McConkie saying?" "Still waiting for him to give us the go ahead." "This waiting game is killing me." "We have to be patient." "Company command wants us to wait to engage the enemy till they give us the signal." "It's stuffy in here we need some fresh air." "Sarge?" "Relax Simms you haven't had a bath in a week, consider it a blessing." "Roger that." "McConkie wants us to wait 'til it's completely dark out there, then he will give us the signal to fire." "Mitchell?" "Mitchell are you ready?" "I'm good... and ready to move." "Seek, strike, destroy." "Seek, strike, destroy." "Do you know why I've brought you out here?" "We have a problem that needs to be discussed." "This morning three men tried to escape, two of them were shot." "Someone helped these men to get out." "I want to know, by whom." "I do not tolerate this kind of behavior in my stalag." "Next time I will not be so forgiving." "Do not doubt me, there will be no escape." "Copy that out." "McConkie has given the command to engage, fire when ready." " Ready?" " Clear" "On the way." "Come on." "Sergeant Atwood," "McConkie wants to see you and Whitaker right away." "Max." "She's slowly dying on you." "She'll make it." "I bet you if I asked her nice and she'd take me all the wayback to Pocatello." "Or you can trade her in for a new one." "Now those are fighting words." "Don't talk about my lady like that." "What?" "Do you think you can take me pops?" "Any day of the week, and twice on Sunday?" "Oh yeah, what'cha going to do grandpa?" "Oh, and you missed, what'cha going to do?" "Look at that I got Nelson in a Nelson." "I'm sorry." "Don't apologize to me apologize to the lady." " I'm sorry ma'am." " Its miss." "I'm sorry miss, that was very rude of me to say and it won't happen again." "Hey, knock it off enough of the horse play we got to get moving." "All right, all right." "Don't mess with Ramrod, Ping Pong." "Good advice." "Atwood, Whitaker we need the two of you to do a little of hit and run for our boys up in Braunlage." "Atwood you are going to be acting sergeant on this one." "Baker company is having a little bit of trouble with some stubborn Germans here on the east side of the village." "Can't they just get the..." "mayor?" "Bürgermeister?" "Yeah, Bürgermeister to convince him that the war is basically over?" "Well, they tried but they shot him and this is just a little pocket of resistance that Vsomehow slipped through the cracks." "I need you guys to go in there shake'm up a little bit." "Do you want us to take any infantry or security boys with us sir?" "No the two M18s will suffice." "We can leave right away?" "Captain I'm one man short on my gun team." "The assisting gunner got his hand caught behind the breach this morning." "Shattered his wrist." "Any available replacements?" "No you will just going to have to make due for the next few days." "What about Nelson?" "He knows the drill we could promote him, move to loader on your team." "That's a good solution let's go with that." "You know with Hitler being dead and Russians taking Berlin this might be the last bit of action you boys see." "This whole thing is going to be over in a week mark my words." "I don't want anyone to die today, so by the book." "Yes sir." "And General Allen is going to be coming forward today" "I want the both of you back here for the General's visit." "We'll take care of the issue in Braunlage and we'll get right back." "Excellent thank you gentlemen dismissed." "Sir." " Atwood." " Yes sir." "Tell Simms that was a heck of a shot last night, guard tower 2600 yards it's got to be some kind of record." "I'll let him know you're pleased." "Avenging Angel." "Hey what are you doing?" "Hey Simms." "I like that that's a good name." "Simms." "You know I saw one the other day you are going to love this, these boys named their Hellcat..." "Hey." "Why don't you get back to work?" "Driving trucks, shining shoes I don't care... just stay away from my Hellcat." "Do you understand you're not welcomed here." "What are your deaf?" "Go on leave." "Looking like Corporal Cracker there taking a liking in you." "Yeah he is a real charmer." "You'd think that being out here fighting against the greatest race haters in the world we wouldn't still be having this problem in the US of A." "It's called irony or hypocrisy depending on which side of the boarder you're on." "Colored don't need drinking fountains... that's how it was when we left and that's how it's going to be when we get back," "somebody told me you used to drive one of them tanks." "Well somebody told you wrong, M18 isn't a tank, it's a tank destroyer," "I was a Hellcat commander for two years." "You got to have some good stories I bet?" "Good stories, I got some of those, got some not so good ones as well." "Now they got you driving trucks?" "They busted us down at the service unit three months ago," "General said, and I quote," ""If this battalion was a horse, I'd shoot it."" "It's a long story." "I'm all ears." "Some other time you know let's- let's get this jimmies loaded up and moving." "Alright." "Welcome gentlemen to the Owens Express, watch your heads, our next schedule stop is HQ, hot showers, clean beds and some good grub." "Good morning, good morning?" "Where did you get that?" "I liberated it; had to get something for my brother to prove I was here." "You know they are never going to let you bring that home." "Never say never." "Did you find any more treasures?" "Back at the guards' barracks, they ditched all kinds of stuff before they high tailed it out of here." "Talking about treasures" "Found some of those dime novels you love," "I want your cigarettes." "Here you go." "Seriously, how was that a fair trade?" "He doesn't smoke he reads, what's the problem?" "You ever heard of a highway robbery, that stack a toilet paper you got there is maybe worth one pack." "Those are hard to find." "It's okay what I'm I going to do with smokes?" "See its all copacetic." "Thanks Danny Boy." "Don't call me that." " It's your nickname." " I don't want a nickname." "Everyone's got a nickname, Nelson is Ping Pong," "Simms is Judy" " Hold on Judy?" "Yeah your first name is Carey," "Carey Grant." "I'm sorry I'm not following this at all." "Judy!" "Judy!" "Judy!" "He said it in "Bringing Up Baby"." "No!" "No!" "No!" "You are getting that confused with Larry Storch the comedian who does the impression of Carey Grant with Judy Garland in the stage show." "Susan!" "Susan!" "Susan!" "That's what Carey Grant said in "Bringing Up Baby"." "Exactly." "Thank you." "Okay I'm fine with calling him Susan." "Ping Pong, you are being promoted to loader on Max's team until we find a replacement for Kelly; get a good system worked out with your gunner, alright?" "No problem Sarge." "We'll show you how a real gun team works." "Oh yeah, you do that Max, alright." "Alright everybody McConkie needs his Hellcats up in Brownlog." "Brownlog?" "It's a Braunlage, Braunlage." "You done?" "We are not fighting the German language or the people, we are fighting the Nazis." "So we need to persuade the Germans to come out with their hands up." "We got a lot of work to do." "Lets load up." "Mitchell, I need another two rounds of armor piercing" " for the ready rack." " You got it." "Danny!" "Get down here!" "You want to dig a fox hole for fun?" "No why would I want to do that?" "Because you are a numbskull, I told you yesterday," ""don't smoke around the ammo"." "I know I'm sorry I forgot." "You forgot?" "He forgot." "How do you forget, you're the loader, you handle ammo more than anybody on this crew?" "I don't know why I forget, I just" "Keep it up, and you'll be digging a fox hole for each man on this team, you got me?" "Yes Sarge." "Sometimes I wonder about you." "You don't have to wonder anymore, it's been confirmed," "Barlow's IQ test results came back negative." "Here you go Danny Boy." "Sorry for the delay gentlemen but we are going to finally get you out of here." "Lieutenant, you feeling okay?" "I'm fine, just a little knackered." "So what happened out there?" "What did Shonbeck do to you?" "Well, that is a long story." "I don't know where he came from, but he caught us coming up past a farm of Quedlinburg." "Shonbeck took us out into the woods," "I was sure he was going to kill us." "Lieutenant Goss, 12 kilometers is quite far on foot," "I'm surprised you were not caught sooner." "Your stolen uniform however do help I have to admit." "Shall we take a walk gentlemen." "You see the dilemma here is that there are strict orders to shoot any enemy soldiers who disguise themselves as Germans." "Stop here." "Turn around, kneel down." "My favorite pistol, my father took it from a British officer he killed in the great war, it's much better than our 9mm Luger." "Do you know why the British changed from the 455 Webley to the standard issue Enfield?" "Do you lieutenant?" "You're British, perhaps some insight." "No?" "Neither do I." "It just seem odd to use the Enfield over the Webley, such a waste." "There is a game we liked to play on the Russian front;" "whomever is the last man standing, well he can be on his way and run off into the woods, whatever he pleases." "It seems like a rather generous offer considering the seriousness of your crime." "It's very simple you just put it to your head, pull the trigger and then of course if you are still alive you pass it on." "Go on take it." "I certainly don't want to be the one to choose that wouldn't be fair." "Simple." "Now if you don't want to consider my offer, I can kill you all now then get back to more pressing matters." "Very good." "All right Mitchell, move us out." "Mitchell, lets go." "Shhhh, I'm saying a prayer." "Amen Sarge." "Amen." "What's going on?" "German blew a hydro dam last night flood the whole area." "We got the engineers up there looking for needed repairs." "So what about the rest of our trucks?" "We let them risk it all but the last track that crossed." "It got caught up in something tipped over the bridge into the river, luckily no one died." "It is going to take most of the day to repair that bridge." "So what do we do?" "You, you need to take 520 to St. Andreasberg, they got a bailey bridge up there where you can cross." "And how far is that?" "20 miles, take you an hour." "A lot better than waiting around here for who knows how long." "Thanks." "Hey what's the hold up." "We are going to take the alternate route through St. Andreasberg so into the void we go." "Sorry gentlemen MPs are telling us the bridge is out so we got to take a detour." "I don't mind the drive it's rather pleasant actually." "Lieutenant Goss here on the other hand I'm not so sure he likes the potholes." "You can ride upfront if you want sir." "Lieutenant Goss." "Sergeant Jesse Owens nice to meet you lieutenant" "Jesse Owens as in Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens." "You got it." "Well it can't be to shabby being confused with him I dare say." "He seems like an all right guy." "All right." "The man won three gold medals." "Four gold medals sir." "Four gold medals and he broke a world record made the Germans look like a bunch of old pansies." "I could lap him, let's go." "Danny Boy got any gum?" "Not if you are no going to call me that." "I told you it's your nickname." "I told you I don't want a nickname." "Tough, that's your nickname you know like the song," "♪ Oh Danny Boy the pipes," "♪ the pipes are calling from glen to glen," "♪ and down the mountain side." "♪ The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying." "That's an Irish song." "♪ 'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide." "I'm not Irish and neither are my ancestors." "Come on give me a piece." "Thanks." "♪ 'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow." "♪ Oh Danny Boy, oh Danny Boy," "♪ I love you so." "Feeling any better sir?" "Now that I can see where we are going, much." "Well since you could see allow me to give you the grand tour, welcome to the Void 100 miles of debris and carnage after our troops crossed the Rhine they advanced over 15 miles a day." "These are the leftovers, yeah we get to go home and the people of this country get to stand around and stare at this." "You like driving trucks?" "As they say it is better than riding at the back of the bus" "Sorry I'm not familiar with that saying." "It's what bus drivers said to us, colored folks back home in America." ""Negros have to ride in the back of the bus even if the bus is empty."" "What kind of rubbish is that, it hardly seems fair?" "I would say so sir." "Back it up!" "Back it up!" "Gotta move, let's go, lets go." "Take this through St. Andreasberg." "Sankt Andreasberg." "And then you turn right along this road here." "Okay got it." "Simms you look forward to going home?" "You know what I'm looking forward to, nice clean pair of pajamas, it's going to be nice not to have to sleep in this anymore." "That does sound good." "I'm worried about etiquette." "I'm going to say or do something wrong I know it, like forget how to use a glass and end up drinking straight out of the milk bottle or something." "The thing you remember when you get home is that, these are ladies they ain't like these French apples so you can't just walk up to them and say, "how much?" Try something like," ""lovely day won't you agree?" Or, "pardon me but have you ever" ""seen the Eiffel Tower?"" "Yeah then you can ask them how much?" "Is that you?" "You stink I'm not joking" "It's the K-rations" "Well don't eat the K-rations, the C-rations are safer." "I don't like meat that comes in a tin, K-rations have this bar of chocolate in them and it's cheap and waxy probably what does it to me." "Then don't eat it." "Maybe it's the D-bars." "You've been eating D-bars as well?" "No wonder you smell like that." "I like sweets." "Well you know what you don't smell sweet, you better climb in your fart sack and sleep it off tonight, no more" "K-rations and no D-bars." "He's got a point." "Yeah and so does the end of my finger... pull the pin." "Barlow!" "The Hellcats weighs like 35,000 pounds." "You should be able to cross there." "That bailey bridge will hold the weight of your Hellcats." "All right thanks, good." "Hey Mack, can I buy a bottle of soda from you?" "Sure." "It's quarter." "What?" "It's a nickel back at the CP." "Out here, it's a quarter." "I don't think they are following us anymore." "Cheers." "That's east right?" "Yeah." "So if we head that way." "Yeah it will take us back to the main road." "Yeah." "All right boys listen up, we are going to take the scenic route." "So we are going to head up to 520 through St. Andreasberg" "Sankt Andreasberg." "You just won't leave it alone, will you Max?" "Up through Sankt Andreasberg... and then we are going to cross at the river" "Lieutenant come look at this." "Let's go up in that tower and see where we're at right?" "Yeah, let's go." "Max, why don't you come up here and practice your German." "He and his family are their way to their uncle's farm house." "Simms, search him." "Arms up." "He said, the farmhouse is about eight kilometers this direction." "Up at the next turn and then down the little Canyon Road." "It looks like his name is Frederick Kardoff." "Ask him about the car." "We drove over a big hole a couple of times" "Something happened and now the car won't start, he doesn't know." "See if this matches up." "It was loaded." "Look at his boots, those are military issue, he must be deserter, ditched his uniform I'm guessing." " Mitchell?" " Yeah." "Come look at the car; see if you can get it to work." "I'm a coming." "Who's the girl?" "It's his wife Gerta." "His daughter Aunna." "I need some wire, just give me a second." " Danny." " Yeah." "Bring me some K-rations." "What about the 10 and ones?" "No, the K-rations, I'm sure you've got some tucked in there somewhere." "Yeah, I think I got it." "It's just the linkage arm to the carburetor, a little bolt fell off, that should hold, have him start it." "This looks fine." "Let him go." "Sergeant, we should report him." "Corporal, I'm letting him go." "Now let's help these people and be on our way," "Barlow give the rations to the lady." "Owens." " Keep an eye on this window." " Okay." "I'm going to go and check this room." "Owens, I found a way out." "Come on." "We can get out this way." "Yeah, that's good." "Yeah, help me grab this." "Alright." "Not too heavy." "Shh-shh." "All right you go first." "Owens." "What?" "Can you hear that?" "Yeah, that's armor coming." "No, don't, don't..." "No, no, don't shoot." "Don't move." "You saw us this morning at the stalag." "Criss-cross." "Shoe lace, the counter sign is shoe lace." "What are you doing out here?" "MPs redirected us up this road... we got ambushed, they took out our trucks with artillery fire, we lost everybody." "This is Lieutenant Goss and I'm Sergeant Owens with the 514th." "Let's check it out." "Danny, give the lieutenant a weapon." "Okay, will do." "Simms, take a 50." "Here you go sir, you've got a full clip." "Where are these Germans exactly?" "They are dug in." "A few kilometers from here." "All right." "Lead the way lieutenant." "No sign of any Germans..." "There's another place we should check." "Well, they're not leaving any time soon." "It's a tank." "It's about 30 meters up from a couple of rocks on the west side of the road." "It's a Panzer, dug in deep, it's in firing position." "And there is the commanding officer." "Klaus Shonbeck he is a retired tank commander." "He teaches at the Tank Corp Training School." "Well, apparently he's come out of retirement." "Hey Mitchell is everything okay?" "No, she is just leaking a little." "You know what they say;" "Hellcats don't leak oil." "Yeah, they just mark their territory." " That's right, you know Hellcats." " Oh yeah." "Did almost two years of trainings in maneuvers at Camp" "Hood with the 827th and came here and saw action in November." "827th, really?" "That's part of the 12th division." "Yeah, you got it." "So where did you guys get these Hellcats?" "I don't really know, they just showed up in March." "March?" "We were in tow guns for most of the war, and then they switch us over the M18s." "Only two weeks of training and maneuvers, why?" "It's just that they took our Hellcats in February and I'm looking at this registration number and it looks awfully familiar." "Really?" "Hey Simms." "What?" "Do you think he is telling the truth?" "Which part?" "Do you think these Hellcats used to belong to a bunch of colored boys?" "No, he's lying." "No wonder I don't like riding in them." "Hey, were you the one who assaulted the officer with an axe?" "You know, I knew a couple of the white officers assigned to your battalion." "Heard all kinds of crazy stories." "Said you were always leaving your Hellcats unguarded, wandering off, looking for places to sleep, hide," "disobeying direct orders." "Not in my gun team." "They said you were untrained, undisciplined and substandard." "But hey, what do you expect from a bunch of boys with low AGCT scores?" "We've got a panzer dug in, it's about two kilometers up this road." "They've got at least a dozen foot soldiers with them." "Simms, get the CP on the horn." "On it." "Arctic Forward, this is Hellcat #2, are you there?" "Over." "Arctic Forward, this is Hellcat #2, do you copy?" "Over." "Hellcat #1, this is" "Hellcat #2, do you hear me?" "I read you, go ahead." "Ping Pong how does that signal sound, over." "Like you are talking into a tin can, is your antenna hang up?" "No." "Try channel two." "Roger that." "Arctic Forward, this is Hellcat #2, do you copy?" "Over." "Hey Nelson our radio is crap, can you call the CP and give him an update on the situation here?" "Roger, will do." "Arctic Forward, this is Hellcat 1, do you read me?" "Over." "Arctic Forward, this is Annie, do you copy?" "Over." "Hey Sarge." "We are getting nothing on either radio;" "I'm guessing it's the mountains." "Well keep trying." "You got it." "Well the way I figure, we just knock out this panzer ourselves and be on our way." "Sure we shouldn't wait for some support to get in here?" "It's one lousy panzer." "We've got two tank destroyers." "Besides, what kind of support do you give to the guys who do all the supporting?" "All right, but you said he is dug in deep." "There is no way to get around him for a kill shot." "Yeah, and he is old, slow, its armor is thin." "A round a 76 millimeters armor piercing;" "we'll go straight through that front glacial plate." "Okay, when we are talking 1500 yards, that's one thing." "But you said this is close, real close, he gets off one shot." "One good hit and he cuts us open like a can of backed beans." "Max." "What happens if somebody comes down this road from the other side?" "They are dead." "But we can prevent it." "The boys at Baker are counting on us;" "we've got to move this out, now." "I say we take out the Germans and be on our way." "Okay John." "I'm game." "But do not get me killed." "All right, what's the plan?" "My gun team will move out in front of the Jimmy's, we'll cut immediately to the right." "The Germans will track us try to get a kill shot." "At that point you guys come out from around the truck and you fire on the panzer's position." "You are going to play decoy?" "Yeah and you are going to knock them out." "Okay." "Holland, Rodger, let's load up." "I was thinking, Sergeant Owens should ride with us." "Sarge, I don't think it's a great idea" "Shut your pie hole." "I think it would be best if he stays here with the lieutenant." "Owens was a gun commander with the 827th." "A second pair of eyes up front would only help." "John, he knows the drill." "Owens, you can ride upfront." "Let's move them out." "Welcome to the bread box." "Kind of nice being back in the Hellcat?" "Oh yeah, feels like home, if you live in a box." "Hey, I'm sorry about Simms, you have just got to ignore him." "I've met plenty of his kind in my day." "I can handle it." "He is a bit of an odd duck." "He is a real stickler about following all the rules." "By the book?" "Yeah, I think they call that anal retentive." "You've got half that right." "Atwood, we are all ready up here, ready to roll." "Danny Boy, what have we got in the spread?" "We've got three rounds of armor piercing and two rounds of high explosives in the ready rack." "Go ahead and load us up with armor piercing." "You've got it Sarge." "Max, load up with AP." "Once you light them up you hit them again just to be sure." "Roger that." "Any more of your chaps come up the road;" "I'll hold them up till you get back." "Great, see you soon." "God speed." "Mitchell take us out." "Ramrod, keep it steady at this speed." "Roger that." "Where are you Fritzy, coming to get you." "Condron, stop here." "Fire when ready." " Clear." " On the way." "Another round of AP." "One yard to the left and slightly lower." " Clear." " On the way." "Mitchell, stop here." "Fire on my signal." "Two yards to the left." "Two panzers right flank, move, move, move, move." "Whitaker, get out of there." "Hey we've got Germans on the west." "Sergeant's been hit." "He's hit." "What now?" "Where do we go?" "Mitchell don't stop, keep moving, follow the road." "Over here." "What happened?" "They're all dead." "Oh my eyes are burning" "I'm going ahead to find the rest of the chaps." "You going to be okay?" "Yeah I'm fine." "I'm not going anywhere with this leg" "Take my rifle." "It's got a full clip." "I'll guard the road... let them know I'm here." "God speed." "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." "Hey Mitchell, this bridge is never going to hold our weight." "Back it up." "Back it up." "Whitaker, this is Simms." "Do you copy?" "Over." "Sarge is dead." "Mitchell, did any of them make it out?" "I couldn't see anything." "I saw three German tanks." "Whitaker got one of them for sure." "We're trapped." "Since we can't go across this bridge the only way out of here is to go back up that road where those krauts are." "It won't be long before they come looking for us." "We got to get out of here." "This is Hellcat #2." "Does anyone read me?" "Copy." "Do you read me?" "Is there anyone out there?" "This is Avenging Angel if anyone can read me, copy." "Looks like we're stuck here 'til someone comes looking for us." "There's higher ground, next to that building." "Maybe we can get a stronger signal from there." "Danny, leave him, mount up." "Arctic Forward, this is Hellcat #2." "Do you copy?" "Does anybody read me?" "Over." "Arctic Forward, this is Avenging Angel." "Do you copy?" "Do you hear that." "It's still not good enough." "Lieutenant." "Whitaker is wounded but he'll be okay." "He's guarding the road." "Everybody else was killed." "Atwood is dead." "So what do you suggest we do?" "Well, you should ask him not me." "Why would I do that?" "He's a sergeant." "He outranks all of you." "This is not my army you remember." "This is a segregated army." "I'm not going to take orders from him." "Corporal, I suggest you put your differences aside and let" "I'll take the commander's position." "Barlow you're the gunner now." "What?" "Hold on, are you nuts?" " I haven't been trained for that." " What are you talking about?" "You have plenty of time in the gunner's seat when we did maneuvers." "Yeah that was like three hours." "That's it." "Barlow, shut up." "You're the gunner now." "Owens was a gun commander for two years." "He knows Hellcats better than any of us." "Mitchell, you heard what I said." "I'm not going to take orders from a nigger." "Corporal, you figure it out." "Shonbeck is sure to be coming down that road and when he does..." " I'm going to kill him." " Lieutenant, wait." "Take this." "Have you ever taken out an enemy tank?" "Nine tanks in Hauton." "Another four in..." "Let's just ditch the Hellcats and get out of here." "Barlow, pull apart the firing mechanisms and spread the pieces." "I'll break apart the gun sight myself." "Mitchell... smash the battery." "I'm not leaving the Hellcat here for the Nazis." "I'm staying right here." "You crazy, they've got three tanks." "So the minute you're outnumbered, you want to run?" "Ain't that a hoot." "I don't want to die today." "Mitchell and I can handle it." "If you and Barlow want to run then go ahead." "But I wasn't raised to run from a fight." "Why would we risk our lives?" "For what?" "American vehicles are going to be coming down that road." "It's the main route until they fix the bridge." "Everyone, including the General will be using that road." "Be a hero Simms." "They might just give you a medal for it." "Me?" "No." "It's you that's driven by some kind of a heroic destiny okay?" "This is your proving ground." "What are you trying to say?" "You know exactly what I'm trying to say." "This is your last chance to make something of yourself, right?" "The war is over but you want to go to back to the cotton fields to tell your papa how you- led a group of white boys into battle." "My father is dead, and he was not a cotton picker, he was a soldier." "He fought in France in 1917, in one of the most decorated battalions." "He was awarded the Legion of Honor by the French but the Americans wouldn't award medals to Negros." "When he came back home and asked for equal treatment, he was lynched... and that's the last time I saw him, hanging there from that tree." "If it's God's Will that I go home alive," "I will not brag about days like this... when I had to fight to beside someone like you." "It's always the same story for the Negro." "First your country, then your rights." "So we fight our country's battles, but we never seem to get the rights or the simple respect of human dignity for what we've done." "Guys there is a tank coming." "I got it." "I got it." "Move, move, move." "That panzers just went behind the building." "Look I can't hit him if I can't see him." "If that tank comes around that corner you take him out." "It's that simple." "I'm going up in that tower so I can see exactly where they are." "Okay?" "Got it?" "Simms, you got it?" "Shut up." "I got it." "Owens is saying that the tank is stopped." "I heard tank fire." "Is everything okay?" "There is an enemy tank on the other side of this building." "Hey come get this." "That gentlemen, is radio wire." "Owens just built you an antenna." "Okay, try it now." "Arctic Forward this is Hellcat #2, do you copy?" "Over." "This is Hellcat #2 to Arctic Forward, do you copy?" "Over." "This is Arctic Forward go ahead Hellcat 2, over." "We've been ambushed by three German tanks, they are old panzers, Atwood is dead," "Whitaker's gun team's been taken out, Annie is destroyed." "Please repeat, how many enemy tanks?" "Over." "One is immobilized, there are still two more trying to maneuver on us." "Sir, we are getting a radio message from Atwood's gun team." " Where are they?" " It's hard to hear them sir." "What is your current location?" "Over." "We are located four kilometers south of Sankt Andreasberg, behind an abandoned mill off the 520." "We are trapped in a box canyon." "They've been ambushed here right off the 520, the bridge is under repair, the MP is re-directed among the alternative road." "Okay, radio HQ quickly, tell them not to let the" "General leave, it's not safe." " Roger that." " And get somebody there now." "Yes sir." "Did it work?" "We were able to radio company command and they're scrambling to get us some help, but for now they are saying we're on our own." "Now that tank is not going to move, he's fixed on waiting for us to come out first, if they Germans get their third tank up and running they are going to come here and find a way to force us out." "What about that PAK-40 we found?" "Yeah that's a good idea." " You guys started on towed guns right?" " Yeah, what's it to you?" "Well if we want a fighting chance it's going to have to be you and I up there," "Simms are you going to do this or not?" "Sir, the General left 20 minutes ago; they are sending the" "MPs to catch him." "This is not good, who do we have on this side that we can send out there?" "Do we have any armor?" "I can get a half-track and put together a security team." "Do it and do it quickly." "So they surrounded us, began to bombard the village with artillery fire every 45 minutes," "we held them off for 22 hours straight." "That's 22 hours gentlemen." "We weren't going to give them one inch of that village." "What is it?" "Thought I heard something." "You think you brought enough gear?" "This is not a camping trip." "How the hell are we supposed to move this thing?" "I don't know, we are just going to do it somehow." "Come on; come on keep going, a little more." "Alright to the left." "Right there, right there." "I think this is as close as we are going to get it." "Hey get some ammo." "Let's hope this works." "Hey why is he moving, give me some ammo." "Alright get back, get back." "Hurry he's moving." "We've got to move it to the right." "They missed." "The Germans are backing up this might be your chance to knock them out." "Right there." "Simms, get down." "Germans." "We can't stay here; we've got to get back to the mill." "Let's fall back, ready?" "Go!" "Go!" "Go!" "On the way." "Direct hit, hit him again." " Hurry!" " I'm trying." "On the way." "Arctic Forward to Hellcat 2, I repeat, Arctic Forward to" "Hellcat 2, do you read me?" "Over." "Wolsey what's happening?" "They are not responding anymore sir, they are just gone." "Okay, keep trying to get them." "I need to know where they are and where the General is." "Yes sir." "Arctic Forward to Avenging Angel are you there?" "I repeat Arctic Forward to Avenging Angel, do you read me?" "Over." "Tank, there's a tank on our right, back up, back up." "I can't see, I'm driving blind, how far back can I go?" "Go 40 feet straight back and then swing to the left." "The transverse isn't working, electrical is out." "Use the hand crank..." "It's jammed, something's wrong." "Alright, hold on." "It's clear." "Check that, look are they all dead?" "Yeah, they're dead." "See any more Germans?" "No, sure hope Danny and Mitchell took out that last German tank." "Thirsty?" "I'm fine." "It was me." "What are you talking about Owens?" "I'm the one who assaulted that white officer that you asked about earlier." "His name was Captain Davis." "Listen I don't want to hear any more about it Owens." "I think you do." "Back in early February we'd just come up fighting in Colmar Pocket." "We just lost four Hellcats and morale was really low." "We were ill prepared for the winter." "Harris and Cooper put this fire out, you all know better than that." "Come on give us a break Sarge." "We're just trying to survive here;" "I'd rather take a licking for having a fire, than freezing to death." "Is it too much to ask for some extra socks?" "Uncle Sam just wants you to kill some Nazis, he don't care about your little old ugly black feet." "Sarge, when are we going to get the proper gear, gloves, something?" "Look I'll ask just like I've been doing." "You need to put this fire out get back to the Hellcat you boys need to sober up." "Five more minutes, just five more minutes." "I can almost feel my feet." "Come on Owens." "What would your mama say if she saw you carrying on like this?" "I don't have a family Sarge, you are the closest thing to a mama I got." "Got nobody to go home to?" "Go home; you think we are going home?" "He thinks we are going to survive this war." "We aren't going to make it out of here Sarge." "You aren't going to make it and we certainly aren't going to make it." "It will keep you warm." "Five more minutes." "To the 827th." "827th." "Lord!" "Finally he drinks with his crew," "I never thought I'd see the day." "You are right about that." "You paint this?" "Yeah, it's good right?" "Oh yeah, it's good, it's good." "You know my nephew is a painter, yeah looks like something he would do." "He is 5 years old." "You've got jokes" "That ain't funny." "What in the hell is going on over here." "You want to invite the Germans over here to kill us." "Well, well, well, you are all drunk." "Owens over here." "This is how you run your gun team?" "They know better than to start a fire, they're just freezing sir." "We need socks, gloves and warm coats sir." "And you'll get it, as it's available." " Hey you driver." " Corporal Harrison sir." "Well Harrison you go get that Hellcat right now, I don't want to see you out of that driver seat 'til daybreak." " Yes sir." " Let's go." "The rest of you are going on patrol." "Owens, I want you to take them up to that trail up there and I want to know if there are any Krauts on the other side of that river bank." "I don't know if it's a good idea sir, they are drunk." "It's a great idea and you can walk off that drunken stupor." "Get going before I write you up and I want you to report back to me, personally, in one hour." "Yes sir." "Here we are fighting in the US army against an enemy that thinks they are better than everybody else but everybody in this army think they are better than us." "How come we ain't got nobody fighting for us?" "It's like a dog chasing its own tail you get that?" "Yeah, we got it Smitty now shut up." "You shut up Gaines." "Both of you shut up, you are too loud." "Now we wouldn't be out here if you weren't drunk." "I ain't drunk." "Get down, get down." "maybe a little drunk." "Smitty no more talking." "Just give me my flask I'll be quite as a wisp." "You'll get your flask when we are done with this patrol." "Well will you hurry it up, it's taking forever." "You don't know where we are, do you?" "And you do?" "I can lead us up to that river bank and back to camp in five minutes." "I'd love to see that, you take point." "You want him on point Sarge as drunk as he is?" "Maybe it will sober him up." "Just don't be drinking out of my flask now." "I won't, now you promise no more talking." "Go on." "Now I mean it Sarge don't be drinking" "Down get down, take cover." "Cooper get behind the tree, get down, put your head down Cooper." "Gaines put your head down." "You are going to run and I'm going to cover you, you got it?" "Okay." "On three, one, two, three." "Gaines!" "Davis knew he was sending us on a suicide mission." "When I got back to camp I got real drunk when I went in to report that's when I attacked." "A week later they busted us down to truck detail and every day since then I've wondered if I hadn't done that, there might still be an 827." "Would you look at that," "Hellcats coming back." "It's been hit." "Which means if they are coming back, there's probably a German tank right behind them." "We can use this." "You want to shoot an enemy tank with a Panzerfaust?" "How are you going to get that close?" "Well the weakest spot on a tank is the underbelly right?" "Right." "If we can convince the Germans that out Hellcat's on its last leg, then we might be able to move them into a position where we can knock them out." "How are you going to get a shot underneath the tank?" "I'll show you." "We've got Germans on the wall." "Okay I think I got them all." "You doing okay?" " Danny Boy?" " I'm fine." "Danny, Simms, I'm under the Hellcat, open up." "Mitchell are you hearing that?" "Shut up it's me Simms." "Danny, open the escape hatch." "Why are you down there?" "What happened to the Hellcat?" "They got a shot off so now the turret won't work." "Are they following you?" "Yeah, I'm pretty sure there's one heading this way." "Look we have an idea." "I need rags, anything we can set on fire okay?" "Where's that metal bucket." "Put the gun down Shonbeck." "Lieutenant, do you know what we do to prisoners that escape?" "We kill them." "We kill them." "Hans, come here." "Danny!" "Danny!" "Hey give me your lighter." "Okay I'm going to light this on fire and it's going to start to smoke." "That should make the Hellcat look like it's in bad shape." "Hopefully he'll follow you right down over this opening." "Let's hope Owens' plan works, you got it?" "I got it." "Okay, crew's ready to go?" "I don't recommend standing there, guard the hall and keep the Germans out." "You know you're going to get yourself killed." "It's the only way we are going to get a kill shot." "If that tank comes over this opening then we've got a shot." "Good luck." "Okay it's smoking." "I hope those Germans follow us." "Come on." "What happened to here?" "We were ambushed." "Three panzers hiding." "They are waiting for Americans to pass by." "Hell of a mess wouldn't you say?" "A lot of people died today sir." "Corporal Simms told me what you did." "He said if you hadn't been here to take charge those Germans would still be holding this road." "Thanks to you a lot of lives were saved today." "Just doing my duty sir." "The Corporal also said you set a good example." "Made good decisions, assertive." "I'm going to recommend you for a Silver Star Sergeant." "It's really not necessary sir." "You are going to tell me how to run my division Sergeant?" " No sir." " I didn't think so." "Let me take a look at your leg Sarge." "Looks like you made it." "Yes." "Do you have my pistol?" "How you doing?" "I'm not really sure." "You did good Danny," "really good." "Thanks." "You know I'm surprised you're still alive." "The back blast from that" "Panzerfaust should've killed you." "Maybe I've got an angel watching over me." "Yeah maybe you do." "Thanks." "So sergeant, what was the name of that Hellcat you were talking about?" "When I look at the name of this thing and I ask the private..."