Paris—the City of Lights.
Webster sat in his hotel room, on the top floor, a request he had made himself, as the window offered a view of the Seine River.
The scenery was still beautiful here.
Despite Paris having endured World War I and now World War II, the beautiful city had not been damaged at all.
Although Hitler had ordered Paris to be destroyed, General Dietrich von Choltitz, the German military governor of Paris, wavered between his conscience and his loyalty to Hitler.
Ultimately, his conscience prevailed, and he found a way to delay and coordinate with the Allied forces to save this beautiful city from deliberate destruction and artillery fire.
Webster sat by the window, writing in his diary.
This was his habit; he was accustomed to writing down everything he experienced during the war.
He poetically imagined that writing in this beautiful, symbolic city, facing the picturesque Seine River, must be a truly wonderful thing.
Cobb, Huxley, Miller, and Heffron, who had come to Paris with him, had all gone out to have fun.
When Cobb arrived in Paris, he yelled and shouted wildly in the streets like a country bumpkin, which made his four companions blush a little.
But that guy didn't care at all, constantly greeting young girls on the street with strange accents, drawing glances from passersby and laughter from the girls.
"...This Operation Market Garden has given me a whole new concept of war.
Our First Platoon Leader is like an artist of war; he seems to be born for war.
Although he is only a First Platoon Leader, we can feel that the balance of war can become unbalanced because of him..."
"I witnessed the bloodiness and cruelty of this war, watching British soldiers being massacred by the German forces on the docks and in the middle of the Rhine River, yet I was powerless to do anything.
That feeling was very painful.
I have never seen such a bloody scene; it was like a slaughterhouse, where the cruelty in the human soul was completely unleashed by the demon of war, in exchange for flying flesh and blood and miserable, helpless screams.
This is why I hate war; it is far more terrifying than the one in Normandy..."
"...But I also witnessed a faster war process.
We mobilized the German, British, and Polish forces.
I even felt like I was the master of this war, and they were all revolving around us, putting on fireworks for us.
This is a feeling I have; I don't even hate this war so much anymore, and I even somewhat anticipate what the next exciting event will be like..."
"...I admit, I now have a contradiction in my heart, struggling between craving and aversion, but there is one thing I am very, very grateful for: that, so far, I am still alive.
Only by being alive can I experience this feeling.
And, I hope that until the war ends, I can continue to record these things..."
While Webster was recording by the window, his companions were like rutting beasts let loose.
They rampaged through the streets of Paris, releasing their energy after the great war.
"I hope we don't alarm the military police!"
After seeing Cobb pat a girl's backside again, causing a scream, Huxley widened his eyes and turned to Heffron, saying.
"Cobb, why can't you just settle down?" Heffron worriedly called out.
"Don't worry, guys, the Allied forces are the heroes who liberated Paris; they won't call the military police."
Cobb snapped his fingers at them; sure enough, the girl whose backside he had patted had no intention of calling the military police to resolve the issue.
She even smiled at Cobb once her fright had settled, which made Cobb even more smug.
"Oh, come on, Cobb, it wasn't us who liberated Paris, it was the brothers of the Fourth Infantry Division!"
Miller was somewhat annoyed with Cobb; if this guy hadn't stubbornly insisted on coming along, he would never have invited him, and others probably thought the same.
Just thinking about his attitude towards him when he first joined the camp as a new recruit gave him a headache.
"Why don't we do something proper here?
Okay, we're here to spend money, right?
There's an outdoor cafe over there, why don't we have a cup of coffee first and then discuss our plans for the next few days?" Heffron suggested.
"Good idea!" Miller and Huxley raised their hands.
"Alright, guys, your call." Cobb clearly agreed as well.
The four found a table by the street and sat down.
All around them were soldiers on leave in Paris—British, Polish, French, Americans, officers and enlisted men—all chatting animatedly.
Those who were excitedly discussing the war were clearly the new recruits.
"Coffee!" Cobb raised a hand towards the waiter.
Four cups of coffee were brought over, and Cobb spoke up: "Alright, guys, what should we do now?
Bars during the day, and find girls individually at night, how about that?"
"Not a bad suggestion!" Huxley nodded.
"Hmm, I have an idea!" At this moment, Heffron raised a hand.
"This is my first time in Paris in my life, and God knows if I'll ever be able to come here again.
I want to look around here; that's for daytime activities.
Of course, at night we can go drinking and then find girls.
Gentlemen, I don't want to lose myself in alcohol and women; if so, it would be no better than a small town in Virginia.
Women and bars are everywhere, but there's only one Paris! How about it, guys!"
"I second that!" Miller raised a hand.
"Tsk tsk, I knew it would be like this.
Sitting down to discuss always results in endless arguments, like our donkeys and elephants (referring to the two American political parties), and then nothing gets done!"
Cobb couldn't help but raise both hands in frustration, then clapped them on his thigh.
Just then, his chair was bumped by a soldier leaning against him from behind, who was laughing and chatting.
The coffee in his cup almost spilled out.
"Hey!" Cobb was about to turn around and vent, but he was held back by Heffron next to him.
"Alright, Cobb, let's not cause trouble.
We're here to have fun, not to find trouble!" Heffron advised.
"Damn it!" Cobb shrugged.
But that guy didn't even notice that he had bumped into someone else's chair.
However, he successfully caught Cobb and his friends' attention, and then they heard him pontificating.
"Recruit training, paratrooper recruit training is truly unimaginable.
Do you know what I did during recruit training?" The guy continued to speak animatedly, "I ate rats during recruit training!"
Suddenly, the few people sitting around him gasped "Oh," clearly taken in by what the guy said.
Because he had captivated the audience, the guy became even more energetic and continued: "That was my first time, and later there were even more disgusting things.
God, I don't even know if I was trained like this to become a killing machine specifically for killing Germans."
"Pfft—" Heffron couldn't help but spray a mouthful of coffee onto Cobb.
"Hey, this is my new uniform, you stained it, damn it!" Cobb couldn't help but be annoyed, then sullenly pulled out a handkerchief, ready to wipe it.
Unexpectedly, the guy giving the speech at the next table was still excited; he leaned back again, this time with great force, and slammed into Cobb, who was about to bend down to wipe the stain, causing his head to hit the table.
"Damn it, are you people crazy?" Cobb couldn't help but stand up and turn to yell at the four people at the next table.
He pointed at the bombastic paratrooper and angrily said, "Shut up about your worthless bullshit.
Don't think you're so great, you damn recruit.
Have you only seen Germans in propaganda posters?
You stained my uniform, and this is my new uniform."
The four men stood up, and then the guy looked at Cobb, and then saw the Airborne Division badge on his chest and couldn't help but say, "I'm sorry, but what I said is true."
Cobb couldn't help but sneer, "True?
What the hell, you damn rookie are just talking big.
Have you landed in Normandy?
Have you experienced Operation Market Garden?
Have you occupied Arnhem Bridge?
Have you saved the lives of the British and Poles?
Stop bragging about your unimpressive stuff; it won't make you any more glorious."
"You—you are—" The guy stammered, clearly realizing that these four guys were not simple.
"101st Airborne Division, 506th Regiment, First Platoon of Easy Company! Remember that, recruits, you should have heard of it!" Cobb stared at him proudly, somewhat arrogantly.
"Oh, God! I'm sorry! Brothers!" The guy exclaimed, looking at Cobb.
Then the three people behind him also opened their mouths wide, uttering sounds of astonishment.
"Your coffee, it's on us, brothers!" The guy quickly put on a smiling face; it was clear that the deeds of the First Platoon of Easy Company had already spread among the Allied forces, especially through newspaper propaganda, giving the brothers of the First Platoon a great deal of prestige.
For a time, they almost became synonymous with brave and skilled paratroopers.
"Alright! For the sake of being fellow paratroopers!" Cobb clearly accepted the free coffee.
"I'm a replacement soldier from the 82nd Division, and well, we're reporting for duty tomorrow, with a chance to go to the battlefield.
I'm Waiter, and these are my three friends, replacement soldiers from the Fourth Infantry Division.
We enlisted from the same place!" The paratrooper said.
"Alright, Waiter, thank you for the coffee, we're leaving!" At this, Heffron stood up and said to the four, "Nice to meet you all!" Saying that, he subtly gestured to Cobb, indicating they should leave quickly.
Watching Cobb and the four leave, Waiter shouted loudly, "Hey, brothers, you haven't told me your names yet!
Can I buy you drinks tonight?
Tell us about the Panther!"
"My name is Cobb!" Cobb shouted back, "Maybe another time!"
The four left the place, clearly very happy to have earned others' respect.
"God, we're famous!" Cobb seemed especially excited.
"Our operation is called Panther, oh my God, I can't believe it!" Huxley also narrowed his eyes, full of smiles.
"Alright, let's rampage among the girls of Paris like Panthers!" Cobb suddenly exclaimed.
Panther, this term had already spread within the Allied forces.
It was like a plague, infecting every soldier, making every newly joined soldier yearn for it.
Malarkey, Luz, and Muck set off for Paris early the next morning.
The moment they stepped into Paris, they were captivated by the beautiful city, the warm French people, and the charming French ladies.
"I'm here, Paris!" Malarkey couldn't help but shout.
"Shut up, Malarkey. Others will think we're a bunch of bumpkins!" Luz warned in a low voice, "What's worse, if Colonel Sink finds out these bumpkins are from the 506th Regiment, he'll scold us to death."
"Colonel Sink already thinks we're a bunch of bumpkins, he just hasn't said it!" Malarkey chuckled, "But it's not bad to be a rich bumpkin, Luz, right?"
Luz fell silent. He glanced at Malarkey's bulging pocket, shrugged, and said, "Alright, rich sir. Where are we going now? To find girls? Or to a bar?"
"Of course, to a bar," Muck nodded, "Luz, are you thinking about that all the time? That should be saved for the evening. During the day, let's drink. French wine tastes pretty good."
"Hey, guys, I'm the one making the decisions!" Malarkey couldn't help but exclaim, then he shook his head at Muck, "Don't be silly, Muck, haven't we drunk enough? Think about how much wine we've collected since we entered France? We didn't come to this beautiful place to drink. Look at the girls here. We're here to enjoy ourselves."
Luz quickly nodded: "Yes, Malarkey finally agrees with me. Muck, if you don't have enough condoms, I can spare you a few."
Then Luz, imitating Lieutenant Parks' tone, loudly said to them, "Guys, we don't fight unprepared battles." Then he laughed, "That's what the Boss said, but Muck, obviously, you didn't have the chance to listen to the Boss. What a pity!"
"Damn it, don't mention that. How many did you bring?" Muck looked at Luz with some suspicion.
"Thirty!"
"What?" Muck thought his ears were failing him, "Are you sure you heard correctly?"
"Muck, you're really forgetful. Do you still remember Sobel?" Malarkey said with a grin from the side, "At Taccoa Barracks, Sobel went to inspect the barracks again, and found two hundred condoms in Luz's locker. God, Sobel was furious at the time. He yelled at Winters: This damned guy uses so many condoms, does he still have the strength to kill Germans?"
"Shut up, Malarkey." Luz was a bit exasperated, and he couldn't help but want to pounce over.
"Hey, hey. Don't move, kid!" Malarkey pointed at his bulging pocket with one hand and said, "If you want to have a pleasant vacation in Paris, you'd best not act rashly."
Luz stopped abruptly, then glared fiercely at Malarkey and said, "Alright, alright, Malarkey, but I want to stay in the best hotel in Paris, and I want the best service." Then he winked at Muck, "I think so too!" Muck quickly nodded.
"No problem, this money is enough for us to paint the town red in Paris!" Malarkey then cheered, "Charge, stallions!" The group sped off towards the center of Paris, laughing and joking.
Malarkey and his two companions stayed in a suite in the most prosperous and best hotel.
"This is the most comfortable I've ever been!" Malarkey stirred in the bathtub, making the water splash loudly. At this time, in the small dining room outside the bathroom door, Luz and Muck were enjoying steak and wine, with a waiter in a white uniform standing respectfully beside them.
"Pour some more!" Luz's mouth was full of food, and he used his finger to point at the stemmed glass next to him. The waiter then elegantly poured red wine into the glass.
"Some for me too." Muck nodded to the waiter, then shouted loudly towards the bathroom, "Malarkey, if you don't come out, I'll eat your share too!"
"It's alright, go ahead and eat. I'll order another one!" Malarkey seemed to be in a very good mood, "Guys, your hands are full of dirt, and your bodies are full of sweat. Don't expect girls to get close to you. I don't fight unprepared battles. This is what the Boss said, and it seems this sentence is very correct, even when looking for girls, it's very effective."
"Alright, I won't be polite then!" Muck yelled towards the bathroom, then turned to grab Malarkey's plate, but found it empty. There was no plate there at all!
"Damn it, Luz, you stole my steak!" Muck glared fiercely at Luz, who was busy enjoying the food from Malarkey's plate, his own empty plate already tossed aside.
"Don't fight unprepared battles, Muck!" Luz chuckled at him.
"Alright, alright!" Muck tore off his scarf, then raised his hands in annoyance and said, "Don't keep calling him 'Boss'. I know Lieutenant Parks is your Boss, but it won't be long before he's a company commander, and then what will you say to me? That he's my Boss too! Damn it, you two are really scumbags!"
"Oh, Muck, don't be like a nagging woman!" Luz chuckled, then stood up and looked out the window, "Paris at night is truly delightful. It's just that the City of Lights is a bit of a misnomer!"
"Wartime blackout hasn't been completely lifted, be content!" Muck couldn't help but retort.
"Malarkey, are you dead in there? We're going out, hurry up. I love looking at girls under the lights at night. It has a different flavor."
Paris at night was not as dazzling and vibrant as the three had imagined, but soft streetlights illuminated the streets. The scattered pedestrians on the streets were not like the bustling and irritating New York that made people restless and passionate; instead, there was a captivating tenderness, accompanied by the occasional distant sound of a train whistle, like a lover's whisper.
"God, I really was wrong!" Malarkey couldn't help but slap his head in annoyance on the somewhat deserted street, "How I wish this were New York, with crazy bars and dancers, just thinking about it makes me excited."
Luz nodded in agreement, "It's a terrible feeling. If I stay here for too long, I can't even guarantee if my little brother will fall asleep. If there are girls later, that feeling would be really bad."
Muck let out a "Pfft" of laughter, shaking his head and saying, "Don't complain, Luz, Parisian men's 'things' are all asleep at this hour. Look at the beautiful girls on the street!" As he spoke, he whistled at two women wearing long dresses and wide-brimmed hats nearby, then let out a chuckle.
"Hey, handsome! Won't you buy us a drink?" As they turned to leave, the sweet voices of the two women behind them reached them. As if frozen by a spell, the three men stopped and turned around simultaneously.
The two women walked gracefully towards them, one extending her hand to Luz, the other to Muck, laughing softly, their eyes full of charming allure.
"Michelle!"
"Britney!"
Muck and Luz exchanged glances, then simultaneously whistled, "It's a great pleasure to meet both ladies."
"I'm Muck!"
"You can call me Luz!"
"Can you buy us a drink?" The two women said almost in unison.
"Of course! It would be my pleasure!" Luz chuckled, "Is there a bar nearby?"
"Why don't we go to your place? I think that would be more interesting than drinking in a bar, wouldn't it, Lu—tz!" The woman, Michelle, lightly hooked her arm through Luz's, "Take me there, I would be very honored." The woman whispered like a breath of orchid into Luz's ear, making him feel a pleasant itch.
"Hey, Malarkey, we're going back to the hotel, do you want to come along?" At this point, Muck on the other side was already getting cozy with the woman named Britney. It was clear they also planned to go to the hotel.
Without waiting for Malarkey to speak, the four paired up, arm in arm, and walked towards the hotel where they were staying.
"Oh, damn it, that's the hotel I booked. I paid for it!" Malarkey shouted loudly at their backs. Clearly, the richest person ended up being the most frustrated, making Malarkey furious.
"So I invited you along!" Luz turned back and chuckled.
"Damn it, nightingale, am I uglier than them, or do I not look like a nouveau riche, or more like a poor boy?" Malarkey looked himself up and down, shaking his head in annoyance.
Malarkey didn't want to go back to the hotel with the two of them; it wasn't a good idea, because he would eventually be mocked by those two who had benefited. It didn't matter. He believed he would eventually find someone. So he continued walking alone along the Seine River, his eyes scanning everywhere, trying to find a similar nightingale, so he could openly bring her back to the hotel. But clearly, this was a bit difficult. Although there were many nightingales here during the German occupation, now that the Allied had occupied it, many people had been settled, and the number of nightingales had decreased significantly. Plus, many Allied officers and soldiers were on vacation in Paris recently, so if one was slow, it would be hard to find one.
"Damn it!" After searching for a while with no results, Malarkey couldn't help but curse. Then, as he turned, he saw a woman in a long dress, dressed just like the two he had encountered earlier. There was a chance. Malarkey whistled, then decided to go up and strike up a conversation.
"Hey, are you waiting for someone?" Malarkey nodded at her, "Want to have a drink together? I think if we go to the hotel, it would definitely be more interesting than drinking in a bar, wouldn't it? If you agree, it would be my honor!"
"Sergeant, are you an Airborne Division soldier?" The woman clearly saw the paratrooper badge on Malarkey's chest, then showed a very charming smile, "It seems you're alone today, but I'm waiting for someone."
"Oh, that's a shame. I wonder who the beautiful lady is waiting for?" Malarkey puffed out his chest, "I'm from the 101st Airborne Division!"
"The 101st Airborne Division?" The lady looked at Malarkey with sudden interest, then nodded and smiled, "A remarkable unit.
Now, all of Paris, London, and Washington are probably talking about the units of the 101st Division.
Which unit are you from?"
"Do you know that platoon the newspapers talked about?" Malarkey chuckled, adjusting his uniform.
"I'm from that platoon, Sergeant, ma'am!" He used honorifics to show his demeanor and upbringing, but he couldn't help but point proudly to his arm patch.
"That's truly remarkable, Sergeant!" the lady said with a smile, "I know your deeds, and I truly congratulate you.
You are all outstanding representatives of the American military."
Malarkey nodded, enjoying the compliments, then said to the lady, "Thank you, beautiful lady.
From your accent, you have a strong American twang.
Have you been to America?
It's also a beautiful country.
Of course, France is too.
Can we find a place where I can tell you all about America, and about me, of course!"
"No, Sergeant, normally I shouldn't refuse an invitation from a hero and gentleman like you.
But I'm sorry, I have an appointment tonight." The lady looked a bit regretful, spreading her hands towards Malarkey.
"Perhaps we can meet again in America sometime."
"America?" Malarkey looked at her with some confusion, "Ma'am, did you say America?"
"Why not?" The lady smiled slightly and said, "Virginia, from New York, America!" Then she extended her slender hand and smiled, "May I have the opportunity to meet the brave Sergeant?"
Malarkey stared at the lady in a daze, then saw her outstretched hand, quickly gave it a light squeeze, and released it, laughing awkwardly, "What a coincidence!
I thought you were French, I didn't realize I was being presumptuous!"
"No, no, that's not your fault, we both weren't clear, Sergeant, wouldn't you agree?" Virginia said with a gentle smile, "It was a pleasure chatting with you.
It's a very pleasant thing to chat with a hero, so there's nothing to be embarrassed about.
We should have more interactions in the future.
Perhaps later!"
"Later?" Malarkey was startled, then his heart filled with joy.
More interactions meant he could continue to pursue her later.
This lady was truly beautiful and had a captivating charm.
He couldn't help but feel excited.
"Oh, Sergeant Malarkey, I'm so sorry.
I think the person I'm waiting for has arrived!
I have to say goodbye to you!" Virginia suddenly looked ahead, behind Malarkey, and waved excitedly in that direction.
This annoyed Malarkey a bit.
He also wanted to see who could make the beautiful Virginia so excited and thrilled.
Then he turned around and suddenly froze.
He saw a man in military uniform walking towards them with a smile.
Clearly, he was the person Virginia was waiting for, and he was someone Malarkey knew.
He quickly stepped forward, saluted the newcomer, and stammered, "Boss, I didn't expect to run into you.
This is great, just great!" Now he truly felt embarrassed.
Just think, he had even tried to steal away the woman his Boss was about to meet, hoping for a one-night stand.
This was truly absurd.
Clearly, it was the result of his hormones running wild.
"Malarkey?" Parks was also surprised when he saw him, then he started to laugh, "What a coincidence.
I didn't expect you to know Virginia.
It seems you two had a pleasant chat!"
"No, no, it's not like that, Boss.
We just met." Malarkey quickly explained.
He didn't want Parks to misunderstand this matter; that would be too disadvantageous.
"Didn't find a companion?" Parks looked at him with a half-smile, then shook his head and laughed, "That's truly a shame.
Alright, Malarkey, we must be going now."
"Alright, Boss!" Malarkey shrugged, "I still have to wander around here a bit.
Actually, I was just out for a walk.
I had excellent plans for today.
I have two beautiful girls waiting for me at the hotel.
I'll be back very soon.
Don't worry about me; I'm not someone who can't find a companion."
Clearly, Malarkey was trying to save face.
Parks couldn't help but chuckle to himself.
He nodded and smiled, "Alright, goodbye, Malarkey."
"Goodbye, Boss!"
"Sergeant Malarkey, you are truly adorable!" Virginia smiled slightly, gave him a gentle wave, then naturally linked arms with Parks and left.
The two occasionally leaned in to talk, eliciting Virginia's soft giggles.
"Goodbye, beautiful lady!" Malarkey muttered softly to their retreating backs, then self-deprecatingly said, "Damn it, I'm really unlucky." Two beautiful girls waiting for me at the hotel?
God, that was just something I said to keep up appearances.
In fact, those two girls were probably getting intimate with Luz and Muck at the hotel.
Virginia had flown from America to London after hearing the news of Parks's disappearance, then took a plane from London to Paris.
Such news almost drove her crazy.
While in London, she went to the Allied headquarters and, following their advice, traveled to Paris, hoping to get firsthand information directly from France.
She was even a little scared, scared of what would happen after losing Parks.
In truth, her time with Parks wasn't very long; sometimes, it was more like a fleeting romance.
But this man had a charm that could captivate a woman like her.
After Parks went to Europe, she, in her daily boredom, sent people to inquire about Parks's family background.
Clearly, his parents were just ordinary people from Virginia, living very common lives.
And she even found out that he had an ambiguous relationship with a college student named Jennifer when he was in Taccoa.
At first, Virginia was almost mad with jealousy; she even wanted to kill that woman.
But after careful consideration, she calmed down.
She realized that this would only make Parks tired of her, thinking she was just a control freak.
Then she arranged for Jennifer to work on Wall Street and discovered her excellent financial talent.
Of course, she hadn't told Parks any of this.
Virginia believed that she would only bring it up and offer him help when Parks needed it most.
She had certain expectations for Parks, especially with the great achievements and reputation Parks had gained on the European battlefield, which made her expectations even higher and stronger.
Now, New York streets were filled with reports of Parks's heroic combat.
All of America knew that on the most difficult European battlefield, an American led a platoon that saved the British and the Dutch, achieving great military success, becoming an undisputed heroic model for Americans.
And this hero was none other than the one who had recently led the commando unit that successfully rescued American POWs.
Even during a congressional discussion, Mr. President specifically mentioned that name—Reese Parks.
And he did not stint on his praise, calling him an American hero.
While in Paris, Virginia would consult the Allied command post stationed in Paris every day, hoping to obtain firsthand information.
Under Virginia's efforts, the Allies agreed to this request, promising to provide her with firsthand information about Parks, which was also a sign of respect for her family and for Parks.
Two days ago, the Allied command in Paris sent her exciting and thrilling news: Parks had returned alive.
This news made Virginia completely sleepless.
"Damn scoundrel!" She couldn't help but blurt out a curse while showering in her room, then smiled contentedly.
She used her best perfume and eyeshadow, wanting to greet him in her most beautiful state.
She wanted him to come from the Netherlands front to Paris and then tell her, without reservation, the love words she most wanted to hear.
"Darling, you're so vigorous!" Virginia's fair face flushed with passion, her gasps seemed as if her heart would be expelled.
Her long, slender, pale legs tightly wrapped around Parks's waist, her body like a small boat drifting in a storm, as if it could sink into the waves at any moment.
Parks was like an enraged bull, venting his boundless energy in a frenzy of thrusts, pressing forward, fearless, charging recklessly, tossing that snow-white body into the air, making it undulate.
His breathing was rapid and chaotic, like a lost child searching for a way out, roaring as he pushed higher and higher.
"Heavens, Reese, I'm going to die!" Virginia's two legs suddenly released their tight grip on Parks's waist, then stretched straight into the air.
Her toes were tightly tensed, enduring the pleasure of a bursting dam during a flash flood.
"No, no, Virginia, wait!" Parks's voice was urgent and firm.
"God, you're a tireless machine." Virginia's moans, after the passion, began to come softly again.
Her breathing became heavy once more.
She almost melted in Parks's strong embrace.
Her breath carried Parks's scent, and they were almost merged into one, indistinguishable.
When the sunlight faintly streamed onto the bed through the curtains, Virginia's fair skin again revealed a rosy, extremely alluring hue, making Parks, who had opened his eyes, unable to resist leaning down and kissing her gently once more.
Despite the gentle movement, Virginia was still awakened.
"Hi, darling!" Virginia lazily rolled over, then winked playfully, smiling at Parks.
"Hi, darling!" Parks responded, then covered her body again.
"Heavens, Parks, you… you're too crazy!" Virginia still wanted to struggle, but her body gradually grew hot in Parks's hands.
Clearly, she couldn't resist Parks's temptation.
"Wait a moment, darling, I want to tell you something!" Virginia forced herself to suppress the desire that could almost make one lose their thoughts, forcing herself to hold down Parks's mischievous hand, appearing serious.
"Alright, you certainly know how to pick a time!" Parks grumbled.
Watching Parks's somewhat childish actions, Virginia couldn't help but smile slightly.
She opened her mouth, then suddenly had a change of heart, and said to Parks, "Darling, what I wanted to say is, you can't be so reckless in the future.
It really makes me worry.
You have to promise me!"
"I thought it was something else.
Alright, I promise you, for you!" Parks nodded and smiled, then again took her fresh red bud into his mouth.
In fact, Malarkey wasn't as overlooked as he was on the first night; in the following days, he still enjoyed the good times brought by the beautiful women and fine wine of Paris.
However, their plans had to end early, because even a large sum of $3,600 couldn't last long in a money pit like Paris.
They returned to Veghel by car two days early, and upon their arrival, all three of them were penniless, their pockets cleaner than if they'd been robbed.
Of course, they were still among the lucky ones; there were a few unlucky guys who not only ran out of money but also had injuries on their faces, and Cobb was even escorted back by the Military Police.
After he and Webster had some drinks at a bar, Cobb harassed a bar girl and ended up getting severely beaten.
Although Cobb identified himself as being from Easy Company, that identity wasn't always useful everywhere.
However, the Military Police were still polite to him; he was protected, otherwise those tough characters would have skinned him alive.
Many people returned early like them; few were loaded with cash, usually, they, like Malarkey, were drained of their last penny and returned dejectedly.
A minority, like Cobb, got into fights or harassed women in Paris, then were escorted by the Military Police, getting a free ride back.
In short, very few of the Easy Company brothers spent their entire vacation in Paris, and Parks was one of them.
Because he didn't worry about money, nor did he have to fight people for harassing women.
Throughout the holiday, he was inseparable from Virginia, discussing their future lives, during which Virginia jokingly told Parks that he should run for office after the war.
Of course, Parks just took it as a joke.
Run for office?
How could that be?
He didn't want to scheme in the dark American political arena his whole life.
The brothers who returned to Veghel early were all in a bad mood, so they simply increased their activities in the surrounding area, going hunting in the nearby woods or scavenging for Dutch wine everywhere.
Easy Company was still under Captain Winters' command.
He and Nixon went to London, England, spent a few days there, and then returned to Veghel early.
Due to the lack of supervision from officers and the holiday period, the soldiers had developed lazy habits, and military discipline had become very lax.
This was definitely a side effect of the long post-war vacation.
"Yesterday, three men from Easy Company were sent back by the Allied Military Police in Paris: Hubler, Patrick Christenson, and Toy.
Hmm, and last night, Guarnere and Lanny were found in a Dutchman's cellar; they had drunk all the wine in the cellar, were dead drunk inside, and were thrown out like potatoes.
Hmm, let me see again... Oh, yes, Christenson, Donald, and Bloy have also returned to duty after recovering from their injuries; I've temporarily assigned them to Second Platoon!"
In the company headquarters room, Nixon was looking through a clipboard with some of the previous day's situations recorded by Battalion HQ.
"God, these guys are practically committing every evil imaginable!" Captain Winters said, biting into an apple as he walked out of the washroom, having shaved and washed an apple.
"We've only been out for a few days, and it's already turned into this mess."
"Mess?" Nixon couldn't help but shake his head and laugh.
He continued flipping through Battalion HQ's records of Easy Company's situation these past few days.
"This is already pretty good; at least there haven't been any robberies or rapes yet."
Saying that, he tossed the clipboard onto the table, poured himself a glass of wine, and asked, "How do you plan to deal with these guys? Or do you plan to leave them for Parks to deal with?"
"Did Battalion HQ urge it?" Captain Winters was momentarily stunned.
"No, but they said it's best to sort things out here before going to Battalion HQ.
There will be a formal appointment document then, and Parks' appointment will be issued at the same time as yours, personally signed by Colonel Sink."
Nixon took a sip of wine, then smiled and pointed at Captain Winters, saying, "Thanks to you, I'll also return to Battalion HQ at the same time to continue my intelligence work."
"Oh? That's great!" Captain Winters nodded.
Nixon nodded and smiled, "Yes, because I was worried about your strange temper and how you'd get along with the people at Battalion HQ, that's why I went.
At least when you're isolated, you'll still have me on your side, so you won't seem so reclusive!"
Captain Winters chuckled, "I knew you'd say that.
All your friends are reclusive like that, aren't they?"
Then he picked up the clipboard Nixon had tossed on the table and frowned, saying, "I don't want to leave a big mess for Parks.
Nick, it looks like we'll still be busy for a while.
These guys need to be taught a lesson."
"You'll be satisfied!" Nixon raised his glass towards Captain Winters and smiled faintly.
To prevent these men from causing trouble after returning to Veghel, Captain Winters put the soldiers who were in the camp through two days of training during the last two days of the holiday, including morning exercises and marching drills, exhausting them so they wouldn't think of anything else.
This indeed kept things peaceful for two days.
Parks returned to Veghel on the last day, and several officers returned to company headquarters with him, including Welsh, who had flown to Ireland and enjoyed his entire vacation in a gentle embrace, returning fully satisfied.
"Oh, these damn guys!" At company headquarters, Captain Winters handed the clipboard to Welsh, then he let out an exclamation.
Clearly, what these boys had done was indeed surprising.
"I had long expected them to make a big splash, but I didn't expect it to be even better than I anticipated!" Parks also looked at the clipboard, couldn't help but smile, and said, "Good men!"
"I've worn them out these past two days!" Captain Winters smiled at Parks, "But, Reese, from now on you'll have to assert your authority, otherwise they'll still do some outrageous things."
Parks nodded.
Welsh, standing by, laughed, "It seems these guys need a good lesson.
They think they've become heroes and can do whatever they want.
Just wait, even heroes will have their time of suffering."
Nixon chuckled, "Entrusting this task to Welsh is always the right choice."
"Who wouldn't agree?" Parks and Captain Winters nodded simultaneously.
Indeed, as the clipboard showed, the brothers of Easy Company had done things that provoked both heaven and man during this holiday.
Not only were there complaints from the Paris city government to the Allied forces, but also complaints from the local Dutch people to the Allied forces.
Colonel Sink, the battalion commander, lost his temper at battalion headquarters and vowed to make these guys pay.
"Look, guys," Welsh said, shaking his head at the company's first assembly after the holiday ended, "Colonel Sink is having headaches because of us.
We're not doing any better than the Germans.
Don't forget what we're here for; we are liberators.
So, as an officer, I absolutely support Colonel Sink's words, and of course, as Easy Company, I understand you!"
A burst of laughter erupted from below the stage.
"However, precisely because of my understanding, I sympathize with you greatly.
Company headquarters has decided to resume all training: morning exercises, field marches, night marches, physical training, drills, and so on.
Whatever Battalion HQ can think of, we must carry out," Welsh shrugged at this point.
"Unfortunately, guys, in short, say goodbye to your past decadent life!
I don't think Battalion HQ and the company will cancel this training plan, unless we go to the front lines to fight the Germans tomorrow!"
As soon as Welsh finished speaking, a chorus of wails erupted from below the stage.
"Oh, God, tell me, this isn't true, is it?" Cobb nudged Malarkey beside him.
Malarkey didn't even look at him and said impatiently, "Hey, Cobb, don't complain to me, God is in heaven."
"Soldiers always complain to their superiors.
You're a Sergeant, the First Platoon's assistant squad leader!" Cobb couldn't help but grumble, shaking his head in annoyance.
"Hey, Cobb, if it weren't for all the messes you caused, why would we have such a training plan?
Fighting, causing trouble, harassing women, heavens, what else can you do?
Have the Military Police send you back to the company?" At this moment, White, who was behind Malarkey, couldn't help but stand up, eager to vent the anger he had been holding in.
"White, are you out of your mind?" Cobb frowned, saying to Cobb with dissatisfaction.
"He's right, Cobb!" Landers passed by them and chimed in, "I support him!" He then bumped fists with White to show his support.
Cobb wanted to say something more, but everyone had already dispersed, leaving him with no one to vent his anger on.
He couldn't help but spread his hands in exasperation towards the backs of the group, saying, "Who did I offend?"
Malarkey walked around outside for a bit, and upon returning to the barracks, he saw Luz had returned early, lying on his bed, a cigarette in his mouth but unlit, staring blankly at the ceiling above.
He couldn't help but go forward curiously and ask, "Luz, what's wrong?"
"Leave me alone, Malarkey!" Luz sounded listless.
"Sick?" Malarkey looked at him, then also lay on his bed, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.
"No, Malarkey," Luz replied lazily, "If you hear today's news and then come back and lie on your bed, staring at the ceiling, you'll find that you don't want to do anything, or even move."
Malarkey nodded and said, "I completely agree with you; I feel that way right now."
"Oh, God, this is truly wonderful; we're finally back to our rookie days," Luz said.
"Reminds you of Taccoa?"
"No, no, it reminds me of Sobel!"
"Sobel? Oh, no way.
We don't have Sobel now.
He's transporting supplies for us; he's a supply officer," Malarkey replied listlessly.
"This isn't the worst of it!" Luz continued, "I'm finding that living without a single penny is truly miserable, Malarkey, do you still have any money? Lend me twenty dollars!"
"No, Luz!" Malarkey shook his head, "I have a strange feeling, I suddenly miss life in Paris.
A suite with a bathroom, being able to soak in a bathtub, being able to bathe with beautiful girls, eating the most delicious steak and drinking the best French red wine."
"Alright, that's history too, if you could only win more money!" Luz nodded.
The two of them said nothing more.
Then others came in, and then lay down listlessly, until the entire barracks was filled with listless soldiers.
"I hate war!" Malarkey suddenly said, "But sometimes I love it!"
October 5, 1944, was the most joyful day for Easy Company.
Field Marshal Montgomery, the Allied commander, personally arrived at Veghel. On this day, Easy Company experienced a day of abundant medal harvests; they had received the news the day before and arrived very early at the town square in Veghel. A temporary stage had been set up there, and the officers and soldiers of the 506th Regiment gathered around the stage.
Field Marshal Montgomery, accompanied by General Taylor and Colonel Sink, ascended the stage. He smiled and delivered a simple but passionate speech. In his speech, he highly praised the achievements of the 101st Airborne Division in Operation Market Garden and bowed slightly to General Taylor in front of all the officers and soldiers of the 506th Regiment, which was very rare, but General Taylor accepted it naturally. Field Marshal Montgomery was both thanking him and apologizing to him, as General Taylor had once made reasonable suggestions that were not taken seriously, which was Field Marshal Montgomery's own mistake.
After an inspiring speech of commendation and encouragement, Field Marshal Montgomery invited Parks to the stage. He watched with a smile as Parks straightened his chest, walked onto the stage, and then saluted him, as well as Taylor and Colonel Sink.
"Hello, Lieutenant!" Field Marshal Montgomery warmly shook Parks's hand, even giving him a close embrace before letting go.
"It's an honor, Marshal!" Parks composed himself, appearing polite.
"Well, I'm mainly here to present you with an honor, a medal awarded by the British Empire to help its Allied servicemen," Field Marshal Montgomery nodded to him and said, "I hope I can personally pin it on you!"
"My honor, Marshal!" Parks straightened his back again, his eyes briefly glancing around. At this moment, Field Marshal Montgomery gestured, and a Sergeant walked up from below the stage, carrying a gilded platter with a medal on it.
"The British are truly extravagant. Look at their platter, I'm afraid it's worth more than the medal itself!" General Taylor was clearly somewhat displeased with Field Marshal Montgomery's approach, because today he was representing the American military in awarding medals to the Easy Company brothers, and there was no such luxurious platter, making it seem a bit shabby. He whispered a complaint into Colonel Sink's ear.
Colonel Sink couldn't help but smile slightly and also whispered, "But our medals are real, General, who cares what's on a platter!"
General Taylor couldn't help but smile slightly, nodded, and then turned his gaze back to the stage. Field Marshal Montgomery picked up the medal from the platter and smiled, "The Distinguished Service Cross. Lieutenant, you are entirely worthy of it. It is an honor for brave, fearless, and outstanding servicemen who have made exceptional contributions. Congratulations!" He then saluted Parks, and after Parks returned the salute, he extended his hand and shook Parks's hand firmly before letting go.
Parks nodded to Field Marshal Montgomery and then descended the stage. This was indeed what he deserved. But some people below the stage were somewhat dissatisfied, especially Nixon, who shook his head at Winters and scoffed, "I didn't expect the British to be a little stingy. For a contribution like Parks's, they could have easily given him a Victoria Cross. It seems they still consider themselves a little superior to us Americans."
"Arrogant British!" Winters turned to Nixon and smiled slightly. He knew that Colonel Sink had personally nominated Parks for the Congressional Medal of Honor this time, and if there were no surprises, Parks would receive this honor. The well-informed soldiers of Easy Company all knew this. But they all believed that this was something Parks rightfully deserved.
Field Marshal Montgomery took a few steps back to General Taylor's side and whispered, "Alright, it's all yours, General Taylor. I still have to rush back to Britain, you know, there's a lot to do." He shrugged as he spoke.
"Please do, Marshal!" General Taylor smiled and nodded. He still maintained the minimum respect for Field Marshal Montgomery.
Now it was General Taylor's turn. He looked at Field Marshal Montgomery, who was hastily walking off the stage, and couldn't help but shake his head slightly. Then he stepped forward a few paces and delivered a speech to the soldiers of the 506th Regiment.
"I hope it's not too long!" White made a sign of the cross on his chest and muttered softly, "Amen!"
"God can't hear you, White, he's napping after listening to General Taylor's speech!" Malarkey chuckled softly beside him, "But today I might like his speech, do you know what we'll get today?" He gestured with his hand in the shape of a medal and then placed it on his chest.
"Hey, did you hear? Parks might get the Congressional Medal of Honor." White whispered to Malarkey, "God, if I could get a medal like that, I'd do anything!"
"At least we still have the Silver Star!" Malarkey shrugged, "I never thought that way. I think even Captain Winters doesn't have much hope of getting it, let alone me!"
"Shut up!" At this moment, Sergeant Li Pu and Toy in the front row almost simultaneously turned back and whispered to them.
It turned out that General Taylor had begun to read the list of those who received medals this time. Many people in the 506th Regiment received medals, and Easy Company was the biggest winner; the number and weight of their medals were incomparable to other companies.
Captain Winters once again received the Distinguished Service Cross. Lieutenant Welsh and Shifty also received this honor, while the brothers of the First Platoon who participated in the operation all received the Silver Star, which also included Nixon. Lieutenant Halliger, Staff Sergeant Li Pu, Staff Sergeant Talbert, and twenty-six others received the Bronze Star.
Lieutenant Welsh was clearly somewhat excited to receive such a high-level medal for the first time. Although his face was flushed red, he was at least much stronger than Shifty. Shifty pressed his lips together tightly, and his hands were trembling slightly. He squeezed his lapels hard, trying to calm himself, but it was clear he couldn't, and finally, even his lips began to tremble.
General Taylor shook hands with them one by one. To be honest, General Taylor was very happy in his heart. Especially with Easy Company, he was very satisfied with their outstanding performance. Moreover, the number and rank of the medal recipients this time were far higher than those of the 82nd Airborne Division, and the 82nd Airborne Division suffered much greater losses than the 101st Airborne Division.
"I am happy for you, brothers!" General Taylor said from the bottom of his heart after awarding them the medals; he truly should be happy for them.
But all the Easy Company brothers were still looking at General Taylor standing on the stage. It was clear they seemed to be reminding General Taylor that one person should not be forgotten. That should be the most important person—Lieutenant Parks. Because on the stage, General Taylor had not announced the medal Lieutenant Parks received.
"I know what you're thinking," General Taylor joked, "Are you trying to remind me if I've forgotten something? Do I still have medals to award?"
General Taylor deliberately paused and smiled, "The medals I need to award have already been awarded, brothers!"
"Whoosh—" A burst of incredulous exclamations erupted from below the stage.
"Hey, what the hell is he doing? Where's the Boss's medal?" White was the first to blurt out.
"Damn it!" Landers couldn't help but mutter. His words were echoed by many, especially the expressions of the First Platoon brothers who participated in the operation, which were truly rich. They couldn't help but mutter impatiently.
Seeing some commotion below, General Taylor quickly waved his hand and smiled, "Alright, guys, I know you're muttering to yourselves, but this is good news. Lieutenant Parks has received a medal, but I am not qualified to present it to him. This medal must be personally presented to him by our President Roosevelt. That's right, Lieutenant Parks has received the highest military honor—the Congressional Medal of Honor."
As soon as his words fell, a cheer erupted from below the stage.
"I knew this would be the result, and I was right!" White suddenly shouted excitedly at Malarkey, "Look, it's true, the Congressional Medal of Honor, heavens, why do I feel as excited as if I'd received it myself!"
Malarkey glanced at him and couldn't help but smile, "That's because you're one step closer to the Congressional Medal of Honor, White."
"What?" White looked at Malarkey in surprise, "Hey, man, I never thought that!"
Malarkey shook his head and smiled, "Don't dream so sweetly, White, but we are indeed closer to that medal. God, Lieutenant Parks is right beside us, and he will be wearing that medal. And we will fight alongside him, and of course, his medal. So—" He shrugged and chuckled.
"Damn it, you scared me!" White chuckled back at him.
"Alright, guys," General Taylor had to raise his voice to drown out the excited cheers of these people. Of course, military discipline was still very strong, and after a brief cheer, as soon as General Taylor spoke, the ranks quickly quieted down.
General Taylor waved to Parks, signaling him to come onto the stage.
Looking at Parks's smiling face and calm demeanor, he couldn't help but nod, then embraced Parks, turned, and laughed loudly to the crowd below, "Honestly, guys, I'm really jealous of him. You know, my whole life's struggle has been for a medal like this, but he got it first!"
A slight, good-natured chuckle immediately rose from below the stage.
"Lieutenant Parks, I'm delighted to announce this news, but you'll have to leave here for a few days. President Roosevelt is waiting for your arrival in Washington. You're truly amazing, young man!" General Taylor said, patting his arm, "Do you have anything to say to your brothers?" Then he made a welcoming gesture.
Parks walked to the front of the stage. He looked at the brothers with whom he had faced life and death, and suddenly his heart was filled with emotion. He wanted to speak, but his throat felt dry. He couldn't help but clear his throat before saying, "Actually, this honor doesn't belong to me personally; it belongs to every brother who has faced life and death with me."
Yes, this belonged to every brother who had faced life and death amidst the German artillery fire. The shouts of charge, the hot blood splattering on chests, the selfless rescue of brothers, the bond of brotherhood forged in the test of life and death—all these moments appeared before Parks's eyes, so real, impossible to shake off.
"I suddenly have a feeling, Dick!" Nixon looked at Parks on the stage and suddenly turned to him and said.
"What?" Winters looked at Nixon, "What do you want to say, Nick!"
"That phrase, 'The honor belongs to every brother who faced life and death with me in the gunfire,'" Nixon pursed his lips, "That's what I want to say too."
As Parks walked off the stage, he high-fived Winters, Nixon, and Welsh.
At this moment, Colonel Sink walked onto the stage, cleared his throat, and said loudly, "Alright, fellas, I also want to finish quickly, because this is really a bit boring.
But now it's my turn, you'll have to bear with me for a moment, but I'll be quick.
Hmm, there are a few appointments.
Originally, I planned to hold a private promotion ceremony, but why not do it here?"
All the brothers of Easy Company knew what the outcome would be, but even so, everyone still hoped to hear Colonel Sink say it himself; it would bring a sense of satisfaction.
As everyone expected, Captain Winters was promoted to Battalion HQ staff, and Parks took over from Winters as the Company Commander of Easy Company.
Lieutenant Welsh became the Executive Officer of Easy Company, which was Parks' suggestion.
"I think the outcome is the best," White muttered to himself, "We lost a good Company Commander, but we gained another good Company Commander, so this result is really pretty good!"
"Indeed, it's good!" Malarkey said as he walked past White when the assembly dispersed, "I like this outcome!"
No one would dislike this outcome.
Parks' prestige had long surpassed First Platoon; everyone in the company respected him, and he earned all of this through his wisdom, excellent tactics, bravery, and protection of his brothers.
Of course, he was also very kind, unlike some officers who were bossy or aloof.
However, Parks could not take office immediately because he had to go to Washington right away, where he would receive the Congressional Medal of Honor from President Roosevelt.
The round trip would take a few days, and this was specially permitted by General Taylor.
During these few days, Easy Company would be temporarily led by Lieutenant Welsh, while the daily affairs of the company would be assisted by Staff Sergeant Talbert and Staff Sergeant Li Pu.
Parks departed Veghel early the next morning.
Captain Winters, Captain Nixon, and Lieutenant Welsh went to see him off.
He would travel by car to Paris, then take a special flight to London, and then from London to the United States.
"Don't worry, Reese, the brothers of Easy Company will be well taken care of," Welsh said with a smile to Parks, "Waiting for you to come back!"
Parks nodded and smiled, "I know, I know, I just want to come back quickly.
To be honest, after being with the brothers for so long, going anywhere feels like something is missing."
"That's not good news!" Nixon whistled and laughed, "Homesickness is not a good thing.
But this feeling is very strange; coincidentally, I also have this kind of sentiment, it's truly incredible."
"Alright, Parks, when did you become so sentimental?
Go, come back early!" Winters decided to end the conversation early, even though everyone was very happy for Parks.
Parks' car sped away, gradually disappearing around the bend in the road.
"If one day I could also have such an honor, then I would be satisfied; it would become the most precious cherished memory of my entire life," Winters smiled slightly, "Let's go, fellas."
As Parks left, the initial excitement in Easy Company gradually cooled down.
Only the brothers who had received medals, their excitement had not yet faded.
On the morning of October 7th, sharp whistles broke the morning tranquility of Veghel.
"Fellas, we're moving out again," Staff Sergeant Talbert shouted, calling the brothers to assemble, "Full gear, this isn't routine training this time, this isn't an exercise.
Hurry, hurry, we have work to do."
"Oh, damn it, what's going on?" Guarnere grumbled discontentedly as he put on his pants; he had drunk too much last night and was still a bit tipsy, "Are the Germans attacking us?
It's always such a rush every time."
"Stop complaining, Guarnere!" Lipton shouted loudly, "Just do as you're told!"
Upon exiting the camp gate, they immediately ran into Cobb, who was putting on his hat and complaining to Lipton, "Hey, Lipton, where are we going?
Why do we know nothing?
Damn it, our Company Commander isn't even here, and we're going to war.
This is truly terrible."
Lipton shook his head and ignored him.
It was Guarnere who chimed in, "Cobb, can't you complain a little less?"
"Alright, alright, I won't complain!" Cobb raised his hands, "But I'm really tired of this constant rushing around; we've hardly missed any battles, it seems!"
That was indeed true; they hadn't missed the Normandy landings or Operation Market Garden, and now they were heading out again.
Although it wasn't a major operation, each one would be incredibly difficult.
While Welsh was at Battalion HQ, Winters conveyed the mission to him.
This time, Easy Company would be stationed on a 5-kilometer wide "island" bordered by the Lower Rhine River to the north and the Waal River to the south.
The two ends were the cities of Arnhem and Nijmegen on the Lower Rhine River and the Waal River, respectively, forming the easternmost defensive line of the 101st Airborne Division; while the two small towns of Opheusden and Dodewaard on the Lower Rhine River and the Waal River marked the western boundary.
The Germans occupied the territory north of the Lower Rhine River and west of the Opheusden-Dodewaard line.
"The terrain here is relatively flat, but there are 7-meter high flood dikes, wide at the top, enough for two lanes of traffic.
The slopes on both sides of the dikes are steep in some places, but more often the slope is gentle, and the base of the dikes can be as wide as 200 or even 300 feet.
And there are many crisscrossing drainage ditches," Winters explained the situation of the "island" in detail to Welsh, "You know, the weather here isn't too good; it's cold, damp, and there's a lot of rain.
Get the brothers ready to cope, Harry!
We are taking over the defensive line from the British 43rd Division."
"Don't worry, Dick, don't you know Harry?
The brothers will be taken care of very well," Nixon nodded to Winters, "We all understand how you feel; leaving the brothers will make you uneasy for a while.
But trust the brothers, they are all excellent, and Parks will be back in a few days!"
Winters was startled, then immediately realized his mistake.
He couldn't help but smile apologetically, "Yes, yes, Harry, go ahead and do it, but, if anything happens, you'll tell me in time, right?"
"Of course, Dick!" Welsh smiled and nodded, "I'm not like Nixon; I always feel like you've never left Easy Company, always been a part of Easy Company, and always with the brothers of Easy Company."
Nixon couldn't help but whistle, "Oh, how eloquent, but Harry, I always feel like this is flattery to him!"
Winters smiled slightly, then said, "Perhaps we will fight a fortress war, a standoff, with the Germans, like in the First World War, but I am not worried at all.
We have entire regiments of British artillery providing us with fire support.
And, Battalion HQ will follow you into that area."
"Very solid backing!" Welsh smiled, "Alright, I have to go, Dick, I'll see you on the 'island'."
Easy Company's truck convoy was like a winding serpent, advancing in the morning light.
Soon after they set off, a light rain began to fall, making the roads muddy.
The speed of the vehicles noticeably decreased, and the drivers were very careful, making the ride longer for the brothers, and their already anxious hearts became as gray as the sky with the light rain.
The brothers looked at the villages on both sides of the road.
The closer they got to the island, the more deserted the villages became.
They had all been evacuated, just like the French villagers during World War I; people from the villages on both sides and flanks of the front lines had left.
"I can't believe it, this is like a land of death, if it weren't for the German cannons still firing!" Patrick Christenson looked in surprise at the ghost-town-like villages they passed one after another, and couldn't help but ask Hubler in astonishment.
"You're absolutely right, but this is good news for us.
There must be supplies for us here; the Dutch certainly wouldn't have moved everything.
I think there's still a lot of good wine in the cellars here," Hubler nodded, then smiled.
"Good idea!" Patrick Christenson nodded.
But in fact, this later became a reality.
Easy Company finally reached the designated location, but it was already night when they arrived.
The British welcomed the brothers of Easy Company in a village called Zetten and escorted the advance party to their new positions.
Along the way, Webster asked a member of the British advance party leading the way, "How's the situation here?"
"This is a bloody 'death trap,' brother!" the other replied.
And Webster quickly proved that what the other said was likely true, not an exaggeration; along the way, there were countless shell craters freshly left by 105mm and 88mm artillery shells.
After 3 hours of marching, the British squad led the brothers of Easy Company to their destination: a cluster of houses nestled beside a huge dike.
On the other side of the dike was the Lower Rhine River, and between the Lower Rhine River and the dike was a flat, wet pasture about 1 kilometer long.
Scattered across the pasture were animal carcasses, burned houses, empty machine gun belts, and ammunition boxes.
This was a no-man's land.
"Alright, brothers, this is where you'll be stationed.
I think we have to go now.
Finally, this day has come, good luck!" A Sergeant from the British squad nodded to Lieutenant Welsh, "Be careful, sir, the German artillery fire is very heavy, and they have very good observation points.
You'll have to dig your trenches deeper."
"Thank you, we'll be careful!" Welsh nodded.
He could tell that this place was truly worrisome.
The British left.
Welsh quickly contacted Battalion HQ; the entire 506th Regiment was stationed on this island.
"Brothers, I have bad news!" Lieutenant Welsh gathered the company's officers and non-commissioned officers, and nodded to them, "I just contacted Battalion HQ.
Now our entire 506th Regiment is to be stationed here, but we have to hold a British division's defensive line, over 6 miles long.
The 2nd Battalion's defensive line is on the right flank, with Easy Company at the far right.
We only have 130 men, but we must undertake the task of defending nearly 3 kilometers of the front line."
"Oh, God!" Someone let out a groan.
"But fellas, we still have a great advantage compared to the Germans; we have immense courage and a fearless spirit," Welsh continued, "So this is why we can defeat the Germans."
"That's great, we also have deeper trenches than the Germans, and more k rations than the Germans!
Maybe we can just throw k rations at them until the Germans surrender." Guarnere couldn't help but shake his head.
"Alright, fellas, we're going to start!" Welsh shouted loudly, "We're going to hold this line!"
Lieutenant Welsh arranged for Second Platoon and Third Platoon to patrol along the south side of the dike, while First Platoon remained on standby.
He did not have enough troops to man the entire defensive line, so he set up outposts at locations he believed the German were most likely to infiltrate.
He maintained contact with the outposts via radio, field telephone, and by contacting the patrols.
He also sent three-man patrol teams to the riverbank to observe enemy movements and act as forward observers for the artillery.
His command post was located in a village called Randwijk.
Patrols were generally conducted at night; during the day, the brothers of Easy Company hid in their deeply dug trench positions.
The daytime was a duel for the artillerymen, with both sides' cannons continuously bombarding each other's positions, raising clouds of dust.
The soldiers of Easy Company endured the deafening sound of the cannons and the trembling of the earth from the shelling, hiding in their trenches.
The war seemed to have entered a trench warfare phase, reminiscent of World War I, with both sides entrenched and only the artillery engaging.
Neither side launched an attack.
Moreover, there were no tanks on the island, as they would be too obvious a target and easily hit.
"These damn 88mm cannons," Christenson said as he was patrolling along the dike when they came under artillery fire, forcing them to stop and press themselves tightly against the ground of the dike.
Evidently, this was a rare night shelling from the German, and they were, of course, blindly searching for targets.
"The German are really rich; their shells are almost endless!" Talbert, who was leading this patrol, cautiously peered out during a lull in the shelling to check on the German's movements with the brothers of Third Platoon.
"This is the most frustrating battle; we just take shells and can't fight back! This feeling is really bad!" Christenson shook his head.
"Boom!" A shell exploded not far from them, sending clods of earth flying through the air and showering some of the brothers, who immediately began to curse!
"Damn it!"
"Son of a bitch!"
All sorts of curses rose and fell, clearly indicating that the brothers were fed up and wanted to vent.
As the brothers cursed incessantly, several more shells exploded near them, and someone loudly called out, "Medic!"
At this moment, Hubler crawled over and said to Talbert, "Sergeant, Cheyne is wounded; he's been hit in the stomach by shrapnel.
What do we do now?"
"Let's retreat, Tibbett; this damned place will bury us all sooner or later," McClung couldn't help but shout, "Make a decision soon; don't let the brothers die here.
The German's artillery fire is too fierce!"
Talbert looked back at the brothers; they all looked at him expectantly.
He nodded and said, "Alright, men, we're pulling back."
Then he said to Hubler, "Take Cheyne back, quickly! Let's go."
The brothers of Third Platoon, led by Tibbett, retreated dejectedly to their original positions.
When they returned, the men of Second Platoon had already retreated into the trenches.
From the moment the German began shelling, Lieutenant Peacock's face was grazed by a shell.
A panicked Lieutenant Peacock then ordered a retreat.
With a "Bang!", the door of the company headquarters in Randwijk village was suddenly pushed open.
Hubler and Pankala carried Cheyne in, then placed him on the table, shouting, "We were hit by German artillery fire; Cheyne is wounded, Medical Officer Luo!"
He yelled.
"Move aside, move aside, let me see!" At this moment, Medical Officer Eugene Luo rushed in, then parted the surrounding crowd.
"Leave him to me, Hubler, help me hold his hand, quickly!" Medical Officer Luo asked, "Has he been given morphine?
How much morphine was given? I need to know the situation!" Medical Officer Luo asked, pressing one hand on Cheyne's wound.
"Yes, it was one, no, no, maybe two!" Hubler couldn't help but say.
"God, are you trying to kill him?" Medical Officer Luo said, somewhat annoyed, "Are you still children?
How can you be so lacking in common sense?
Two morphines? Heavens!"
"He kept screaming, so—" Hubler mumbled, clearly a bit stunned from being scolded by Medical Officer Luo.
"Arrange for a vehicle; we need to send him to the rear." Medical Officer Luo did not dwell on this.
"How is he?" Lieutenant Welsh came over and looked.
Medical Officer Luo nodded and said, "He won't die yet, but if there's no car to take him to the rear, then it's hard to say!
Lieutenant, I need a jeep."
"Malarkey, go call for a vehicle, and go with Medical Officer Luo, take Cheyne to the rear aid station!" Welsh shouted, then pulled Hubler aside and asked, "What happened at the front line?"
"I don't know what happened.
We were on patrol when we were suddenly shelled by the German.
Maybe they found us, or maybe they were just firing randomly, who knows?" Hubler wiped his bloody hands on his clothes.
"The German's artillery fire was really too intense, so we retreated.
It's said that Lieutenant Peacock's Second Platoon also came under heavy German fire, and Peacock got scratched on the face; they evacuated the position earlier than us."
"Damn it!" Welsh cursed, then said to Hubler, "Continue patrolling; tell Talbert, and Second Platoon as well, if the German take this opportunity to attack us, we will lose the position."
"But—the German are shelling us, Lieutenant; we have no choice," Hubler mumbled, "This isn't a good idea, patrolling under German artillery fire."
Welsh said angrily, "We also have no choice, Hubler; if the German attack, we will die a terrible death!
Don't hesitate; this is our duty."
"Alright!" Hubler raised his hands, then stooped down and crept towards the position.
Welsh's order was passed down; although the brothers had some complaints, they still obeyed the order and continued to patrol along both sides with their men.
This night was difficult to endure; the brothers from the two platoons responsible for patrolling advanced cautiously under the fierce German artillery fire, monitoring every move of the German.
Evidently, the German had no intention of pressing their attack; they were merely shelling indiscriminately, attempting to inflict damage on the American patrols in this manner.
However, such blind firing was as useless as using an anti-aircraft gun to swat a mosquito.
The German artillerymen seemed to be venting inexhaustible energy, or perhaps they were like nouveau riche with an endless supply of shells.
Their blind firing no longer caused harm to the Easy Company brothers, who had become more cautious.
Around three in the latter half of the night, the shelling finally ceased, which made all the brothers involved in the patrol breathe a long sigh of relief.
They returned to the trenches, dozed off for a while, and then heard a loud voice shouting, "Hey, guys, your breakfast is here, what do you want to eat? Steak? Or roast meat?"
Early in the morning, they were awakened by Wester's loud voice; Malarkey and the company cook, Joseph Domingos, arrived with a truckload of supplies.
"Hey, k ration, Wester?" Peacock stepped forward, then called for the brothers to help unload the supplies into the trenches, and he looked at the description on one of the boxes.
"Oh, no way, British rations?" Peacock couldn't help but shake his head and complain, "Are the fourteen-in-one rations really better than American k ration?"
"Don't expect anything good.
I've eaten this stuff when I was at the company headquarters, and I've never tasted anything worse.
Honestly, I'd rather gnaw on our k ration than use this stuff to sustain my life," Wester said, shaking his head.
"However, the brothers from First Platoon came up with a good idea: they pour the contents into a can and then stew it.
It might taste better.
I'm giving you this method for free right now.
Of course, there's an even better method, but that will cost money!
Who wants to hear it?" Wester stood by the truck, chuckling as he looked at the brothers' troubled faces.
"You'd better make a decision before I change my mind, Muck, don't look at me like that.
I'm trying to be helpful!" Wester said, somewhat flustered, seeing the brothers' slightly unfriendly gazes.
"Take it, you damn swindler, this is for you; tell us soon, it'll be good for you!" Christenson said fiercely to Wester, "You'd better do it now before we change our minds!"
With that, he ran over with a pack of cigarettes.
"Oh, British goods, these aren't good at all; besides a bit of tobacco, they're all rolled up weeds.
Do you have anything better?" Wester suddenly looked up, seeing people gathering around, and quickly changed his tune, "Alright, alright, let's talk nicely, I'll tell you; this deal is on me for free!"
"Hurry up, don't be so long-winded!" Muck snorted.
Wester nodded and said, "It's like this: the brothers from First Platoon found a good idea.
You know, there are still some villages nearby.
The Dutch have all left, and they didn't have time to take some of their belongings.
The British have already scavenged once, but they wouldn't have taken everything, so some brothers found some good wine and cured meat in those villages, and some other things too.
So, guys, before First Platoon has completely turned those villages upside down, you can still find some things you need!"
Muck couldn't help but whistle.
"That's a good idea; we can leave some people here to continue monitoring the German's movements, and then the others can take turns going to those villages.
How about we share whatever we find equally?" Christenson quickly reacted.
"Excellent!" Muck raised his hand in agreement.
Peacock looked at the British rations in his hand and nodded, "Alright, men, we'll take turns sending people during the day.
Then we'll divide everything together at night."
This time, no one objected to his opinion.
"God, Platoon Leader Peacock finally made a correct decision." Someone made the sign of the cross.
Eventually, Muck and Hubler each took ten men and went to the Dutch villages in the rear to search.
The remaining brothers twisted open the British cans, poured the Yorkshire pudding and oxtail soup into a large pot, and then endured the unpleasant smell of floating beef fat as they stirred constantly.
"Try it, our hodgepodge!"
"It's truly unforgettable! I swear, this is the most unforgettable meal I've ever had." "No, no, this isn't about your most unforgettable meal; the most unforgettable thing is that in the days to come, we'll have no choice but to keep eating this stuff!"
"Bang!" A door was kicked open, and several soldiers rushed in, then started rummaging through everything.
They took as much as they could carry.
Although the British had swept through once, it was clear their work was sloppy.
They left behind many tempting items, which delighted some of the brothers in Easy Company.
"God, I like the Netherlands, look, Hubler, how exquisite this clock is, are the British blind? Why didn't they take it?" soldier Rhode Bane couldn't help but exclaim, clearly, the good things left behind here were surprising.
soldier Bradford Freeman shook his head and said, "Rhode, that's not the British's fault, they obviously couldn't take everything.
But what I don't understand is why the Dutch didn't take all their valuables when they evacuated? Or did they think only the Germans would break in, rummage through, and steal like German soldiers and Russian soldiers?
Actually, every American soldier I know has developed this habit."
"They misunderstood us, Radford," Hubler chuckled, "Why do they think we are different from the Germans and the Russians? It's truly puzzling, but their misunderstanding did benefit us, didn't it?" Hubler took several bottles of brandy from the cellar of this farmhouse.
"This is great, brandy, I like it." At this moment, Radford reached out to Hubler, "Give me a bottle, Hubler!"
"No, no, don't even think about it, we still have several farmhouses we haven't searched yet, there will definitely be some there, at most I'll let you go to the cellar first." Hubler quickly waved his hand, dodging Radford's hand, and then loudly shouted, "Guys, hurry up, we're going to relieve the next group, they must be impatient waiting in the trenches."
"Hey, guys, I found a basket of fruit, who can help me?" Freeman shouted, waving at them, soldier Robert Rede stepped forward to help, they found a whole basket of apples and pears, clearly, these things delighted the soldiers.
They were tired of the British's disgusting hodgepodge.
"Pretty baby!" Hubler chuckled, grabbed an apple, wiped it on his clothes, and took a bite.
Hubler and his group returned with a full load.
Of course, Muck and their team also gained a lot, and what was even more surprising was that they also milked a lot of milk from the nearby cows, carrying it in canteens, which was the best thing.
"Milk, this is great." P Cardk had someone light a fire, and used a steel helmet to hold the milk, putting it on the fire to boil.
The rest of them ate fruit and drank the brandy Hubler brought back.
"This is the life, Hubler!" Freeman chewed an apple, then took a swig of brandy, "The British should provide us with better things, someone in First Platoon got some rum, supposedly from the British's supplies, this is really unfair."
"Why don't we report to Lieutenant Welsh? They can sit in the company headquarters, drinking rum, maybe even having cigars, or steaks.
This is a terrible comparison!" Rede muttered with some dissatisfaction.
"Don't worry about the guys in First Platoon, we'll have some, guys.
Wait for the next trip!" Tibbett spoke at this moment, "Alright, the party's over, we're going on patrol, damn Germans, always trying to sneak in.
Don't let them catch us off guard while we're boiling milk, and make us German prisoners!" Saying that, he stood up.
"Boom—" Suddenly, a series of loud explosions erupted around them.
"German shelling!" P Cardk shouted loudly, then quickly lay on the ground, holding his head with both hands.
The helmet next to him, which was boiling milk, was kicked over with a "clank," and all the milk spilled out.
"Damn it!" P Cardk watched the fire burning in front of him, quickly crawled away, looked at the milk all over the ground, and muttered fiercely, "Damn Germans!"
"Boom—" A few more loud bangs shook the ground, causing dirt to fall from the trenches, falling into the brothers' necks and on their bodies.
The apple Hubler had bitten into was also covered in dirt.
"Pfft!" He spat out the apple and threw it far away.
Tibbett lay down on the edge of the trench, then, amidst the dirt and rocks splashed by the shelling, raised his head and looked, then couldn't help but shout: "Germans, guys, hurry, hurry, the Germans are coming."
"My rifle!" Freeman couldn't help but shout, "Damn it, who saw my rifle."
"Go find it yourself, don't get in the way!" P Cardk also got up, then looked ahead, a German patrol team, taking advantage of the shelling, began to approach.
"soldier Jason Fuli, immediately contact command, call for artillery, call for artillery!" P Cardk shouted loudly to the radioman Fuli.
"Connected, sir!" Fuli shouted loudly.
"Tibbett, you report, request artillery support!" P Cardk shouted at Tibbett.
"Damn it!" Tibbett muttered in a low voice, "He forgot his position again." Despite this, he quickly took the radio walkie-talkie, and then said loudly: "Requesting support, requesting support, Easy Company B calling Easy Company M, artillery support for Yellow Zone One, add one hundred yards, three concentrated volleys.
All effective attacks!"
"Boom!" The American artillery began to attack, and soon the German attack was suppressed.
Then they began to retreat, this was merely a probing attack, once they encountered artillery or sniping, they would retreat.
Conversely, the American army would also choose probing attacks, but once they encountered sniping, they would retreat.
The German shelling stopped, and the Germans also retreated.
The brothers finally breathed a sigh of relief.
But everything had changed, everyone looked at the mess on the ground, and couldn't help but be stunned.
"Damn Germans!" Tibbett cursed.
"Clearly, our plan is ruined!" Tibbett chuckled, "Looks like we'll have to stew again.
But before that, we must go on patrol first, we can't let the Germans exploit our weaknesses again.
Damn it, our defensive line is too long.
This makes us exhausted."
During the patrol, the Germans no longer made any rash moves.
But the brothers would never relax their vigilance again.
They patrolled the entire front line once, and then returned to relieve the shift.
Soon after, the second supply also arrived, this time with the rum and milk the brothers had long awaited, delivered as supplies, which was clearly very exciting.
And they also found two baskets of fruit, which the battalion headquarters personnel had obtained locally, as there were many apple and pear trees here, and it was harvest time, and the Dutch had all left, so the battalion headquarters personnel adapted to the local conditions and used them as one of the food supplies.
"Why no coffee?" Rede couldn't help but exclaim.
"Don't even think about it, the coffee supply is not enough even for Colonel Sink and those in battalion headquarters, how could we have any? That's an officer's privilege." Fuli couldn't help but laugh, "Be realistic, it's already good enough now.
I'm very satisfied.
Milk? I'm quite satisfied just to have milk, excellent!"
"Alright, alright, guys! Let's not discuss this.
At least it's much better than us chewing on k ration and the British's fourteen-in-one all day long." Tibbett nodded, then he shouted to Muck: "Muck, Sergei, you two go check the west side of the defense line, Hubler, Radford, you two go to the northern defense line, take the radio, and notify us in time if there's any situation."
"This is great, if both of us get killed, then no one will notify you!" Muck chuckled, then waved to Sergei and said, "Let's go, buddy!"
They had just walked not far when the sky became overcast.
It looked like it was about to rain.
The air was heavy and oppressive, making it hard to breathe, Hubler and Radford walked slowly on the road, they walked along the embankment, on the winding path below.
Hubler looked at the sky and muttered, "This damn weather, it's going to rain.
Looks like we'll be spending some time in the rain.
Buddy, did you bring a raincoat?"
"No, did you?" Radford shook his head.
Hubler shook his head, then smiled bitterly: "What a good time!"
As the two were casually talking, suddenly there was a muffled "boom!" Radford suddenly dropped his rifle, then hugged his head and lay on the ground, shouting loudly: "Shelling, German shelling!"
Hubler stood still, couldn't help but shake his head and smile: "Hey, Radford, you're too sensitive.
That's thunder, not those damn German cannons, heavens, I've had enough, and you still can't distinguish between cannon fire and thunder!"
Radford was a little embarrassed, so he cursed and crawled up, smiling awkwardly: "Damn Germans, they make my nerves tired every day.
I really miss vacation days."
"Me too, I like Paris! Not this damn Netherlands!" Hubler nodded in agreement.
"Hey, Hubler, when is Captain Parks coming back? Will he be lingering in Washington?" Radford suddenly asked, "I really miss him now!"
"Who doesn't?" Hubler couldn't help but smile slightly, "If we go on another mission with the Boss, that would be truly exciting.
Buddy, do you want to get a medal? Then follow the Boss!"
"Boss? Do you all call him Boss?" Radford suddenly laughed, "I like that name.
Boss? I really want to have such an opportunity, just thinking about it is exciting enough."
"And medals!" Hubler chuckled, then took out a Silver Star medal from his backpack, "Look, Radford, what a beautiful treasure!
This is truly a lifelong memento."
"Let me see!" Radford said, reaching out to take it.
"No, no, don't get it dirty!" Hubler quickly dodged, carefully put the medal back into his backpack, and then smiled, "Don't worry, now Lieutenant Parks is the Captain, you'll have a chance too, buddy, it'll happen someday."