The 101st Airborne Division would receive orders to advance towards Bastogne at 8:30 PM on December 17th.
It was currently November 27th, giving the men nearly 20 days to prepare.
Parks decided to prepare for all of it.
However, supplies were still tight, and obtaining sufficient supplies would require General Taylor's approval.
The first day did not involve regular training; it was just a simple recovery exercise followed by free time.
Many soldiers chose to sleep in their barracks.
The entire military camp was eerily quiet, with only a few scattered sentries walking around.
Lieutenant Parks went to the Battalion HQ; he knew he could find Winters there at this time, as Winters was not one to oversleep.
He first needed to convince Winters, then he and Winters would convince Colonel Sink, ultimately aiming to persuade General Taylor.
"I'll try to convince Colonel Sink, but we don't have sufficient reason.
Is it just based on our own speculation?"
Winters looked at Parks somewhat seriously, "I know sometimes your analysis makes sense, and there's a possibility of it, but that should be based on accurate intelligence, not speculation!"
Parks nodded; he knew this, but he had no accurate intelligence, nor could he obtain accurate intelligence.
In fact, even Hitler was extremely cautious with this intelligence, and very few people knew about it until the attack was launched.
"Dick, if I can't get Colonel Sink's approval, I will still stick to my opinion!
I hope you can help me; we need supplies, various materials, and ammunition, especially clothing to get through the cold winter!"
Parks looked at Winters and said, "If we are fully prepared and adapt to changing circumstances, we will be foolproof!"
"Adapt to changing circumstances?"
Winters suddenly chuckled, "Very philosophical!"
On the third day, the companies underwent routine training inspections for retreat and attack under artillery fire.
Throughout the process, the men were not very enthusiastic, some even appearing sluggish.
This was the norm for many.
After enduring more than two months of hardship, it was difficult for them to immediately become tense again after relaxing.
But Parks was not worried about this.
On the fourth day, he opened a new training course for Easy Company: how to defend against a loose defensive line.
"Why do I still have to dig foxholes here? And why do I have to dig them so deep?"
Pankala spat into his palm, rubbed it a few times, and then resumed digging with his shovel.
"Perhaps our Captain has Normandy Syndrome.
Thinking about the days spent in foxholes in Normandy, it was really tough!"
Guarnere chuckled, "But I still don't want to doubt the Boss's decision; I always feel he's very wise, like the most knowledgeable person in our company.
His ideas always come to fruition and help the men get through difficulties!"
"I hope it's the same this time!"
Pankala smiled at Guarnere and said, "I'm not doubting him; I just feel that after two months in hell, we should enjoy a bit of heaven, but the reality is cruel, and we have to do this farmer's work again!"
"Hey, Muck, Division HQ is having a football game; who do you think will win? Our regiment or the 502nd Regiment?
I'm not optimistic about those guys from the 502nd Regiment; they're not as strong as us!"
Guarnere smiled at Muck and said, "I'm going to bet 20 dollars!"
The football game was just a way for Division HQ to let these over-energetic soldiers vent, as soldiers from the 82nd Division were also stationed with the 101st Airborne Division.
When soldiers from two divisions gathered, problems could easily arise.
On the second day after their arrival, guys from the 502nd Regiment had a conflict with those from the 82nd Division, and the reason was very simple.
"That blind guy from the 82nd Division actually called the 101st Division's Eagles, giving them a good beating was a relief!"
When White talked about this incident, he was full of excitement describing the process, "That guy's balls were kicked twice; he's probably still lying in the hospital now.
Everyone in the camp could hear his howling, 'Help me!' 'Help me!', haha, just like a woman moaning during sex.
If it were me, that guy would definitely be directly transported to the 110th General Hospital in England."
Although White's words were a bit unpleasant, they were recognized by everyone in the 101st Airborne Division; they basically shared the same thoughts as White.
On November 30th, mail arrived by air from England and was quickly distributed to the soldiers.
Ultimately, their venting was just a way to release unexpressed emotions; now that the mail had arrived, they had a way to emotionally connect, and many people's tempers also subsided significantly.
They were more busy writing back, describing their combat situation in Netherlands.
Some wrote to their parents, some to their girlfriends, and of course, they also received gifts from people back home.
White received a pair of soft-soled leather shoes, which made him overjoyed; wearing hard-soled military boots all day had made his feet somewhat overwhelmed.
He specifically wore them to show off in various squads, and of course, it always aroused envy from some people.
"Boss, this is yours!"
Wei Si Te personally delivered Parks' mail to the company headquarters.
Parks also received three gifts at this time, two of which he hadn't expected.
One was a fountain pen, and the sending location indicated 21st Street in California.
The other two gifts were both wrapped in pink paper, which made Wei Si Te's eyes light up; it was clear that only women would use such wrapping.
The rumors were true.
As Wei Si Te left, he glanced at the two pink packages again, chuckling to himself; the Boss had two women, but that was no secret.
Parks turned the three letters over and over in his hands, then finally decided to open the one from California first; if nothing went wrong, it should be from his family.
It was indeed a letter from Parks' original father.
Parks could search the original memories in this body's mind for the image of his father.
The image of an old veteran who had participated in World War I now clearly appeared in his mind.
O'Rick Ben Parks, with a tall, strong build and weathered eyes that seemed to be filled with deep thought.
His father retired with the rank of Colonel, but he had a violent temper, while his mother was a gentle woman who always patiently endured his father's temper, even when he resorted to physical abuse.
The main reason Parks joined the Airborne Division was his father's bad temper, which had severely harmed both his mother and him, physically and mentally.
However, Parks was the only child in the family, and his father did not allow him to join the army.
When Parks brought it up again, his father even yelled at Parks, "Don't dream, someone like you will only bring shame to Captain America!"
It was precisely because of this sentence that Parks quietly left home.
He only said goodbye to his mother, and in her tears, he resolutely embarked on the road to Taccoa Barracks.
The original Parks' rejection of his father was so strong that he never thought of his parents, and there was no active memory that made him recall this body had such a family history.
Then this letter released that originally suppressed memory within the body again, presenting it with extreme clarity.
For the current Parks, he occupied this body, but he did not have the original Parks' affection for his family, even for the deeply imprinted gentle image of his mother in his memory.
The letter was written by Parks' father, who expressed pride in Parks' courage and wisdom displayed in Operation Market Garden.
This old soldier, even with his violent temper, still had an intense passion for military honor.
In the letter, he even mentioned to his son that when he heard President Roosevelt announce Parks receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor, he said he was in tears at that moment.
He was bowing to his son who had left in anger years ago, hoping his son could forgive him.
At the end of the letter were a few brief words from Parks' mother; her words were nothing but earnest admonitions, and they were spoken hastily, likely the result of her domineering father's impatience.
Parks also learned of a phenomenon in the letter: his influence in California.
This was an unexpected gain after he received the Medal of Honor.
The state government there was even considering whether to rename 21st Street, where Parks had lived, to Parks Avenue.
And the results of the survey showed that 90% of the public agreed.
"Parks Avenue?"
Parks smiled slightly as he looked at the letter.
If there could be a street named after him like that, why not?
Perhaps it would bring unexpected benefits for his future as well.
The second letter was from Jennifer.
Her letter contained no passionate words; it was as if she were chatting with an old friend, discussing her work, her life, and her future goals.
She even mentioned Virginia and highly praised her, aiming to follow her example and secure a place in Wall Street's financial center.
In the letter, she involuntarily revealed a very strong sense of self-confidence, and from this confidence, it seemed she wasn't just comparing herself to Virginia; more importantly, she wanted to win over someone.
Because at the end of the letter, she emphasized one point: in the future, she would not lose to Virginia; she would fight for a goal.
A strong woman?
Parks couldn't help but shake his head and laugh; he had never thought Jennifer would have such a strong side.
Clearly, in their limited interactions before, his impression was limited to Jennifer's feisty personality.
Parks saved Virginia's letter for last.
Virginia's letter was still very passionate; from the lines, one could see her immense affection for Parks.
Her letter was full of romantic descriptive words.
But while eagerly expressing her longing, Virginia raised a question: what would Parks do after the war ended?
In the letter, she mentioned for the first time that Parks should continue to develop in the military and gain broader recognition.
And in the letter, she mentioned a term for the first time—political future!
It was clear that Virginia was planning Parks' political path.
How far could he go politically?
Parks was startled; he had never considered this question before.
His previous thoughts were simple: to endure hardships with his brothers in Easy Company and get through the European war.
Now, the tide of war, following history, was shifting in favor of the Allied, and Germany would eventually be defeated.
Would the 101st Airborne Division be disbanded as it originally was?
Would the brothers of Easy Company go their separate ways?
And where would he go?
Now that this question was raised for the first time, he couldn't help but hesitate.
Politics!
Parks couldn't help but want to shake his head; politics was the dirtiest thing.
He didn't want to get involved.
But what if he stayed in the military?
Perhaps that would be a better choice.
He had been a soldier in his previous life and had a sense of belonging to the military camp, a feeling far stronger than most of the men in Easy Company.
Then, with the Medal of Honor, he would definitely go to West Point Military Academy to continue his studies.
After that, his promotion would no longer be a big problem.
If he performed well in future wars, becoming a general wouldn't be difficult.
Thinking of this, Parks couldn't help but smile slightly.
War, clearly, only Vietnam was the place for him to gain honor and promotion; he was too familiar with the Vietnamese tactics of tunnel warfare and jungle warfare.
China was the master of Vietnamese tactics.
He knew why Virginia wanted him to enter politics; her family itself was a behind-the-scenes representative of political figures.
Although he knew that he and Virginia were not pleasing each other because of politics, he still didn't want this relationship to fall into that muddy, dirty political mire.
Three letters once again energized Parks.
He decided to personally write a proposal to Colonel Sink, analyzing and explaining the necessity of these equipment and ammunition.
He also suggested that soldiers undergo further defensive training in extremely cold weather.
On the fourth day after their arrival, he chose an afternoon, which was when people's nerves were most relaxed.
He didn't go with Winters; he knew that would only make things worse, and if it failed, it would implicate Winters as well.
"Reese! Sit down," Colonel Sink seemed somewhat prepared for Parks's arrival.
Perhaps Winters had already discussed some of Parks's ideas with him, so he was ready for Parks's visit.
Lieutenant Colonel Strayer still smiled, pouring him a cup of coffee.
Parks took a small sip; the hot coffee brought a sense of calm and composure to his heart.
Colonel Sink didn't let Reese go back immediately.
He made him sit there, waiting until he had finished flipping through his plan page by page, then he looked up at Parks, his expression a little serious, and said, "You think we'll be fighting the German in the ice and snow?"
"Yes, sir!" Parks nodded, "Very likely!"
Colonel Sink looked at Parks strangely, then suddenly smiled slightly and said, "Reese, I have to say your idea is really strange, so… so different.
You know, if I showed this plan of yours to General Taylor, he would definitely think it's a very good joke."
"This is not a joke, sir!" Parks cursed softly, "Damn it," then looked directly at Colonel Sink and said, "Even if it doesn't happen in the future, we can always adapt to changing circumstances."
Colonel Sink shook his head and said, "Now all the Allied generals are planning how to formulate an offensive plan against the German.
How to use limited resources for the attack on the German, Reese, I also think the German definitely don't have the courage and strength to launch a large-scale attack on us anymore.
Since Normandy, we've been thrashing them all the way.
Their defenses have been broken through repeatedly by us.
They've been beaten into a panic, and we're heading towards their homeland.
Your plan is completely unnecessary."
Unnecessary?
It seemed the entire Allied were really blinded by optimism.
Even after the failure of Operation Market Garden, they still believed it was just an offensive setback, not a reversal of the entire war situation; the enemy was still weak.
Parks knew it would be difficult to gain Colonel Sink's support.
Colonel Sink was right; the current optimism would muddle people's minds, causing them to overlook many things.
"I cannot agree to your request!" Colonel Sink said to Parks, "General Taylor won't consider these things either.
You know, before the Normandy landings, the Allied extensively bombed the French railway system to prevent the German from providing timely reinforcements.
After the landing, because it took time to repair the tracks and bridges, it actually had an adverse effect on us.
So we are now suspending all large-scale offensives to accumulate supplies.
We are not rich!"
"Sir!" Parks stood up, wanting to say something, but Colonel Sink stopped him.
He waved his hand at Parks and said, "Reese, I'm clarifying my point of view to you based on your past brave performance in combat.
You are an officer, and I hope you can do your part.
That's the most important thing."
"Alright!" Parks nodded, then saluted Colonel Sink.
He knew it was useless to say more now; nothing would change, which was extremely disappointing for him.
Parks turned and walked towards the door.
Colonel Sink looked at Parks's retreating figure, couldn't help but shake his head slightly, then sighed and called out to Parks, "Wait a moment, Reese!"
Parks stopped and turned around.
He hoped that at this moment, Colonel Sink would change his mind.
So he looked at Colonel Sink with great eagerness; if they got the supplies, the brothers' lives would be much better.
"Although I cannot agree to provide supplies for the entire battalion headquarters or recommend it to Division HQ, I can secure supplies for one battalion for you, so please inform Captain Winters that the Second Battalion's supplies will be prioritized and provided by the battalion headquarters."
Then he looked at Parks, whose face showed some joy, and said, "That's all I can do!"
Although the entire supply problem couldn't be solved, at least the Second Battalion's problem was resolved.
This made Parks feel a little better.
He nodded and smiled at Colonel Sink, "Thank you, sir!"
This was indeed the maximum Colonel Sink could do.
The equipment for one battalion included the cold-weather clothing, footwear, and hats that Parks mentioned in his report, as well as ammunition, food, and other supplies.
The brothers of Easy Company were completely unaware of this; they still vented their energy every day, and Division HQ even organized some competitions for the upcoming Christmas, such as football games, and built three movie theaters, opening the Red Cross Club.
The food was also very good.
This made the brothers quite satisfied.
On the fifth day, all the soldiers were overjoyed because they received their pay at dinner, three months' worth of salary handed to the brothers at once.
"Oh, brothers, tonight we're going to have a sleepless night!" Malarkey shouted loudly in the dining hall at that moment.
He waved the banknotes in his hand in the air, then yelled, "All your salaries will go to me!
I'll spend all the money for you in Paris.
My luck is unparalleled, guys, who wants to spend tonight with me!"
"Sleepless!" Immediately, there was a deafening roar of shouts from the dining hall.
Everyone was excited because of the payday; it was indeed an unforgettable day.
Although Malarkey had a brilliant combat record, he immediately gathered enough people.
The brothers of Easy Company showed no difference in their attitude towards gambling and towards combat; they were fearless.
But they didn't wait until night; they started gambling with dice right there in the dining hall, using a few dining tables pushed together as a makeshift gambling table.
No one knew who had kept the dice in their pocket since Normandy, and then the colorful banknotes were transferred from one person's hand to another's on the plates.
"Oh, damn it!" Malarkey cursed softly.
Clearly, the god of gambling did not favor Malarkey this time.
In less than ten minutes, he lost three months' worth of salary.
Then he left the mess hall without a penny left, and it was clear that his night would no longer be sleepless.
Muck's luck was better than Malarkey's, but he had too little capital because of the gambling; some of his previous gambling debts were collected, so he only had 60 dollars left in his hand.
But 60 dollars brought him great luck; by the time he left the gambling table, he already had thirteen hundred dollars in his pocket.
After leaving the battalion headquarters, Parks stayed at the Battalion HQ and played eleven with Nixon, Welsh, Speirs, and others, with wins and losses on both sides.
Parks's luck seemed to be consistently good; he already had six hundred dollars in front of him on the table, and he had lent three hundred dollars to Welsh, who had already lost everything, and Welsh had been complaining about his luck!
"The supply problem is solved, do you still want to continue your training?" This was said by Captain Winters, who was observing the game from the side, looking a bit bored.
He was munching on an apple, his cheeks puffed out, his eyes fixed on Parks.
"Of course, we still have to continue!" Parks nodded, then laid out his cards and laughed loudly, "I won!"
Then he collected the money on the table back in front of him.
Then he smiled and said to Winters, "We will win too!
Don't worry, Dick!"
----
After the Second Battalion's equipment arrived, Parks requested to train with the equipment, which many of the brothers thought was unnecessary. Despite their complaints, they strictly followed Parks' demands. Defensive training continued. Furthermore, Winters, based on Parks' suggestion, extended the training to all three companies of the entire Second Battalion!
During the period of training and rest, some veterans returned from the hospital. Some with minor injuries didn't stay long at all, like Ellie, who only stayed for a month before returning to the camp. Generally, some brothers returned early, as they certainly didn't want to be sent to a replacement depot and then reassigned to an unfamiliar company. Even if they had to die, they wanted to die in Easy Company. This was their belief for returning, out of concern for future combat life and trust in their brothers.
At the company headquarters, Parks once again saw Lieutenant Compton. He had recovered; the bullet wound wasn't very severe, and his body was strong, so he recovered quickly. However, his placement became an issue. Officer placements were generally decided by the battalion headquarters, but Compton was unwilling to go anywhere else. Lieutenant Winters naturally took over his placement authority, assigning him as an operations staff officer at the Battalion HQ, filling the vacancy left after Lieutenant Speirs went to Easy Company.
"God, he took my platoon!" Compton complained to Parks at the company headquarters. "I've only been gone for just over two months, and now everything has changed, nothing is the same!"
"Everything is the same, Buck!" Parks smiled at him. To be honest, Parks knew that Buck had undergone some psychological changes after his injury. After all, the hospital was full of wailing wounded, and in fact, it was after this injury that Buck became cautious and overly meticulous, no longer the decisive Buck he once was!
"I don't want to stay at the Battalion HQ. I can be Lieutenant Speirs' deputy in the platoon!" Compton seemed to want to persuade Parks, but there was no fiery glint in his eyes. He was just a little unaccustomed to or reluctant to leave the brothers in the platoon.
"Don't worry, Buck, Lieutenant Speirs will take good care of the brothers!" Parks stood up and said to him, "You've been gone for over two months, and the brothers need a strong person to lead them. Staff Sergeant Talbert is undoubtedly a good non-commissioned officer, but they still need an officer to stabilize morale." Parks knew he was just looking for a reason to persuade Compton. In fact, Speirs' move to the Third Platoon was indeed due to Speirs' own efforts and Parks' intentional or unintentional facilitation.
"The Battalion HQ is also a very good place! Winters will also be a very good superior. He has always been your direct leader, and the situation remains the same now; you are still under his leadership. That's what's most important!" Parks patted his arm and said, "I know you're worried about the brothers, but the brothers are really fine!"
Compton nodded helplessly and said, "Alright, alright, I understand." Then he silently nodded to Parks and walked towards the door, suddenly turning back and saying, "I'm going to hang out with the brothers." With that, he pulled open the door and left without looking back. Lieutenant Compton's departure left Parks a bit stunned, but to be honest, he did this to ensure Buck had a relatively good ending. If he continued to stay with the company, once they entered Bastogne, the probability of Buck eventually leaving Easy Company would greatly increase. But if he stayed at the Battalion HQ, the situation would change significantly; nothing there would cause him to break down.
Lieutenant Brewer had not yet returned to duty, but he was very fortunate; the bullet wound avoided vital areas, allowing him to recover very quickly, though full recovery would still take some time. Many other officers were replenished into the companies. Officers from Easy Company who participated in the Normandy Airborne included Welsh and Heliger. Officers who participated in Operation Market Garden included Lieutenant Foley and Lieutenant Pikaque. They maintained Easy Company's continuity, allowing its character to be passed down. At the same time, a group of officers was supplemented, such as Lieutenant Shamz, the somewhat hysterical officer who appeared in Bastogne. However, Parks did not assign him any duties, only keeping him on standby as a supplemental officer for the Third Platoon. The deputy platoon leader of the Third Platoon was taken by another newly supplemented officer, Lieutenant Watthua. Thus, Easy Company's officers basically consisted of one platoon leader, one deputy platoon leader, and one supplemental officer for each platoon, just as Captain Nixon jokingly said, "This is the Division HQ's early preparation, fearing heavy casualties among junior officers in the next battle, and this preparation will definitely come in handy!" Of course, unfortunately, Nixon's joke became a reality in the later Battle of Bastogne.
As for the soldiers who returned from the hospital, they quickly reintegrated into the unit; they were already very familiar with each other. When Donald returned, he got drunk with several brothers from his squad on the very same day, and during training the next day, he almost made a big mistake, nearly shooting one of the guys participating in the training with live ammunition.
However, Easy Company and even the entire 101st Airborne Division were still short-staffed. At the same time, a new batch of recruits was again transported from America to France, and these new recruits were quickly moved to Momion Camp.
Stenson was one of the new recruits transferred this time, along with his two very good friends, Vinnie and Cabastel. They trained together in the American military camp, got into fights and trouble together, gambled, and womanized—they were proficient in everything. They could be said to be true friends. But their average age was just over eighteen.
"I hate being transported like cargo from here to there. I want to slaughter the Germans!" Stenson complained to his two friends in the bumpy, stuffy, can-like truck on the way to Momion Camp. "Do you think we'll be deployed to the front lines from the very beginning?"
"Don't ask me, I don't know!" Vinnie's mood was clearly different from his. He was very nervous. The closer they got to the battlefield, the faster his heart pounded. "Damn it, I'm getting nervous!"
"I am a little too. I've been nervous since boarding the ship in America, but maybe I'm over-nervous, and now I'm actually a bit relaxed. It's nothing, just war, and we're pursuing the Germans with a winning streak. It's just a trip, a European trip! Don't worry, Vinnie, it's nothing!" Cabastel smiled at Vinnie.
The three looked at each other and then smiled slightly. After landing on French soil, they received notification that they would be assigned to Easy Company, Second Battalion, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division in Momyon.
"God!" Upon receiving this news, the three took a deep breath, and then their faces couldn't help but light up with excitement. Easy Company of the 506th Regiment, who wouldn't know about them? Their company commander was Lieutenant Parks, the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor who had given a speech to all of America via radio. In the American media, this company was clearly the most heroic company in America. Not only had they repeatedly achieved military successes, but most importantly, they were one of the companies that suffered the fewest losses, even in major offensive and defensive battles like Normandy and later Operation Market Garden. This also made them a company many new recruits yearned for from the moment they were first sent to Europe.
Clearly, they were subjected to envious stares from the surrounding new recruits. A total of forty-four people were assigned to Easy Company with them. Almost everyone's face was beaming with excitement.
"I can't wait!" Stenson chuckled, saying to Vinnie, "Don't worry, Vinnie, now we're in the best company in the world. Don't worry about what happens next. I think it feels just like hitting the jackpot. I think we really did hit the jackpot. If I can also get a medal, my mom will be so proud of me she'll die!"
"I agree!" Vinnie also secretly breathed a huge sigh of relief. To be honest, he had always been wondering if he would be assigned to Easy Company. Now it seemed God had favored him.
The new recruits' trucks drove into Momion Camp, and then they began to line up to report to their respective companies. Patrick Christenson, Toy, Guarnere, Liebgott, and others were sent to receive the new recruits, settle them in, and assign them to various platoons and squads.
"God, are they all hellish killers?" Vinnie looked at these stern-faced, murderous-eyed guys and couldn't help but shiver. Clearly, they were all veterans who had fought since Normandy. They were battle-hardened, and the aura they naturally exuded intimidated these "tender" new recruits, even the feigning calm Stenson and Cabastel.
"They are Easy Company's sergeants!" Stenson cleared his throat and then found a good reason for himself, "Easy Company's sergeants should be like this. If they don't have a murderous aura, or if they're not killers, how can they be the best company in the world?"
"Luckily, we're on their side. I really feel sorry for those Germans who are our enemies!" Cabastel tried hard to smile, but he felt that one of the four sergeants, a short, not-tall guy, gave him a cold look, and he immediately swallowed his words. Although that guy looked a bit short and thin, he was far from as strong as Cabastel.
All forty-four new recruits had the same thought as them. They were absolutely obedient to these four people and could not muster even a tiny bit of resistance. And in the eyes of people like Patrick Christenson, these new recruits undoubtedly appeared "innocent and naive," or as Guarnere would put it, simply adorable good boys.
Easy Company's officers were determined to integrate the new recruits into the entire team, making them meet Easy Company's team spirit standards and individual skill standards. However, because the veterans didn't take field exercises seriously, the work was very difficult. But the sergeants played an unexpected role. After returning from the "island," many of Easy Company's veterans, especially those from Taccoa Barracks, basically had the opportunity to be promoted to sergeant.
These sergeants, who started as soldiers at the Takoya training camp, included Lipton, Talbert, Martin, Luz, Patrick Christenson, Muck, Christenson, Landers, Rede, Gordon, Toy, Guarnere, Carson, Boyle, Gus, Taylor, Malarkey, and others. Many Easy Company officers from the Takoya period were promoted to the 506th Regiment headquarters or the Second Battalion HQ, which helped Easy Company maintain this continuity and unity. Only Webster was now the sole person from Taccoa Barracks who had not been promoted to sergeant.
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Many officers wanted Webster to be a squad leader, but he refused. He believed he was there to fulfill his duty, and he did—he never let a single comrade fall in combat, whether in France or in the Netherlands—but he never volunteered for anything and disdained promotion.
In the military camp, the veterans, carrying weapons and ammunition that should have been turned in upon leaving the Netherlands, with grenades hanging from their belts, boxes of bullets attached to their straps, and knives and other (unapproved) weapons, stormed about. To the new recruits, they looked more like a group of killers from the French Foreign Legion.
The arrival of the new recruits gave the veterans an opportunity to tidy up the camp. Although this task had been issued several days ago, the soldiers, who had gradually become like pampered lords, ignored or even disdained it. But it was different for the new recruits. Guarnere commanded these greenhorns to begin cleaning the barracks.
Although the new recruits were somewhat unwilling, they dared not say anything. The one who complained the most was undoubtedly Stenson. For him, he came to Europe to kill Germans, not to do dirty chores every day.
"I can't stand it anymore!" Stenson complained again to Vinnie and Cabastel, who were with him, while cleaning up the German propaganda posters and daily evaluation sheets stuck on the walls. "Where are the Germans? I don't understand. If they don't let us kill Germans, then don't make us do these things!"
"Shut up!" Cabastel whispered to Stenson. "Don't cause trouble!" As he spoke, his eyes glanced sideways at Guarnere, who was supervising nearby. It was clear he was very worried about being punished. These veterans had very peculiar ways of punishing people.
"What are you saying?" Guarnere still heard him. He sneered at Stenson, "Rookie, what are you saying? Are you trying to tell me you want to kill Germans? Or do you want to die quickly and become a rotten, stinking corpse in the Netherlands' soil, to be devoured by vultures and wild dogs everywhere?"
Stenson stopped what he was doing, ignored Vinnie pulling at his pant leg, and stood up straight. Although he was still intimidated by Guarnere's fierce demeanor, he relied on his larger stature compared to Guarnere, barely maintaining a confrontation with Guarnere, and raised his head, shouting, "Yes, sir, I want to fight, kill Germans, and I want to die! I don't want to do this kind of work anymore! We are liberators, not laborers."
Stenson's words quickly attracted the attention of the working new recruits. They began to look over, and a few even wanted to eagerly come over to watch the excitement. Undoubtedly, after a few days of work, these guys also became somewhat impatient and restless, accumulating resentment in their hearts, making them forget the shock they felt when they first saw these veteran killers.
"Damn it!" Guarnere cursed. He walked up to Stenson, staring him down, his eyes gleaming coldly. "Rookie, are you looking for excitement? Perhaps you need a lesson! Let me tell you what obedience means! What combat means. Come on, come here, attack me, pretend I'm a German!" Guarnere beckoned to him, looking at him provocatively.
Stenson pursed his lips and remained silent, but he stared intently at Guarnere, his hands tightly clenched into fists. Cabastel whispered to Stenson, "He's a non-commissioned officer, you'd best not go against him, or you'll die a very ugly death. Forget it!"
"Come on. You idiot, I'm not your superior now, I'm a German! Don't you want to kill Germans? Then attack me! Is that all the guts you have? Coward, go home and drink milk!" Guarnere looked at him coldly.
"He's just a German!" Stenson muttered to himself, then roared and threw a punch straight at Guarnere. He was confident enough to give this mocking guy a bloody face. He wanted to show him that not all new recruits were rookies; he wanted him to know how formidable new recruits could be.
"Whoosh!" Stenson's fist came with a strong gust of wind, and everyone couldn't help but let out a gasp of surprise. It seemed they were certain that this punch would land squarely on Guarnere's face.
With a muffled thud, it wasn't Guarnere who fell, but Stenson who bent over, kneeling on the ground, his waist arched high in pain, his head hitting the ground like a shrimp. Guarnere easily dodged the punch; his head quickly dipped, and then he kicked Stenson in the stomach.
"Rookie, you're still far from it!" Guarnere looked at Stenson disdainfully, then said coldly to the others, "Do you still want to try? You idiots, hurry up and work, hurry!"
The effect of this sentence was enormous after Stenson fell to the ground. Everyone quickly lowered their heads and then cleaned the trash on the walls, as well as fixing the beds and toilets. Guarnere looked at the busy new recruits and couldn't help but chuckle, then secretly muttered, "God!" Fortunately, he had learned some combat techniques from Parks during his recruit training. This was the luck of the Easy Company veterans, and now it seemed very practical. Even though combat techniques were used less in battle, they now had an unexpected effect.
A few days later, the barracks environment was completely new. The horse manure around the barracks was cleaned up, the beds were refreshed, and walking into the toilets no longer made one feel disgusted. Moreover, the roads were also leveled. The barracks displayed the "Taccoa" military newspaper edited by the 506th Regiment, which contained some military news, new developments of the Allied and German forces, and some gossip.
Everyone believed that the war was progressing smoothly. In Momyon, spirits were high. Since Easy Company was more or less permanently stationed there, the soldiers hoped to receive more mail and that Christmas packages would reach their hands. They could also look forward to the entire company going on leave to Paris; if they were lucky, Easy Company might even spend Christmas in Paris. In addition, a rugby match would be held on Christmas, followed by a turkey dinner. The stakes for the rugby match were high, and practice time became longer and more challenging.
Even Winters was optimistic about the prospects. Although he had developed a sense of crisis under Parks' persuasion, he was still filled with confidence by the continuous progress reports from the Allied forces on the front line.
"At least, we won't have any combat now," Nixon said this to Parks in the Battalion HQ. Winters was watching the military report sent to the Battalion HQ, which contained General Taylor's analysis of the war situation. He predicted the progress of the war in the newspaper, and the 101st Airborne Division's next battle would take place in mid-March. Then the entire 101st Airborne Division would participate in an unprecedented and final airborne operation in the European theater. They would parachute into Berlin, and land in Berlin before the Soviets occupied it. Then they would fly to the Pacific to fight in China or parachute into Japan itself. Colonel Sink also actively supported this and corroborated General Taylor's prediction.
"From their perspective, we can even parachute into Tokyo and capture the Japanese Emperor alive, and then there will be no war in the Pacific. Isn't that great?" Parks looked at the content of the military report sarcastically, then shook his head at Nixon, "These big shots always optimistically estimate everything, but they don't know that only worry can make people survive, and comfort will numb people's minds, leading to their elimination by the enemy!" Parks sighed, then took a sip of wine, Nixon's favorite—Emerald 69.
"No matter what you think, everyone is now thinking about one question, which is how we will spend Christmas!" Nixon chuckled, "To be honest, I'm also looking forward to it! Maybe the war is really far away from us now, at least for now, Parks, I know what you're thinking, but we can't always be on edge. When it's time to enjoy ourselves, we have to enjoy ourselves!" As he spoke, he raised his glass to Parks and then drained it.
"Alright, Parks, don't worry about this. Haven't we already made preparations according to your suggestion?" Winters saw that Parks still looked unhappy and couldn't help but smile slightly, putting down the military report in his hand and saying, "No matter what, other things are not for us to decide. If you still need targeted training, I still support it! These guys, it's time to properly discipline them; they're causing trouble everywhere."
Parks shrugged helplessly. He had done his best. Looking on the bright side, the Second Battalion's material preparations were already very sufficient, but they were not mentally prepared. However, Parks already had some plans. He decided to follow his own plan and try his best to help his brothers adapt to the new combat environment in future battles.
Ten days into the training, Parks suddenly issued a training announcement to the company, requiring an airborne training session tomorrow morning. The airborne location was an outdoor area ten miles from the barracks. The Division HQ's weather report stated that tomorrow's weather would be mainly rainy and foggy.
This order stunned all the brothers in Easy Company. They really couldn't understand why Parks would decide to do this. You know, parachuting in such weather could easily lead to injuries, and even more seriously, it could even lead to fatalities.
Parachuting in rainy and foggy weather undoubtedly increased the difficulty of the jump, but Lieutenant Parks, to ensure foolproof success, had conducted a reconnaissance of the parachuting area before the jump.
Only after confirming that the danger was minimized did he issue that order.
The next day, the officers and men of Easy Company took trucks to the only nearby airfield capable of handling C-47 transport planes.
Watching the Easy Company soldiers, fully armed, board the trucks, someone triumphantly shouted at them, "Hey, guys, are you parachuting into Berlin? Oh, I hope you can catch Hitler, then we won't have to go to Germany anymore!"
Stenson looked at the soldiers from other companies who were grinning triumphantly at them from the back of the truck, and couldn't help but look at Vinnie suspiciously, "Is this decision really correct? I've never tried parachuting in rainy and foggy weather.
The only time I trained in foggy conditions, I ended up getting caught on the branch of a large tree."
"Stop talking nonsense! If you have doubts about this operation, then you can leave Easy Company!" It was Guarnere who spoke.
He sat diagonally opposite Stenson, staring coldly at Stenson, and pouted, "As a rookie paratrooper, all you need to do is learn and shut up, and obey unconditionally.
Complaining is not what you should be doing!"
"Yes, Sergeant!" Stenson shrugged.
Since that incident, he had realized that the veterans were truly skilled and had the right to order him around.
This was capital they had earned through countless bloody battles.
Therefore, he showed obedience to Guarnere's words, and his eyes darted away, always unwilling to meet Guarnere's gaze, which was actually a form of compromise.
As Guarnere said, although many in Easy Company were full of doubts about this training, out of trust in Lieutenant Parks, they only complained a word or two, and there was no other resentment.
They showed good obedience to Lieutenant Parks's orders, especially those soldiers who had fought alongside Lieutenant Parks.
"I think the Boss is preparing us for the Berlin airborne assault.
Perhaps we can capture Berlin before everyone else!" White looked at Malarkey beside him and couldn't help but say, "If that's the case, when I'm old, I can tell my grandson, 'Hey, kid, you have to remember, your grandpa caught Hitler in Berlin.'"
"I have very high expectations for this!" Malarkey nodded, "Actually, I don't really care about any of that.
What I care about is when this war will end; that's the most important thing.
I want to go back.
I haven't even had a formal relationship yet, no official girlfriend.
Of course, if I had one, I would marry her as quickly as possible after returning home, and then have a bunch of children.
Life is the most wonderful moment.
White, I feel like I really need a woman right now.
In Paris, when those women covered your face with their big breasts, that's when you truly felt your life existed."
White was stunned; he had not expected Malarkey to have such a strange monologue.
He couldn't help but look at him, then turned to Luz, who was sitting on the other side, "Is there something wrong with this guy?"
Luz chuckled, "This guy is desperate.
If he can't get a pass to Paris soon, I bet when he masturbates, he'll scream, 'God, give me a big-breasted woman, I need her big breasts!'"
White nodded and said, "Indeed!" Then both of them burst into laughter.
It was clear that the brothers of Easy Company, after many battles, especially the veterans from Taccoa, who had participated in almost all of Easy Company's battles in Europe, had their mindsets change after each battle.
From initial timidity, weakness, or fanaticism and fearlessness, they slowly developed other ideas.
They were more keen on planning what life would be like after the war, rather than how to kill German soldiers in battle or seize their personal belongings as spoils of war.
As the plane passed through the clouds, Lieutenant Parks sat behind the pilot, quietly looking at the sky outside the window.
Beyond the clouds, he couldn't see much, but precisely because of this, it made him even more resolute in everything he was doing.
The future Easy Company might have to conduct such airborne drops, and if such a drop could ensure the team wasn't dispersed, then the battle would be half successful.
"Lieutenant, are you sure you want to drop like this?" The pilot turned his head and shouted loudly at Lieutenant Parks, "I must remind you, in such weather, even planes are unwilling to fly out, because it means we will fly lower, and it's easier to be hit by artillery fire, or even be shot down by handheld machine guns."
"What do you think?" Lieutenant Parks smiled slightly at the pilot, "We didn't fly to such a high altitude just to chat.
As paratroopers, we will encounter such situations sooner or later.
Besides fools and paratroopers, who else would be willing to jump from the sky?
We need to plan for every possible situation! That way, we'll have fewer chances of being fools."
The pilot shrugged, indicating he had nothing to say.
Clearly, he also did not favor this airborne drop, and he believed it was completely unnecessary, as the Allied forces would not conduct an airborne assault in such severe weather.
However, Lieutenant Parks knew that after the Ardennes offensive began, German paratrooper units would conduct airborne drops in even worse weather conditions than this.
If the butterfly's wings changed certain aspects, then the threat to the American forces after a successful airborne drop would be immense.
The wind from the cabin door, mixed with fine rain, poured into the cabin.
Stenson couldn't help but shiver.
He glanced at Vinnie beside him; Vinnie was huddled, clearly feeling the cold even more intensely than Stenson.
At this moment, Lieutenant Shamz, who was sitting by the cabin door, stood up, and the green light beside him lit up.
"Stand up!" Lieutenant Shamz shouted loudly, gesturing to the brothers inside the cabin, "Hook up, check equipment!" As for basic operations, Lieutenant Shamz was undoubtedly a qualified officer, despite his incompetence stemming from his irritable temper, his inexplicable sense of direction, and a touch of cowardice.
Lieutenant Shamz was the first to step out of the cabin and leap down.
Before him was a vast expanse of clouds.
Although he knew there was no thunderstorm at this time, he still felt a bit flustered.
In normal training, he would turn this fluster into furious shouting at the soldiers, but now he was floating alone in the air, and looking down, apart from a misty expanse, he could hardly find any reference points.
"God bless!" Vinnie made the sign of the cross on his chest.
He felt someone tap his shoulder from behind; it was Stenson behind him.
"Don't worry, this is just a routine jump, although the difficulty is a little bit higher, believe in yourself!" Stenson comforted his companion like this, and also said the same to Cabastel behind him.
And Guarnere, who was behind Cabastel, heard Stenson's words and couldn't help but show a slight smile at the corner of his mouth.
Clearly, he still quite appreciated this guy; apart from being a bit irritable, everything else was quite to his liking.
With a "whoosh!" the parachute opened in the air, and only then did Stenson feel what it was like to parachute in rainy and foggy weather.
There was a complete lack of direction; everything was based solely on his intuition, trying to control the parachute so it wouldn't drift to a completely unfamiliar place, or far from the landing point.
"God!" When Stenson finally saw clearly where he was about to land, he couldn't help but gasp.
It was a forest; if he didn't handle it well, he might get caught in a tree, stuck in a dilemma.
Of course, there was also the worst-case scenario, which was being injured or even losing his life by those branches and tree trunks.
But he no longer had time to adjust!
The result of leaving it to fate was that Stenson eventually got caught in a tree.
He was a full twelve or thirteen meters off the ground.
It was a large tree, tall enough to cause him to fall directly to the ground and die.
He looked around, hoping to find one of his companions, but he was disappointed.
The parachute jump in the fog had scattered the brothers, and he didn't know where they had drifted off to.
"Is anyone there?" He shouted loudly into the forest, but it was quiet all around, with no movement at all.
He had been stuck up there for an hour already.
He didn't know what to do, apart from occasionally shouting loudly.
If no one found him, would he just hang there until he died?
Suddenly, such a thought popped into his head.
Two hours later, he finally couldn't stand it anymore.
Rather than being hanged there, he might as well cut the ropes and fall down; perhaps he could still save his life.
"Damn it!" He cursed under his breath, then tried to pull out his knife to cut the parachute straps on his body.
"You'd better not do that!" At this moment, a voice appeared below him.
From the voice, Stenson was very familiar, and it was also the person he least wanted to be seen by in such a situation—Sergeant Guarnere.
Stenson stopped, then looked down helplessly, spreading his hands and saying, "I'm stuck.
This damned rain and fog made me lose my direction; my luck isn't so good!"
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"I see!" Guarnere chuckled.
"I knew it would be like this!" Stenson couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed, especially when he heard Guarnere's chuckling, he muttered in his heart, "It seems I've become his laughingstock once again, damn it!"
"Need help, rookie!" Guarnere's words were full of teasing, and he chuckled to himself as he looked at Stenson stuck up there.
If it were a veteran, such a situation would absolutely not occur; at the very least, they would make the correct on-the-spot decision when determining direction, rather than getting stuck on these high branches, helpless like a bag of potatoes for sale.
"What do you think, Sergeant!" Stenson felt a bit stifled.
In truth, it didn't matter how the process went; when Stenson's feet finally touched solid ground, he still landed dazed and disoriented, but this was already the best possible outcome, as he didn't break a leg or an arm.
"This has to be the most memorable parachute jump I've ever made," Stenson grumbled, rubbing his leg. He even wanted to complain about Lieutenant Parks, who organized the jump, but he closed his mouth, remembering the lesson Guarnere had taught him earlier. Parks was almost an absolute authority in the hearts of these men.
"This won't be your most memorable one. There's no most memorable, only more memorable! Just you wait, rookie!" Guarnere shook his head, chuckling. "Our men are scattered nearby now. We have to find the rendezvous point. Hopefully, we won't have another idiot like you hanging from a treetop this time! You still need a lot more of this training, Stenson, there's no doubt about it. Otherwise, just wait to be killed by the German on the battlefield!"
Although Guarnere's words were harsh, Stenson didn't feel any urge to resist. Indeed, he hadn't done well enough. So, he could only silently follow him to the rendezvous point.
Along the way, they successively encountered other members of Easy Company, most of whom were veterans. The new recruits were still scattered somewhere unknown, and it was possible they wouldn't be able to reach the rendezvous point in time.
Guarnere was right; the rookies definitely needed more parachute training in such complex situations. As they continued, they met several more rookie recruits, all of whom had sustained injuries to varying degrees. Vinnie sprained his ankle, and Cabastel, like Stenson, was caught in a tree trunk until Guarnere and the others found him and rescued him.
This time, the new recruits learned their lesson and took such training more seriously, while the veterans also used the training to help the new recruits integrate into the company. Although even Captain Winters didn't know why Parks insisted on this training, he didn't interfere. He knew Parks likely had his reasons, and as long as no major problems occurred during training, it was fine.
Just when everyone was puzzled by Parks, he was already preparing a new training mission—digging trenches.
"This is a completely new form of individual foxhole!" Winters held the sketch of the position designed by Parks, then handed it to Captain Nixon. "He truly surprised me. Clearly, such a position is very suitable for consolidating long defensive lines with very few troops. It's a pity we've already withdrawn from the front lines; perhaps there will be a chance to try it out."
Captain Nixon also nodded, then smiled, "Reese always manages to surprise us! But if it can really be used in the future, then he's done a great service. However, since we are paratroopers, there will truly be few opportunities to practice trench warfare, like staying in trenches for two months in Netherlands!"
But Parks didn't care what others said. Even Captain Winters, his strongest supporter, only offered verbal support for some of his actions and didn't intend to encourage other companies in the battalion to imitate them through practical action. Parks continued with his preparations as usual. In the Ardennes Offensive, he could not allow his brothers to endure both physical and mental torment under German artillery fire.
Parks' individual defensive foxhole was actually invented by soldiers on the Laoshan front during the Sino-Vietnamese War. The entire foxhole was triangular, with the front of the triangle facing the enemy. Two people guarded such a post, and five to six such posts could cover a battle line of approximately 3 kilometers. The top was covered with two layers of thick tree trunks laid side by side, serving as the roof of the concealment, with a layer of soil and a layer of tree trunks, posing no threat to anything less than 105mm shells. The outposts were 80-150 meters apart, with the maximum distance not exceeding the single coverage of a flare.
If three adjacent foxholes were arranged in a triangular pattern, with two in front and one in the middle behind, these three outposts could monitor up to 90 degrees of vision with the fewest people without needing to turn their heads. The observation holes of the outposts were about 20 centimeters higher than the ground. And even if one person fell asleep, there was no danger, because there was still another person watching.
Of course, Captain Winters and Captain Nixon were both professional officers, and it was clear they also discovered the ingenious use of this individual foxhole. If used for defense, it would have unexpected effects for the American forces in the future. They submitted Parks' sketches and detailed instructions to the battalion headquarters. Colonel Sink, upon receiving these blueprints, was also very surprised. A simple yet effective defensive individual foxhole would certainly be of very high value in future battles.
The final result was that General Taylor decided to promote this new individual foxhole within the 101st Airborne Division. Of course, its effectiveness would be much less in an offensive. Although the decision was made to promote it, General Taylor wouldn't implement it immediately. He believed that the Allied were currently attacking the German, and the German was the one needing to defend. However, he still decided to allow officers, under appropriate circumstances, to distribute this new individual foxhole as a field manual to every soldier.
"I guarantee, if it's distributed as a field manual to the soldiers, no more than 10% of them will seriously read what's in that manual." When Winters told Parks the news, Parks couldn't help but complain to Winters again. He was currently in the process of being demoted. If not for that, he even would have wanted to argue with Colonel Sink.
"This is the best outcome, Reese! We should be content!" Winters could only console Parks this way. He didn't know why Parks had been so persistent in carrying out one seemingly meaningless training after another during this period. Or was it a lingering effect of his demotion? Of course, this was only the thought of individual officers, such as Lieutenant Peacock, who complained to Lieutenant Foley when he was tormented by what he considered meaningless training.
While the soldiers of Easy Company were diligently undergoing unusual training, officers and soldiers of other companies were enjoying a leisurely life. Moreover, incidents of fighting and brawling escalated as they became more idle, to the point that Division HQ had to revoke many passes to Paris. But those troublemakers weren't worried at all; going to Paris wasn't urgent, in their view, because the general feeling was that these paratroopers would remain in the barracks until the good campaigning weather arrived next spring. At that time, they hoped to parachute into Germany on the other side of the Rhine River. This idea was further confirmed because General Taylor flew back to the United States to attend a meeting discussing proposed changes in the organization and equipment of American Airborne Division. On December 10th, it was confirmed that Brigadier General Gerald Higgins, Taylor's deputy, and 5 senior 101st Airborne Division officers flew to England for a series of lectures on "Market Garden." The 101st Airborne Division was placed under the command of Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe, commander of the 101st Airborne Division Artillery. This made Parks once again see the crisis within it. But his opinion was not taken seriously.
On the night of December 16th, Martin, Guarnere, and some others bought a case of champagne and brought it back to the barracks. Although they weren't accustomed to sparkling wine, only champagne could offer them a taste of something new at the moment. Later, Christenson came up with an idea: he mixed rum and champagne together, then drank it wildly.
"It tastes really good!" Christenson smacked his lips, then chuckled. The Sergeants had used their authority to collect a lot of rum, and mixed with champagne, the taste was clearly better and easier to gulp down glass after glass.
"You're a genius!" Guarnere also took a sip, then couldn't help but praise Christenson. This prompted everyone to follow suit, pouring glass after glass down their throats because the taste was so good, not at all unpleasant. Even when they were drunk, they kept drinking glass after glass.
Drunk people always cause some trouble.
The Sergeants were making a huge ruckus in the barracks, almost tearing down the bunk beds. When Sergeant Lipton walked into the barracks, it was already filled with drunken men sprawled everywhere, and the barracks were in a chaotic mess.
Lipton was very annoyed. He glanced around and began to shout, "You bastards are supposed to be in charge. A bunch of Sergeants have made this place such a mess." He had people splash cold water on their faces, basin after basin. "Damn it, remember, if this place isn't cleaned up, you won't be sleeping!" Then he huffed and walked out of the barracks.
That night, Winters and Nixon were the only two battalion-level officers remaining at Battalion HQ. The other officers had all taken leave to go to Paris. Just then, the phone at Battalion HQ rang. Nixon answered, constantly jotting things down, then, after hanging up, he gave Winters a strange expression and said, "Dick, we have to cancel all leave passes. The German have broken through our lines in the Ardennes area. I think we're about to face a powerful German! It seems Parks was right again!"
Winters was startled, then frowned, looking at Nixon. He said in a deep voice, "What's our situation now? Our Second Battalion has ample supplies, but what about the other battalions? God, we're going to have to fight the German in freezing weather!" He walked to the map, looking at the Ardennes area on it, and couldn't help but sigh!
"In fact, Lieutenant Parks was right again. I don't know how to put this, but just as he said, being prepared for any eventuality is the best way to do the job. I think we need to learn a serious lesson!" Colonel Sink paced around the Regimental Command Post, speaking to the officers of battalion rank and above gathered before him. "General McAuliffe doesn't know where we will be deployed either, but, undoubtedly, we will be deployed almost everywhere in the Ardennes area, as there are Germans breaking through all over the place."
"The Eighth Corps' defense line is too fragile; they're like a broken net!" Colonel Sink was worried. Furthermore, some officers weren't even back at the base; his assistant, Deputy Regimental Commander Streer, was still in England dealing with a series of reports on 'Operation Market Garden'. "We certainly can't avoid this fight. We must get everyone ready starting today!"
"But we have nothing!" At this point, the commander of the 1st Battalion stood up and said to Colonel Sink, "The men have nothing. Aside from the weapons and ammunition they secretly brought back from Holland, they don't even have overcoats for winter. And the new recruits are even worse; they don't even have rifle ammunition. What they are holding is no better than a stick!"
Colonel Sink frowned. He knew this was the truth. Because Lieutenant Parks's advice hadn't been taken seriously by any of the senior officers, this situation had arisen. Now, only the officers and men of the 2nd Battalion were fully supplied. He turned his gaze to Captain Winters, who was sitting there in deep thought.
"Dick!" Colonel Sink said in a consultative tone. "You know all battalions are stressed right now, and we don't have any supplies. We've used up all our training ammunition, but it's far from enough. I know the 2nd Battalion is the best supplied because of Parks's persistence. He is the most farsighted soldier I have ever met. Can you spare some?"
Winters couldn't help but frown. He looked at Colonel Sink, then nodded helplessly, saying, "I can spare some ammunition, but for the rest, we need it very much ourselves. That's the most I can do!"
Sink nodded. He had no choice; this was an Army tradition—the supplies for a unit were controlled by that unit's commander. Even if adjustments were needed, the commander's agreement was essential. Colonel Sink could have ordered Captain Winters to share equally with the other battalions, but he couldn't do that, nor could he break tradition.
The meeting left all the officers deeply worried. They knew what kind of situation they were about to face. And war was inescapable. But worry wouldn't bring any benefit; what they needed to do was actively prepare and gather any usable material, including weapons, ammunition, clothing, food, and medicine.
The meeting did not last long; it was merely a pre-war mobilization. They had to inspire their soldiers when they themselves felt desperate, and offer them hope, so that despair might turn into hope.
"Dick!" Colonel Sink stopped Captain Winters as he was about to leave. He walked up to Winters, handed him a silver bar (rank insignia), and said calmly, "Tell Leres I apologize. His disciplinary action is now over. He remains a Captain/Lieutenant; this is what his numerous outstanding performances have earned him."
Winters looked at Colonel Sink, whose expression was sincere. He nodded, took the silver bar, and said, "I know what to do. To be honest, I made the same mistake you did. I always thought everything he did was excessive worrying, a lingering effect from Market Garden, but thinking about it now, it's quite laughable!"
"Talk to him properly. If we deploy in the Ardennes area, we will face a shortage of manpower. I know he previously developed a kind of single-man foxhole that should be suitable for our situation. Have him teach the men in the other battalions. We are facing an incredibly tough fight."
"All right, I'll tell him!" Captain Winters nodded, then took his leave from the command post. He didn't return to the battalion HQ but went directly to E Company's command post. He wanted to personally pin the silver bar back on Parks. Although Parks had been calm after his demotion, Winters knew he must have been hurting inside!
Winters's jeep drove through the barracks. The sight of wandering soldiers was gone; they were all staying in their quarters, anxiously awaiting the moment the order would be given.
"Thank God, the boss has surprised us again!" White exclaimed in the barracks. Clearly, they had seen the men from other battalions and even other regiments, and the 82nd Division guys—they were thinly dressed, lacked supplies, and were about to head into the snowy wilderness to fight the formidable Germans.
"That's the main reason I believe the Captain can lead us to victory!" Corporal Lipton laughed nearby. "He always has such foresight. He's much better than our Eisenhower!"
"Damn it, Lipton, just a few days ago you were complaining about why he made you dig such big, deep holes. You weather-vane!" White still wasn't very fond of Lipton, even though he had apologized to him once before.
"I wasn't complaining! Stop picking on me, White. I complain sometimes, but I never embarrassed E Company. I fought in the same foxholes and trenches as you. We're brothers; we should trust each other. What's wrong with complaining? I just need to vent some frustration, or I'll die on the battlefield sooner or later!"
White raised his hands and said, "All right, I'll pretend I didn't say anything!"
"Should have done that earlier!" Lipton chuckled, clearly pleased to have gotten the upper hand against White for the first time. "But I also heard we'll be sharing some ammunition with the other two battalions. That's not fair. I think Captain Winters didn't show his tough side in front of Colonel Sink."
"I don't care about that. As long as I can be warm and eat enough, that's fine. In this kind of goddamn weather, the Germans must be crazy. Hitler is a maniac!" Malarkey shook his head nearby. "To be honest, I'm sick of spending days in foxholes and trenches. Think about us—since Normandy, we've lived this kind of life!"
"But we're always better off than the other companies because we have a Captain who keeps us alive and still manages to earn honors! That's the only reason I haven't cracked yet!" Luz said nearby. He was a Staff Sergeant now, having been promoted again from Private after the mutiny.
"You poor guys, I'm not going! I still have to play in the Christmas football game!" Gordon suddenly laughed. He knew it was impossible, but he still wanted to say it, as if saying it might make it possible for him not to go into the so-called battle, which would help him relax psychologically.
"Oh, Gordon, you're badly ill!" Everyone burst into laughter. Guarnere roared with laughter. "Maybe you can play football for us in the snow and let us see if your big butt can knock down that little guy, Hitler." Everyone laughed heartily.
But Gordon didn't care; he just wanted to find a way to relax. The shadow of the major battle loomed. Even though E Company was uniquely well-supplied, facing the fierce German offensive, no one could truly relax. Their mutual joking was simply an outlet for nervous tension.
Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and a gust of cold air rushed into the barracks. This was the NCO barracks, even though they had just been messing around. Lipton had a slight smile on his face. He looked at his comrades and said, "One piece of good news and one piece of bad news. Which one do you want to hear first? Sergeants!"
"Oh, stop the suspense, Lipton! I find you really annoying now!" Toye yelled at him. "Tell us the good news first. That'll boost my courage!"
"But the bad news will disappoint you immediately! Actually..." Lipton chuckled, and Toye glared at him, forcing him to swallow the rest of his words.
Lipton cleared his throat and nodded. "As you wish, Toye. The good news is that we'll be calling our Captain 'Captain Parks' again. Colonel Sink realized he made a big mistake. He didn't take Captain Parks's advice seriously enough, and now he regrets it. So he wants to promote Parks back to Captain."
"Oh, that is indeed good news!" Everyone cheered loudly.
"But is there any news better than this good news? For example, that we don't have to go to the Ardennes, that we'll be told to stay here and hold our football game, and then we'll have Christmas dinner, turkey, and a feast, oh, and of course, a big party and activities, where we can freely go to Paris and spend a wonderful Christmas with beautiful women?" Gordon shouted at Lipton. Clearly, he was still fixated on his football game and Christmas.
"Stop dreaming, Gordon. I'm afraid we'll be spending Christmas in the snow. No fireworks, no turkey, no Christmas party, no football game, and no women!" Guarnere sighed. He was constantly whittling the edge of the wooden bunk with the knife in his hand. It was a boring way to vent.
"Nothing at all!" Lipton nodded. "The only things we'll have this Christmas are German artillery shells and bullets. Be careful, guys. Let's save our lives for the next Christmas!"
"We will, we will!" Guarnere nodded at him. "Although I knew the bad news would be about going into battle, I still have to ask: what is the bad news, Lipton!"
"Congratulations, Guarnere, you guessed right, but there's no prize!" Lipton nodded. "We'll be moving out soon, at the latest by the morning after tomorrow. That's the latest estimate, but the specifics aren't certain. Maybe we'll have to leave tomorrow, who knows! All right, guys, cheer up. We aren't afraid of the Germans. We've never been defeated by them!" Lipton said, nodding to them. "I need to check on the other guys. Maybe they're even more depressed than you are!" With that, he walked out, closing the door behind him.
"I like him!" White couldn't help but say, looking at Lipton's retreating back.
"Me too!" Toye chuckled. "Me too! But the good news isn't good enough, and the bad news isn't too bad. At least we can stay here one more day and don't have to rush off to die! But I'm really worried about the guys in the 3rd Platoon. You know their new Platoon Leader, Lieutenant Speirs, is a daredevil!"
"Oh, Penkala, that guy needs to be careful!" Malarkey said worriedly. He was closest to Muck, Penkala, and Compton. Now he started worrying about his friend.
"I heard he's changed a lot. Last time he captured a prisoner, whereas his old way would have been to shoot the guy without hesitation!" White said to Malarkey. "Maybe he's become more cautious. All right, stop thinking about that. Life and death are in fate's hands. Once we step onto the battlefield, our lives are in God's keeping!"
It seemed that was the only way to think. Malarkey nodded. There was no need to worry about the uncertain future now. They just wanted to enjoy one more day before heading to the front.
In the 2nd Battalion HQ, Captain Winters, Captain Nixon, Lieutenant Compton, Captain Parks, Lieutenant Welsh, and officers from D and F Companies were present. They were all looking at a map hung on the wall—a full map of the Ardennes region.
"Right now, our entire division HQ still doesn't know where we will be deployed. Based on the German advance, they've ripped a big hole in our defensive line. The entire American line is retreating. Undoubtedly, this hole has to be plugged, and the only ones who can plug it are the paratroopers: the 101st Division and the 82nd Division." Winters's analysis was quite correct.
"We may not be able to quickly gather enough C-47 transport planes, and even if we did, we couldn't accurately air-drop into the combat zone. So we won't be parachuting; our most likely scenario is traveling by truck to the combat area," Captain Nixon added.
"Talk to your men, and have your company NCOs calm the soldiers' emotions. What we need to do now is maintain high morale before we leave. This is our responsibility," Winters commanded the company commanders. "If anyone shows fear or retreats, that will be a disgrace to us. All right, guys, split up and get ready!" Winters quickly ended the meeting. In truth, there was little he could do except keep the soldiers' spirits high.
Parks stood up, also preparing to leave with the other officers, but Captain Winters stopped him. "Wait, Leres, stay behind, let's talk!"
Parks nodded and walked over. Winters approached him, holding the silver bar, and smiled, "Colonel Sink repented. He felt he shouldn't have stripped you of your Captain's rank, and he told me that you were right. I don't know if this counts as an indirect apology, but I accepted it on his behalf. This is for you!"
Parks looked at the silver bar, feeling a surge of emotion. He reached out and took it, not pinning it on immediately, but turning it over in his hands. He smiled, "You can't blame him. The entire senior command thought I was crazy. Colonel Sink was just like them. I accept his apology!" He shrugged and smiled, spreading his hands, "I guess I don't have a choice."
Winters smiled and patted Parks's arm. "Come here, let's look at this map. If we go to the front, where will we be deployed? I want your judgment. I didn't say my guesses at the meeting because I wasn't certain. But my estimate is either St. Vith or Bastogne."
"Reasoning?" Parks was amazed by Winters's judgment. Clearly, he had deduced it based on the battle situation, which surprised and impressed Parks.
"Because the main thrust of General Manteuffel's offensive south of the line is for the attacking divisions to cross the Our River, which will place major pressure on the key road junctions of St. Vith and Bastogne. And the Eighth Corps has no troops left to use. So we must pick one of these two locations. Give me your opinion, Leres!" Winters clearly valued Parks's opinion.
Parks nodded. He didn't delay. The sooner they clarified the defensive location, the sooner people could plan and organize. He looked at the map and said, "From our preparation standpoint, we should be traveling by truck to the defensive area, while the 82nd Division's orders are for an air drop, which means St. Vith is closer to them. Moreover, Bastogne is a critical transportation hub, making it more important than St. Vith. Given the combat effectiveness and supplies of the 101st Airborne Division, I'm certain we will engage the German forces at Bastogne."
Although Parks's reasons weren't completely sufficient, even Winters and Nixon didn't have a better opinion right now. They nodded, and combined with Parks's past accurate judgments, they now believed they were heading to Bastogne. This was very important to them.
"Thank you, Leres!" Winters shook Parks's hand. "Actually, I still owe you an apology because I, too, doubted your judgment before."
"If I can still get a drink of rum in Bastogne, I definitely won't blame you!" Parks chuckled, then shook hands with Nixon as well. "Let's hope this promotion lasts a little longer and Colonel Sink doesn't demote me again!" This was, of course, a joke, but it showed that the relationship between the three remained unbreakable!
"Be content with what you have. That's the only kind of alcohol I can drink now. God, this is torture for me!" Nixon's tone was exaggerated, but the effect was good, and all three laughed together.
"Go and prepare, Leres!" Winters nodded to Parks. "The E Company boys depend on you. Lead them well. Don't let them despair, and don't let them lose their fighting spirit."
"I will!" Parks nodded, then left the Battalion Command Post. Based on his knowledge of history, he knew the 101st Airborne Division would be sent to Bastogne, the most critical location, which would become the central strongpoint for the American defense.
December 17th, France, Mourmelon-le-Grand Barracks.
The familiar sound of the reveille bugle rang out as usual. The men, as always, heard the call and assembled on the drill field. Sergeant Major Talbert gathered them there, but gave no training instructions. He simply told the men, "Stand by!"
Parks and Welsh walked towards them, their expressions serious, looking as if they were about to make some major announcement. Clearly, the soldiers knew what they were going to say.
"We are confirmed to depart tomorrow morning," was Parks's first sentence. Then he scanned the soldiers standing before him. He saw their eyes fixed tightly on him, some even pale-faced. Of course, the men who showed signs of fear were the new recruits.
"Later today, we will know our destination. What I want to tell everyone is this: although our entire line has collapsed and the German forces have torn a big hole in the American defense, we can mend that torn line, and we are the nuts and bolts that will fix that line. We will not give the Germans a chance!" Parks spoke for a while, but this was just standard morale-boosting, which wouldn't have a huge effect. To truly raise morale, it had to be achieved through victorious battles.
"There is no training today. Men, organize your gear and clean the barracks. Maybe we'll be back in a few days, and when we return, it will be with shouts of victory!" After Parks said this, he said no more. He handed the stage over to Welsh. He still had to go to the battalion HQ to discuss with Winters how to allocate supplies to the other two battalions.
The Allied transport corps moved at maximum speed, scrambling to gather trucks from all over France, especially from the area between Le Havre and Paris. MPs stopped the trucks, quartermaster units quickly unloaded them, and the truck drivers—many of whom had been driving for a long time and desperately needed rest—were told to rush straight to Mourmelon Barracks without stopping. As night fell on December 17th, the convoy began its journey toward Mourmelon.
At nine o'clock on the morning of December 18th, the first batch of trucks and trailers, dusty from the road, drove into Mourmelon Barracks. They slowly came to a halt in the open ground, under the watchful eyes of the 101st Airborne men. The expressions on everyone's faces were different; their despair, conviction, perseverance, and anticipation slowly settled in that moment and were richly expressed on every face.
Guarnere climbed onto a truck with his company. He stood by the tailgate, reaching out a hand, pulling one soldier after another onto the truck. When he grabbed Sisk's hand, he looked at him meaningfully and said, "Hey, buddy, don't cry on the battlefield!"
Sisk smiled slightly, then grabbed Guarnere's hand, pulled himself up, and stepped into the truck. He looked outside at the truck-filled barracks. Dense rows of trucks were parked, and team after team of soldiers were waiting quietly, then climbing into the trucks one by one, shoulder to shoulder. There was no noise; the only sounds echoing over the barracks were the commands of the NCOs...