Chapter 21: I Can Make It
"Heh heh, Cobb, for that to happen, you'd first have to guarantee the Krauts have their own Major Horton or Captain Sobel. Only then would they go on a long-distance march in this kind of cold just to break the damn world record set by the damn Japs," Joe Toye said, chipping away at the ice frozen to his rifle as he grinned at Cobb.
"Brothers, you should start by massaging your own feet and legs," Rhys called out to the soldiers around him. "It will help relieve the pain. It's better than doing nothing."
Rhys patiently explained the locations of the acupressure points on the soles of the feet and the legs over and over again. It was the only thing he could do right now. Looking at the other companies, their situation was even worse than Easy's. Several men couldn't get up and had simply collapsed onto the snow.
Slowly, their stiff, swollen, and aching muscles began to relax and warm up. The men couldn't help but let out a cheer. "Parks, I think Sink should really award you a medal for this! You saved all of us!" Buck Compton shouted happily to Rhys, feeling the warmth gradually return to his legs and feet.
Lieutenant Winters walked over and found Rhys. "Good morning, Staff Sergeant."
"Good morning, Lieutenant," Rhys said, saluting.
Winters returned the salute and nodded. "Thank you, Parks."
"It's nothing, sir," Rhys smiled. "It's just some simple massage techniques. If it can help the brothers, why wouldn't I do it? They're my family."
"You're right, Parks," Winters said, looking at the other two companies not far away. "But there are also the brothers from D and F Company. They're in worse shape than we are. Why not help them? A simple and effective method like this would be a great help to them."
"Sir, I…" Rhys hesitated. After all, those weren't his company, Major Horton had to approve.
"Here's the situation. I explained your method to Major Horton and Captain Sobel. Major Horton was very impressed, so I suggested to him that you help the other two companies," Winters explained. "I assume you won't refuse?"
"Of course not, sir," Rhys said. He had wanted to help, but without an order from a superior officer, doing so would have put him in a difficult and passive position.
As Winters was heading back, Major Horton found him.
"Did you speak with him?" Horton asked, watching Rhys walk toward D and F companies. "He is an outstanding soldier."
A smile appeared on Winters's face. "Yes, Major. He's the most outstanding soldier I've ever seen."
Horton nodded, watching Rhys's figure as he demonstrated the techniques to the other soldiers. He also smiled. "I think, if we can successfully reach Atlanta and beat the Japs, I will recommend him for a medal."
"He absolutely deserves that honor," Winters said.
***
Captain Sobel was in a foul mood throughout the morning's march. He frequently screamed at any soldier in the ranks who slowed down even slightly. It was clear his mood stemmed from the conversation between Major Horton and Winters that morning.
Major Horton was going to recommend Staff Sergeant Parks for a medal. That wasn't the most important part; after all, every officer and enlisted man in the battalion had witnessed and personally benefited from Rhys's contributions. He himself was a beneficiary.
What mattered was that Major Horton had told Lieutenant Winters directly, instead of him. In other words, he wasn't the first to know. And he was the company commander of the man in question. It was deeply frustrating for him.
Despite Captain Sobel constantly looking for trouble, his harassment was nothing compared to the cruelty of Mother Nature. With the first day's experience behind them, the soldiers had learned how to protect themselves and conserve their energy. They even saved the energy it would have taken to quietly curse Sobel.
The second day, they made camp at the same time: 11:00 PM. Everyone felt as if they had been released from hell. Although the tents offered little protection, it was still a chance to catch their breath.
No one spoke. Following orders, they chewed their dry bread and quietly went to sleep. No one wanted to talk, because the moment you opened your mouth, the cold air would rush in and freeze your guts solid.
"Finally, only twenty-eight miles left," White muttered, wrapped tightly in his blanket, his whole body shaking.
Yes, tomorrow they would reach Atlanta. For the men of Second Battalion, who had been tortured for two days, twenty-eight miles felt close enough to give them the courage to go on.
***
At six o'clock on the third morning, the entire battalion awoke. A few more brothers from D and F companies had collapsed. This had started happening during the day yesterday, and by the third day, the trend was spreading.
The fallen soldiers were carried away; ambulances were following along the mountain roads. Rhys's heart was heavy. Even though he had provided all the help he could, he couldn't save all of them. But it was still a good outcome.
He knew that historically, dozens of men from the battalion had dropped out or fallen behind on this march. So far, the total was less than ten. This was undoubtedly a comfort. More importantly, not a single man from Easy Company had fallen behind.
"Malarkey, how are you feeling?" Rhys asked, seeing him limping and dragging himself forward. He was struggling under the weight of his mortar tube, practically shuffling along.
"It's nothing, Parks. It's just that my feet are covered in blood blisters, and they're swollen beyond recognition," Malarkey said, gritting his teeth and trying to force a smile, but his expression was one of agony.
"Give me your mortar tube," Rhys said, reaching for it.
"I can make it, Parks," Malarkey said, shaking his head. "I just want to walk it myself. I can do it." Malarkey's insistence made Rhys re-evaluate the soldier. The men of Easy Company all had a deep-seated sense of honor, a resolute will that would one day make them famous on the battlefields of Europe.
Rhys didn't insist. From the bottom of his heart, he was proud of these strong men of Easy Company. Even the detestable Captain Sobel had shown a surprising toughness that commanded a certain respect.
Up ahead were the suburbs of Atlanta. The road became clean and paved. The muddy path was far behind them, and a sense of optimism began to spread. Everyone gritted their teeth and endured.
At that point, Major Horton gave the order for the column to rest on the grounds of Oglethorpe University on the outskirts of the city. They would eat lunch, replenish their strength, and then prepare to enter the city and head to their final destination: a place in downtown Atlanta called "Five Points."
"Chow time!" someone yelled.
Malarkey, sitting on the field, tried to stand up but was hit by a stabbing pain. He couldn't get up.
"I'll help you," Rhys said, starting to move toward him.
"No one helps him! Parks, stay where you are!" It was Captain Sobel's voice. "If you can't go on, the ambulance is right there. You can go to the hospital right now, but you can forget about getting your paratrooper's badge, Private!"
"Yes, sir. I can make it," Malarkey said through clenched teeth. Under the gaze of all his comrades, he suddenly dropped to the ground and began to crawl forward on his hands. He crawled all the way to the mess line and said in a steady voice, "Give me two pieces of bread."
No one blamed Captain Sobel for his lack of compassion. This was a trial every man had to pass on his own.
"Well done, Malarkey!" Rhys couldn't help but start clapping.
Instantly, every man in Easy Company was applauding Malarkey. The applause, like a thunderstorm, swept away all the suffering, torment, and endless complaints of the past three days. They were now only six miles from their destination. Their hearts were filled with nothing but immense pride. They were about to beat those Japs and set a new world record.
"Malarkey, if you crawl into Atlanta like that, Colonel Sink will definitely say you're not in proper uniform and won't let you into the victory feast he's holding for us," Guarnere joked from the side.
"Don't worry, I'll be walking when I attend that," Malarkey said, smiling at the brothers around him. He suddenly felt a warmth spread through him, like the feeling of brotherhood itself, giving him encouragement when he was at his weakest.
The whistle blew again.
"Brothers, we are about to make history!" Winters shouted from within the ranks. "If we do this, we can get a few days of well-deserved rest, without any morning PT!"
A wave of laughter went through the column. Even the normally serious Winters could make a joke.
As the column entered the city, the soldiers were stunned to see the roads lined with cheering crowds. Lieutenant Colonel Strayer had arranged for a military band to greet them a mile from Five Points.
"I feel like a hero who just liberated all of Europe," Malarkey said, his spirits soaring as he heard the magnificent military music. He forgot all about the damn pain.