The US 81st Anti-Aircraft-Anti-Tank Battalion will use Bofors anti-aircraft guns to fire tracer rounds into the sky above the Rhine River, illuminating the rescue location, where the Dutch will bring personnel to wait for rescue.
To deceive the German forces and dispel their suspicions, the 81st Battalion fired tracer rounds at midnight for three consecutive nights before the operation.
Captain Parks selected 17 team members, all from the First Platoon, most of whom had participated in the Arnhem raid, and some had even participated in the Normandy rescue operation.
Such veterans were experienced and could handle various emergencies, and they had no doubts about Captain Parks' orders.
"Why don't the British send their own people?"
Cobb was also selected for this operation, but he still habitually complained a few words, and now his target of complaint was Hubler.
Hubler was not from the First Platoon, but because he had participated in both of Captain Parks' operations, he was considered to have more seniority in Easy Company.
However, Hubler was not selected this time, and Cobb intentionally brought it up in front of him, also with a sense of showing off, clearly viewing participation in this operation as an honor.
"It seems you don't really want to go, Cobb!"
Hubler looked at Cobb's smug face with vexation and said, "That's easy to fix.
How about we go find Captain Parks, and I'll switch with you?
I'll go on this damned mission, and you stay here!"
"Did I say I wouldn't go?"
Cobb shook his head and laughed, "I don't think so.
I'm just complaining that I always get picked for missions like this.
Of course, that has a lot to do with my rich combat experience, doesn't it?"
Cobb nodded smugly, then walked past Hubler; he still had to show off in front of those new recruits.
This was an excellent opportunity to perform, and Cobb would definitely not let it slip away.
The day before the operation, the Canadians brought the boats over.
Captain Parks had planned to carry out this mission with Lieutenant Halliger, but on this day, Captain Parks suddenly received a call from Captain Winters, who said that someone from Battalion HQ would be sent to assist with the mission.
This forced Captain Parks to cancel Lieutenant Halliger's participation.
"Captain, I don't mean to offend, but why is Battalion HQ sending someone?
Do they not trust us?"
Lieutenant Halliger was somewhat angry after being disqualified.
He grumbled to Captain Parks at the company headquarters, but a grumble is just a grumble.
He didn't have any complaints about Captain Winters at Battalion HQ; he could be said to hold Captain Winters in great respect, but this incident, forcing him to withdraw, made him a bit unhappy.
"No, Captain Winters isn't that kind of person!"
Captain Parks shook his head slightly and said, "Perhaps he has other intentions.
Lieutenant Halliger, for this operation, I just don't think it's necessary to have so many officers.
Of course, if you insist, I can let you participate!"
Lieutenant Halliger knew that although Captain Parks was making concessions, he still shook his head and laughed, "Don't worry, I won't take this to heart.
You know, I just hoped to participate in an operation personally commanded by you, not a regular battle, but a raid!
But—alright, I know what to do!"
Captain Parks had an indescribable feeling towards Lieutenant Halliger, perhaps a hint of apology deep down.
He had taken away Lieutenant Halliger's company commander position and even didn't give him credit for Operation Pegasus.
He knew that Lieutenant Halliger was actually a very good officer.
The person Captain Winters sent to Captain Parks surprised him.
When he saw Lieutenant Speirs standing in front of him at the company headquarters, he quickly understood that this was intentional on Captain Winters' part.
He was creating an opportunity for Lieutenant Speirs.
Captain Winters wanted Lieutenant Speirs to take a position in Easy Company.
Lieutenant Speirs was one of the officers Captain Parks admired more.
Perhaps this operation was the opportune moment.
Through this operation, Captain Parks could openly propose to Captain Winters that Lieutenant Speirs be appointed as the Third Platoon Leader in Easy Company.
"It's good to see you, Lieutenant Speirs!"
Captain Parks and Lieutenant Speirs shook hands firmly.
"I told you we'd have another chance to work together, it's just that this opportunity came so quickly!"
"For me, it's a bit too late!"
Lieutenant Speirs smiled slightly; clearly, he was expressing his true feelings and also a promise to Captain Parks.
"How do you like doing administrative work at Battalion HQ?"
Captain Parks chatted with him about these things, intentionally or unintentionally.
Lieutenant Speirs couldn't help but laugh, "It's terrible; I'm not good at administrative work.
These past few days, I've really annoyed Captain Winters and messed up a lot of things, which is probably why he wants to send me over here!"
"You want to lead troops?"
Captain Parks couldn't help but look at him, with a smile in his eyes.
Lieutenant Speirs couldn't quite gauge Captain Parks' thoughts.
He looked at Captain Parks, was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "Yes, I want to lead troops.
To be honest, I long to lead a platoon in a company full of combat passion.
I hope to earn medals and honor!"
Once Lieutenant Speirs made up his mind, he spoke his purpose frankly.
Captain Parks nodded.
He looked at Lieutenant Speirs, then smiled and said, "Hmm, what do you think of Easy Company?
We're still short a platoon leader.
If you're interested, I can report to Captain Winters.
Honestly, you are one of the best officers I've ever seen: brave in combat, leading from the front, and possessing command ability!"
"That would be my honor!"
Lieutenant Speirs' eyes suddenly lit up.
It seemed his hope was very likely to come true.
Given the relationship between Captain Parks and Captain Winters, and Captain Winters' intention in doing this, it wasn't hard for him to guess that it was all necessary preparation for him to take a position in Easy Company.
"Alright then, let's study Operation Pegasus!"
Captain Parks pointed to a map on the table, then walked over and stood with Lieutenant Speirs.
"Tell me your thoughts, Speirs!"
Lieutenant Speirs looked at the map, then nodded and said, "Actually, this mission is very simple.
As long as we ensure the German forces don't discover us, the mission is basically accomplished.
So, the team members must be experienced veterans, and not many are needed, around twenty people would be enough.
Of course, we can also ask the British to follow these same rules!"
Captain Parks smiled slightly and said, "Very good, I strongly agree with your opinion.
I've already selected the team members; they are veterans from the First Platoon, all from Taccoa Barracks, who have participated in one or two raid missions.
They are experienced, a total of 17 people, and with the two of us, that makes 19 people in total.
That's enough!"
Lieutenant Speirs nodded, indicating understanding.
Clearly, that was just Lieutenant Parks' initial impression of him; he had already arranged everything, but he didn't mind at all; instead, he felt a sense of anticipation.
The next evening, Captain Parks and Lieutenant Speirs, along with the 17 soldiers Captain Parks had selected, descended from the dike down the engineering ladder to the riverbank.
The folding canvas boats, hidden the night before, were there.
A light drizzle was falling from the sky.
The night was very deep, and such weather only made the sky appear darker.
Nineteen figures in the darkness slowly moved the small boats to the riverbank.
Then, they waited quietly.
No one spoke; their breathing was steady.
After all, they were veterans who had been through major operations; their performance was excellent.
At midnight, the sound of anti-aircraft guns suddenly rang out, and several tracer rounds flashed in the sky, very conspicuous in the night, but the German forces were already accustomed to it.
"They're signaling!"
Lieutenant Speirs whispered to Captain Parks beside him.
On the opposite bank, the Dutch underground resistance organization used flashlights to draw a 'V' for victory from the north bank of the Rhine River.
"Move out!"
Captain Parks gave the order.
He and Lieutenant Speirs each boarded a small boat and began to glide towards the opposite bank.
They rowed very carefully, trying to ensure only very faint sounds were made.
Despite this, some still appeared a bit nervous, though they managed to control their emotions.
Cobb opened his mouth wide, slowly inhaling and exhaling silently.
His heart was pounding fiercely.
After all, they were now advancing towards German territory; if discovered, total annihilation awaited them.
The boat gently touched the sand, making a faint "shush" sound.
The team members agilely and swiftly leaped out of the small boats, moving quickly forward.
"Gordon!"
Captain Parks quietly called out to him, then gestured for him to place the machine gun on the left side, ready for defensive action.
"Webster, you take your men and quickly move forward to make contact with the Dutch.
I'll follow closely behind you!"
Captain Parks quietly ordered Webster again.
"Alright, Boss!"
Webster quickly moved forward.
He crept forward; it was pitch dark here, and visibility in the darkness was very low.
Webster felt his heart beat a little faster as the darkness deepened.
He stuck out his tongue and licked his somewhat dry lips; the surroundings were very quiet.
A sudden "whoosh" of wings flapping startled Webster.
He immediately raised his gun, intending to shoot, but he forgot that the rifle's safety was not off.
He quickly tried to switch off the rifle's safety.
"Wait, don't rush, Webster!"
Behind him was Lieutenant Speirs' soft voice, "It's just a bird.
Don't shoot; if you alarm the German forces, none of us will get out of here!"
"Yes, Lieutenant!"
Webster whispered in reply.
It was then that he realized his heart was pounding so fast it felt like it would burst out of his throat.
The team continued to maintain silence and moved forward.
At this point, someone in front was heard giving a signal again with a flashlight, and Captain Parks' side immediately responded.
They had met the British.
"God, it's good to see you all!"
A British soldier excitedly rushed over, hugged Webster, and whispered a cheer in his ear, then quickly took off his red beret and handed it to Webster, saying, "Mate, you've helped us a lot; this is for you!"
At this moment, a British brigadier general came forward.
He shook Captain Parks' hand and, very excitedly, lowered his voice to him, saying, "Americans, it's truly a pleasure to see you!
May I ask who you are?"
"Lieutenant Parks, 101st Airborne Division!"
Captain Parks shook his hand, then calmly lowered his voice and said, "General, I think we should get on the boats quickly!
This isn't the place for us to stay!"
However, he didn't notice at all that his name had surprised the brigadier general again.
"Captain Parks?" The Brigadier General was surprised, then suppressed his somewhat excited tone, "Captain Parks who fought in Arnhem? The 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division?"
"Yes, General." Parks shrugged helplessly, and then lowered his voice, "If we don't get on the boat in time, we'll only be able to talk in a German prisoner of war camp! I suggest we maintain silence during the operation!"
"Of course!" The Brigadier General wanted to say more, but seeing Parks' lack of interest, he could only give an awkward smile and then began to order the British to advance towards the river.
Lieutenant Speirs was responsible for leading them to the boats by the river! Captain Parks was responsible for guarding the rear! On the way back, the British could still control their mouths, but Parks clearly heard their breathing was rapid, even somewhat erratic. This was due to suppressed excitement, and when they saw the boats by the river, some of them could no longer hold back.
"It's great to see these Americans!" A British man couldn't help but shout to Speirs in a suppressed voice, "This is something I never expected."
As the British boarded the boats, some kept shouting, "Americans, God bless you!"
It was clear these guys, seeing the boats, thought they had escaped German control. They were no longer as cautious as when they first met.
"Overjoyed British!" Speirs cursed in a low voice, then angrily said to the shouting British, "Damn it, if you don't shut up, the German will not mind leaving you behind, or killing you, or making you a prisoner!"
"Is he crazy?" A British man boarding the boat whispered to Lieutenant Speirs, who was glowering and growling at them, "We're already on the boat, about to leave German territory. This is just a small celebration!"
"Shut up, don't let the Americans laugh at us!" At this moment, a deep voice sounded behind him. The soldier turned around and saw it was the Brigadier General, and immediately shut his mouth obediently!
Parks was the last to board the dinghy. The dinghy gently slid into the water, then began to cross the Rhine River.
The Rhine River water gently lapped against the side of the dinghy, making a soft sound. The entire river surface, apart from this faint sound, was silent. This made the night sky seem quiet. A silence amidst the gentle lapping created a sense of tranquility, and many British gradually calmed down in this situation.
Captain Parks, however, was not as relaxed as them. He constantly paid attention to every movement on the river and on the bank behind him. The German could discover them at any time and sink everyone in the Rhine River.
Suddenly, several tracer rounds fired by German anti-aircraft machine guns streaked across the sky, emitting dazzling light. This caused many British to gasp in low voices, then press themselves tightly against the boat deck. Some even couldn't help but gasp aloud.
"Those are the German's return tracers!" Speirs looked at Parks and smiled, "They haven't found us!"
Parks smiled and nodded at him. It was clear the German were unaware of this operation, or perhaps they didn't care much about this location chosen by the Netherlands underground resistance. In short, everything went very smoothly.
By 1:30 AM, all personnel had safely reached the south bank of the river, crossed the no-man's land, and arrived at the American positions behind the levee. This position was the defense line held by the Easy Company brothers.
The British were temporarily housed in a warehouse at the Battalion HQ. There, the British, reborn after the disaster, held a celebration. They had supplies of food brought by the American, as well as good rum, some fruit, milk, and even beef. This made the British, who had been living like moles for some time, very excited.
"Captain Parks, please allow me, on behalf of all the British paratroopers rescued by you, to invite you and your subordinates to join our celebration. We must thank you!" The British Brigadier General walked up to Parks and his subordinates, who were about to pack up and leave the merry British, and extended a sincere invitation, "And allow me to introduce myself, Brigadier General Raphael of the British 1st Airborne Division. You can call me Raphael. This is your second rescue of British paratroopers!"
Parks looked at Speirs. He felt Raphael's sincerity, so he nodded and said, "Alright, I'm very happy to receive your invitation. We would be very pleased to celebrate with you." Then he smiled at Speirs, "Let's stay, there's good rum and beef here, after all, the brothers are tired!"
Speirs shrugged, indicating he had no objections. He was happy to see it happen, and this operation was clearly a conscious arrangement by Captain Winters for him to participate, which was paving the way for him.
The celebration of the British who escaped the catastrophe was indeed wild. They shouted various slogans, one after another, as if they were a victorious army that had dealt a heavy blow to the German, and their morale seemed very high, completely different from the cautious, worried, and fearful demeanor they had on the other side of the river. This made Parks shake his head and smile. Clearly, the British had forgotten the pain after their wounds healed.
At this moment, Brigadier General Raphael walked to the front. He raised his wine glass, accompanied by a Colonel. He suddenly raised his glass and shouted loudly, "Brothers, brothers of the Red Devils, I have something to say!"
Immediately, everyone stopped. They all turned around, facing Brigadier General Raphael, and then eagerly cast their gaze upon him. They desperately wanted to hear the Brigadier General speak, even a little encouraging empty talk or platitudes, which would allow them to shout and release their long-accumulated mental pressure.
Brigadier General Raphael nodded, then waved to Captain Parks, who was standing at the back of the crowd, saying, "Captain Parks!"
Parks knew what he was going to do and couldn't help but smile helplessly at Speirs, whispering, "Looks like I'm going to be put on display."
"They're grateful to you! This is!" Speirs smiled faintly at him. To be honest, he didn't feel jealous at all; in fact, he believed this was what Parks deserved.
Brigadier General Raphael reached out and put his arm around Parks' shoulder, saying to the British soldiers, "Brothers, we must remember this American Captain beside me—Mr. Reese Parks! Captain Reese Parks and the 101st Airborne Division have done two great favors for the Red Devils. One was helping us return, and the other was helping our entire Red Devils Division escape the German encirclement, cross the Rhine River, and preserve the remaining strength of our 1st Airborne Division."
Parks was about to say something, but Raphael gently nodded to stop him. He continued, "It is precisely because we preserved our strength that we will be able to fight the German again in the future."
At this moment, the British facing Parks suddenly let out a roar. They were saluting Parks, and it was clear they had known about everything Parks had done for the British before. Their salute was from the heart, not perfunctory. Even if they looked down on other Americans, they still greatly respected Parks and his company for saving them from misfortune twice.
Brigadier General Raphael raised his glass high and shouted loudly, "To Easy Company, for victory!"
"For victory!" A thunderous response erupted below, and the British and the Easy Company personnel involved in the rescue all raised their glasses or bottles high, then drank them down.
And all of this was not far from the Battalion HQ. The Battalion HQ command post was forty to fifty meters from the warehouse. Captain Winters looked through the window at the faint light emanating from the warehouse and the faint sound of cheers, and a slight smile appeared on his lips. He felt genuinely relieved. After he left, Easy Company finally welcomed another excellent company commander.
"You don't have to worry about them anymore!" A voice came from behind him at that moment.
"I haven't worried for a long time! Not since they've been under Parks' leadership!" Winters lowered the curtain, then walked to his desk and sat down. Standing opposite him was Captain Nixon. "Parks is the kind of officer you can trust. Do you hear that? They're cheering!"
"The British?" Nixon walked to the window, then looked towards the warehouse and smiled, "This is also bad luck for the British. Field Marshal Montgomery finally made huge sacrifices for his actions. The British suffered heavy losses in this operation. I hope this is a very good lesson for them!"
"I'm not interested in these high-level disputes." Winters picked up a biscuit from a plate on the table, then put it in his mouth and chewed gently, "I only know that now, even if the British hate Field Marshal Eisenhower, they will definitely be grateful to us, because we saved them again."
"Then what about Lieutenant Speirs?" Nixon suddenly asked Winters.
"That depends on Parks!" Winters chewed, shifted his body, and cast his gaze out the window at the faintly lit warehouse, a slight smile on his face.
Just as he expected, the next day, when Speirs returned to the Battalion HQ, he brought an application from Parks. He was requesting a platoon leader for Easy Company's Third Platoon, and in the letter, he mentioned Lieutenant Speirs, deeming him a very suitable candidate.
"What do you think about this?" Winters looked at Lieutenant Speirs, who stood before him. He believed he had read the letter Parks wrote, but he needed him to ask in person.
"Yes, sir!" Speirs nodded and said, "I would be very happy to be in Easy Company."
Winters nodded, then said, "Alright, I'll sign the order for you to be the platoon leader of Easy Company's Third Platoon. Pack your things at the Battalion HQ, then report to Parks. I'm sure he'll be very happy to see you!"
"Thank you very much!" Speirs behaved politely throughout the process. Although he deliberately suppressed his emotions, the excitement in his brows was still clearly visible.
The fate of Speirs and Easy Company was finally intertwined again. But the outcome was different; he was no longer the company commander, but only a platoon leader. After all, at this time, he was only a platoon leader. Although this process was not as natural as taking over the company commander position on the battlefield in reality, through the mediation of Parks and Winters, he still ended up with Easy Company, and the timing was even earlier.
Speirs becoming the platoon leader of Easy Company's Third Platoon, this news quickly spread throughout Easy Company. It was clear that with Speirs' previous reputation, the brothers of Easy Company still had a subtle change in their hearts.
"I heard he killed more than 20 German prisoners!"
"When he killed those German prisoners, he even offered them cigarettes and lit them!"
"God, he butchered them all, leaving only one alive!"
"On D-Day, as far as I know, he single-handedly destroyed the last 105mm cannon, running through German machine-gun fire like a madman. This was witnessed firsthand; at the time, my entire Captain Parks was on a mission to destroy the cannon, and he volunteered for it!"
"He, alone?"
"That's right!"
"I don't care about any of that; I believe whatever others say. But there's one more thing: he personally shot and killed a drunken non-commissioned officer who refused to carry out orders! Heavens, I'm telling you, don't be so clever; discussing him here is asking for death. I don't want to be that kind of hero."
When the announcement of Lieutenant Speirs's appointment as the Third Platoon leader was issued to every soldier in the company, discussions about Lieutenant Speirs quickly arose. Evidently, he was now a highly controversial figure in Easy Company. If he had merely been an officer from another company, this might have just been a topic of casual conversation among the Easy Company brothers, but the situation was different now.
"Do you believe these things?" Lieutenant Speirs sat in the trench. He felt somewhat grounded. To be honest, in the Battalion HQ office, he had felt the atmosphere a bit oppressive; now he felt a sense of relief.
He asked Staff Sergeant Talbert, who was sitting not far from him across the trench. Staff Sergeant Talbert had been acting as the Third Platoon leader for some time and always understood the brothers much better than Speirs. Speirs knew that if he wanted to quickly integrate with the brothers and earn their full trust, then spending more time with Talbert was definitely a good choice.
"What? Sir!" Talbert looked at Speirs with some surprise. Clearly, he was a bit bewildered by Speirs's sudden question and hadn't reacted.
"Don't you have anything to say? Or any questions you want to ask me?" Speirs smiled slightly at him.
Talbert looked at him with some surprise and said, "What do I want to ask you? Sir!"
Speirs pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and smiled at Talbert, "Don't you want to ask me if the stories about me are true or false?"
Talbert smiled and said nothing.
"You notice this kind of thing; everyone says they heard it from someone who was there, but when you ask that person, he'll say he heard it from someone else who was there. There's nothing strange about it. I bet if you went back to ancient times, you'd hear a group of Roman soldiers gathered, discussing how Tarsis beheaded Carthaginian captives." Speirs didn't directly address the question; he used an analogy.
Talbert smiled slightly and said, "They keep talking about it, probably because Tarsis has never denied it!"
Speirs took a deep drag from his cigarette, then looked at Talbert and said, "Perhaps Tarsis knows there's value in letting people believe he's the most ruthless and formidable character in the Roman legions."
Talbert also looked at Speirs seriously and said, "Sir, the brothers don't care about rumors. They only care if they have a good leader, and under that leader's guidance, they can stay alive, regardless of victory or defeat! Staying alive is the most important thing."
Lieutenant Speirs fell silent, then looked at Talbert, shaking his head, and said somewhat sternly, "Sergeant, just staying alive isn't enough. We are soldiers, so we have the right to pursue victory and the heart to pursue honor!"
Talbert listened to these words and said nothing. They remained silent for a long time, then Lieutenant Speirs stood up and said to Talbert, "I need to go on patrol. Some people know me, but some are still strangers to me. I need to find a way to understand them!" With that, he walked towards one side of the trench, which was the Third Platoon's defensive line.
"Perhaps we can talk again sometime. It was good to have you chat with me for so long!" Lieutenant Speirs didn't look back. He walked and spoke, waving at Staff Sergeant Talbert.
Talbert also got up, brushed the dirt from his hands, and called out to Lieutenant Speirs's retreating back, "Perhaps you are right, Sir. If speaking as an officer!"
Speirs didn't stop. Perhaps he heard it, perhaps he didn't. But he kept walking without any pause. However, those words did have some influence on him.
Talbert spoke the truth. For an officer, pursuing victory and honor is their duty. But for a soldier, they only hope not to be shot by the enemy and to live until the end of the war. That is their greatest hope. It is also their most extravagant hope. They can even disregard any external conditions, even in such trenches.
Lieutenant Speirs did not disagree with Staff Sergeant Talbert's words, but he had his own ideas. Now was the time for him to get to know the soldiers in this platoon. This platoon had always been led by Lieutenant Compton. To be honest, Compton was a platoon leader who had trained with the brothers for two years at Taccoa Barracks and then experienced battles in Normandy and Netherlands with them. He was amiable, without any airs, and even liked to bet with the soldiers. In the Third Platoon, he was deeply popular.
For Lieutenant Speirs to integrate, it was indeed quite difficult! But everything needs an opportunity. If Speirs could give the brothers enough sense of security.
Night was when the American and German forces sent out reconnaissance teams. If unlucky, they might encounter each other, which could lead to casualties. So, soldiers on both sides were very cautious. Occasionally, a flare would light up the sky, illuminating an area brightly.
Speirs personally led a patrol team. His subordinates included veterans from Taccoa Barracks like Hubler and John Plesha, as well as new recruits like Cecil Peisi, who joined after Normandy and participated in the Netherlands military operations, and Cooper, a new recruit who joined not long ago. This was a team of great integration.
soldier Cooper walked cautiously at the very front of the team. He was bent over, slowly exploring step by step. Hubler and the others followed behind him, rifles slung over their shoulders, looking somewhat leisurely, their eyes scanning around as if they were tourists enjoying the scenery. Peisi, meanwhile, was on guard duty at the back, occasionally turning to look behind.
Lieutenant Speirs was beside them, a submachine gun slung over his shoulder, smiling as he looked at Cooper and said, "Hey, you're Cooper, right? A new recruit? What battles have you been in?"
Cooper's face was very tense. He heard Lieutenant Speirs's question but dared not turn his head. His eyes stared straight ahead, and he pursed his lips before replying, "Yes, Lieutenant, I haven't been here long. Last time, when we resisted the German attack on the position, I… I got injured right at the start of the battle!" He seemed a little embarrassed.
"Are you scared?" Speirs continued to ask.
"A little—no, scared, I was terrified then, thought I was going to die." Although Cooper blushed a little, he didn't lie in front of the officer, "It was just a slight graze!"
Speirs nodded and said, "Everyone is scared. There's no shame in that, Cooper. But we have to face it. It's either you die or I live. Treat the enemy without mercy, without sympathy, without regret. That's what we should do. The German will treat us the same way."
"I like that!" Hubler suddenly turned to Lieutenant Speirs, smiled slightly, and then nodded, "The damned German dragged us into this endless war, why should we have pity? Aren't we here to beat them hard?"
"I agree!" Sergeant Plesha also nodded and smiled.
"Perhaps!" Cooper nodded with some worry, but he didn't quite understand how to do that. He knew Speirs's stories; he had heard that he killed his own men and more than twenty prisoners. This created a certain mental barrier for him. If he flinched from battle, would this guy shoot him?
Cooper couldn't be sure. He continued to advance nervously. Speirs seemed to have noticed something about him, insisting that he lead the way, which was a challenge for him. Because of this, he had to be extra cautious. However, one thing was that no matter how slow he was, Lieutenant Speirs never urged him. This allowed him to observe carefully before moving forward, avoiding danger.
The group moved forward in the vast darkness. They occasionally spoke a few words, but their voices were not loud. Cooper only wished this damned mission would end soon; he would even prefer to hide in the trench all day.
Suddenly, the grass ahead rustled. Cooper was startled, instinctively dropped to the ground, and then cried out, "German!" Then he frantically tried to pull the bolt of his rifle.
Seeing Cooper drop, the others behind him quickly rolled onto the grass. Hubler even did a somersault, then knelt on the ground, raising his rifle and aiming at the grass ahead. Sergeant Plesha dropped to the ground where he was, his rifle already raised. Clearly, their training was much better than these new recruits. And their reactions were quick and not panicked. Even Peisi seemed flustered, still squatting and pulling the bolt.
"Don't worry, relax!" Lieutenant Speirs looked at the swaying grass ahead. He didn't move and was the only one who hadn't dropped to the ground. He carefully approached the spot with his gun raised. Just then, a wild rabbit suddenly darted out of the grass. After squatting for a moment, it was startled by Speirs and quickly fled.
"Damn it, it's a rabbit!" Cooper cursed, about to get up. The others also breathed a sigh of relief, but then they saw Speirs, who had walked ahead, waving and gesturing at them—stay down!
Their relaxed hearts were immediately tensed again. Cooper's breathing became somewhat strained. Now there was a large embankment in front of them, and it was clear that Lieutenant Speirs had discovered something. He cautiously bent down, then hunched over and quickly ran forward. He then lay down at the edge of the embankment, observing the other side.
Suddenly, Lieutenant Speirs gestured to them, telling them to come forward. Hubler and Plesha leaped up, moving quickly towards the embankment, followed closely by Peisi, and then Cooper. They lay down beside Speirs and then saw, in the distance beyond the embankment, a group of German walking towards them. Their voices could be faintly heard.
When the attack was launched, the German patrol was completely unprepared; although they had a squad of men, it was a completely one-sided surprise attack.
Lieutenant Speirs's arrangements were very reasonable: fixed targets, everyone with their own specific target, decisive when launching the attack, and brave and agile when pursuing.
So much so that when Cooper saw the two remaining German soldiers fleeing and was still hesitating, Lieutenant Speirs had already leaped out, spraying a burst of bullets at the German soldier behind, then suddenly caught up to the one in front and smashed him on the steel helmet with his rifle butt, knocking him unconscious on the spot.
"Drag this guy back!" Speirs shouted at Cooper.
He rummaged through the German soldier's belongings but found nothing valuable, then walked over to the other dead German soldiers and searched their pockets.
This was standard battlefield procedure: to confiscate every useful item from the German soldiers, whether they were prisoners or corpses.
"Oh, God!" Cooper inwardly exclaimed.
When he walked up to the unconscious German soldier, he saw that the German's steel helmet had a small dent, and he wondered what his head looked like underneath.
No wonder he was knocked out with a single rifle butt.
Seeing Cooper struggling a bit, Plesha said to Peisi, "Go help him.
Why is he still supporting this German?
It would be better to just shoot him!
That would save us trouble!"
"Hehe, I'll take care of this!" Hubler, who was rummaging through the German soldier's pockets, suddenly became interested.
He then walked to the German's head, reached into his pants, and with a "whoosh," pulled down his zipper.
He pulled out the 'water bird' from between his legs, aimed it at the German soldier's face, and, under the dumbfounded gaze of Cooper and Peisi, urinated all over the German soldier's face with a "whoosh whoosh."
Then he shook his pants, chuckled, and said, "Learn from this, rookies!
This is the best way to sober someone up!" With that, he swaggered away.
But facts proved that this method was very effective; the pungent smell of urine and certain elements within it could stimulate the brain.
The German woke up, then groaned in pain, slowly got up, and sat half-upright on the ground.
Despite his splitting headache, he could distinguish the situation; he was now a prisoner.
So he obediently raised his hands.
"I'm surprised, why didn't Lieutenant Speirs kill this German?" Cooper's question stemmed from the rumors in the company.
Clearly, he couldn't understand why someone rumored to be a killer of prisoners would let one go.
So he very softly and carefully asked Peisi, who was walking beside him, for confirmation.
Peisi looked at Lieutenant Speirs, who was walking at the very front, then lowered his voice and said, "It's best not to ask me about such things!
I don't want any gossip reaching his ears.
Cooper, I advise you to put aside your curiosity as well; it will kill you!"
Cooper shrugged and said nothing more, but he still felt a bit strange.
From Speirs's conversation with him, and his current actions, he seemed to be somewhat disconnected from the rumored image of a cold-blooded, iron-willed person.
But no matter what, Lieutenant Speirs's image of always charging at the front of his brothers brought some comfort to their hearts.
Although it was just a small skirmish and couldn't completely overturn Lieutenant Speirs's image, when the prisoner was escorted to the battalion headquarters, everyone was still surprised.
And Cooper's somewhat admiring words about Speirs also spread among the brothers of the First Platoon.
Although some images are deeply ingrained, at least now there was some fluctuation.
"Guys, look what I found?" Hubler was always the one who liked to show off his spoils.
He had cut off the fingers from the German corpses and taken their rings, which had made Peisi nauseous for a while.
"Gold rings, they're really dazzling!" Hubler sat in the trench, squinting and shaking them in the sunlight in front of his brothers.
"What's so great about that!" Although many in the First Platoon were somewhat jealous of Hubler's boasting, there was always a discordant voice to break the complacent atmosphere.
A voice came from behind Hubler.
It was soldier Hank Nu from the First Platoon; he was passing by and heard Hubler boasting again, and couldn't help but shake his head and say, "That's nothing.
You were still discovered by the Germans.
Do you know what we did?
We secretly crossed the Rhine River, went deep into German territory, and rescued over a hundred British.
That was a great feat!"
Although Hubler was a bit displeased, he really had nothing to say.
His skirmish this time was indeed nothing compared to their Operation Pegasus.
But these words reached Parks's ears, which made him a bit angry.
Clearly, the front line that Easy Company had to take over was too long; they could only set up a sentry every 100 meters, making it easy for German scouts to infiltrate after dark.
"I need to teach that blindly optimistic kid a lesson," Parks grumbled to Welsh.
"Didn't the German also 'magically' deal with us like that?
They infiltrated with two companies, and we didn't fire a single shot until they reached the embankment.
Since that's the case, what's so great about it?
This kind of sentiment really can't be allowed to spread in the company!"
"But we can't suppress it excessively, Reese!" Welsh shook his head.
"This is unavoidable.
Fortunately, it seems both we and the German have accepted this strange trench warfare.
Their front line is very weak, and our front line is very weak.
Our purpose in scouting is not to break through, but to find out if the enemy has reinforced.
If not, we have to accept this static situation."
Parks nodded, sighing somewhat helplessly, "I hope this comes to an end."
Parks also felt helpless about this war; it wasn't that he didn't want to break through, but the troop strength was indeed too limited, and the front line was long, making it simply beyond his ability.
Moreover, it was now the rainy season, with occasional downpours or continuous drizzles, which not only made people feel moldy but also made their spirits damp.
The positive psychological advantage, which had been built up through several victories, also declined with the long defensive line, the passage of time, and the rainy season.
Endless rain was the most annoying thing for soldiers in the trenches, and also the most helpless and cursed thing.
Everyone huddled in the trenches; they dared not hide in the foxholes to escape the rain, not even for a moment.
No one could guarantee that the German would not launch a surprise attack during the rain, because this had happened to G Company of the 506th Regiment.
Except for a few individuals, many had hidden in the foxholes, and as a result, nearly two German squads crept over.
They severely wounded G Company in the rain, and although they were eventually driven off, G Company lost more than a dozen men, exceeding a squad, which was truly difficult to accept.
"So we have to stare into the foggy, unclear distance in this damned rainy weather?" Malarkey chewed gum, the heavy rain hitting his raincoat with a "pat, pat, pat" sound, but he still had to look ahead.
His rifle rested on the trench, his cheeks puffing out!
Toy's shoes were completely soaked; he took them off, held them in both hands, and walked barefoot, slipping and sliding with difficulty on the muddy ground of the trench.
He shouted loudly to Guarnere, "I need to go hide in the foxhole for a while, you watch ahead for me.
Damn it, this cursed weather always gives me trouble!"
He was right; he hadn't walked far when he suddenly slipped and fell, causing Malarkey next to him to burst out laughing: "Oh, Toy, this is the only thing I find interesting in the rain!"
Toy struggled to get up, but the mud, mixed with rain, became very slippery.
When he propped himself up with his hands, he slipped again and fell heavily to the ground.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it!" Toy suddenly began to frantically beat the ground with his boots, cursing incessantly, then, as if exhausted, he weakly half-leaned his head back, looked ahead, wiped away some rainwater with his hand, and muttered another low "Damn it!"
Then, propping himself up with his hands, he raised his upper body and shouted loudly to the entire trench, "Someone be merciful and kill me!"
Then he opened his mouth again, but nothing came out.
The heavy rain streamed down his hair, blurring his vision.
Malarkey didn't pick up on that remark.
In fact, he wasn't much better than Toy.
He was shivering a bit.
He couldn't help but tightly hug himself with both arms, looked at Toy, neither reaching out to help him nor making any other move.
Clearly, in such weather, everyone's minds had become numb.
Toy got up again; after venting, he seemed to feel much lighter.
He carried his two boots and walked into the foxhole, where several soldiers lay sprawled.
Bloy was roasting meat; he was using a bayonet to cut beef, then placing it on a rack to grill.
The beef was from a cow Donald had shot during a patrol the day before, and they had worked together to bring it back.
"Damn it!" Toy couldn't help but curse.
"Want a piece?" Bloy looked at Toy and said, "Help yourself; there's a whole piece of beef left over there, but not much.
If you don't hurry, I'm sure it'll be in someone else's stomach soon.
Want salt?" With that, he tossed a small bottle towards Toy.
"You guys really know how to enjoy yourselves!" Toy was a bit tempted.
He took off his raincoat, and, mimicking Bloy, cut a piece of beef with his bayonet, skewered it, and placed it over the fire to roast.
At the same time, he would also dry his clothes.
This was a good idea.
But very few people were like them; even when they returned to the foxhole, it was just to adjust their nerves, to relax, and then they still had to continue enduring and suffering in the rain!
"Are we going to spend Christmas in this godforsaken place?" Toy complained while roasting.
"I don't understand why only we have to defend this front line.
We've been here longer than the British.
We always do the dirtiest work, the most tiring things, then eat the British's stinking supplies, smoke their inferior cigarettes.
God, they're so mean!"
"Don't complain, Toy!" Lanny from the foxhole came over.
He squatted by the fire, shaking his head and smiling at Toy, "At least we're still alive.
Even living in a place like hell is better than going to hell!"
Toy fanned his hand, sniffed the scent of roast beef, then nodded and said, "You're right, Lanny. I think this might be the worst hell I've ever seen!"
What the brothers of Easy Company experienced, and what soldiers of other companies experienced, obviously some people went crazy because they couldn't stand such an environment. But Easy Company never had such a phenomenon; they always held onto hope.
"Who wants coffee?" Two people were walking through the trenches in the pouring rain. It was Landeman's voice. "Sergeant Talbert made some coffee. Who wants some?"
"Actually, it tastes pretty good!" It was Talbert's own voice.
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Talbert carried a large mug and walked in the trench. Landers walked in front of him. Then he saw Miller. Miller sat down in the mud, his eyes dull and somewhat unfocused. He remained motionless.
"Hey, Miller!" Talbert called out.
Miller didn't move; he seemed to have lost his reaction. Landers turned and saw it too, muttering to himself, "God, this kid isn't dead, is he!" He squatted down and pushed Miller, which made him react. He suddenly looked at Talbert and Landers squatting in front of him, as if waking up from a dream.
"God, Sergeant? Squad Leader?" Miller looked at them in surprise. "Are you crazy? Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something wrong with you?"
"Oh, damn it!" Landers cursed in a low voice, then slapped Miller's helmet and lifted him by his collar, saying impatiently, "Alright, Miller, you're the one who's crazy. Do you know why you can't sit on the ground when it rains? Because the rainwater will make your balls fester, then rot and stink. It'll stink up the brothers; you're helping the Germans!"
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Miller quickly stood at attention, but as soon as he brought his legs together, he felt a spasm in his crotch. He couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth, then looked at Landers pitifully and said, "I think you're probably right!"
Talbert shook his head, handed over the mug, and said, "Take it, drink a little. You'll feel better."
"Thank you, Sergeant!" Miller nodded gratefully, then took a big gulp!
"You're really not polite!" Landers couldn't help but shake his head and laugh, then patted Miller's shoulder and said, "If you really can't stand it, then go stay in the foxhole for a while. It will be good for you. There's fire there. You can also dry your balls a bit so you'll feel better and they won't rot!"
"Thanks, Squad Leader, that's really funny!" Miller couldn't help but grin, forcing a smile at Landers.
"Get some good rest, kid!" Landers patted his arm, then continued to shout with Talbert in the tunnel. Their approach clearly had an effect on the brothers of Easy Company. Even a little cold coffee would make one feel their existence, awaken that 蠕動 feeling in their stomach, and make them feel alive.
Parks stood by the window, looking at the heavy rain outside. Actually, he couldn't see anything. The outside was filled with rain mist, a hazy expanse. It felt like the rain had no end and no possibility of stopping.
"If it keeps raining like this, I don't think our men will be able to hold on!" Welsh held a cup of coffee and stood beside Parks, also looking out the window. He couldn't help but worry about the brothers outside in the trenches. This damned rainy season, who knows how many people's wills it had destroyed, making them break down.
"Do we need to report the situation to Battalion HQ?" Parks took a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and took a deep puff, exhaling wisps of smoke. To be honest, he seemed to have lost patience with such weather too, let alone the brothers stuck in the trenches.
"I'm sure Dick has thought of it too!" Welsh shook his head and said.
"But we are powerless!" Parks turned his head, then walked to the table and sat down. "We don't even have the power to change any of this, not even a little bit. The brothers' will won't collapse under the German attack; it will only collapse under this damned weather. For us, it's truly a tragedy!"
"It's a pity we are all actors!" Welsh nodded, but with a helpless tone. To be honest, he felt like he was about to get moldy. This rain had been falling for almost four days, occasionally stopping, but then even heavier rain would fall. The only good news was that after one surprise attack, the German had not launched any more.
After all, the German also found it hard to endure such weather. Perhaps the German found it even harder to endure such hellish weather than the Allied. Their supplies had always been problematic; ever since the Allied started the Normandy landings, their food supplies had always been very simple and scarce!
When the rain reached its sixth day, in the afternoon, the sky had already cleared. This was great news. The moment the sun broke through the clouds, cheers erupted in the trenches. Some even stripped off their clothes and ran naked in the still relatively slippery trenches. This was simply a release.
"Hey, Miller, take off your clothes too! Get your balls out and sun them, it's very important, otherwise you won't be able to keep yours!" Malarkey had actually heard Miller and Landers's conversation that day, so he ran naked to Miller's side and started tearing off his clothes. Although Miller was a bit reluctant, he was soon stark naked.
"Oh, God, that thing of yours is swollen from being soaked in the rain!" Malarkey couldn't help but exclaim, "This is the biggest thing I've ever seen, no wonder it's getting moldy!"
"Damn it," Miller couldn't help but cover his private parts with both hands.
At this moment, a large group of soldiers appeared from behind their defensive line. They looked very clean and neat. One person even shouted from afar at Malarkey and the others: "Hey, cavemen, what are you doing? Oh, God, turns out you're American soldiers."
Someone else shouted, "Hey, guys, come here, what are these people doing? Stripped naked, trying to enter a Las Vegas beauty pageant? God, this is the first time I've seen so many naked men, more than I've seen in a bathhouse!"
"Oh, hehe, the American's stuff isn't that great, they should go live in Canada. Our Canadian men are gifted and enviable!" A group of people kept laughing and approaching them!
Malarkey didn't cover his body with clothes, then climbed out of the trench and looked at the group of people, saying coldly, "Hey, guys, you've crossed the line. Are you Canadians?"
"Yes, may I ask your rank?" At this moment, a Canadian Lieutenant walked over and said to Malarkey, "We are ordered to relieve you. Our company commander has gone to your company headquarters. Are you the one in charge here?"
"No, I'm not, I'm a Sergeant!" Malarkey turned his head and shouted into the trench, "Miller, go get Lieutenant Heliger and Lieutenant Speirs. The Canadians are taking over our line. We're leaving this damned place!"
"Okay, sir!" Miller turned and was about to run into the foxhole.
"Oh, God!" Malarkey shouted at Miller, "Go put on your clothes before you go, damn it, don't be naked like that. Do you want Lieutenant Heliger to shove butter up your ass?"
Everyone quietly looked at the Canadian soldiers, as if in a dream. Clearly, the appearance of these soldiers meant that they could leave this damned place.
"I'm glad you picked a good day to take over this place!" Malarkey shrugged, "Before this, we went through countless rainy days!"
"We were supposed to come and relieve you two days ago, but you know, the rain was too heavy. It would affect the relief. So we decided to wait until the rain stopped before coming. Now it seems our decision was very correct, wasn't it?" The Canadian Lieutenant seemed a bit gloating. He looked at Malarkey with a playful expression, "Sergeant, don't you think you would look more like an American gentleman if you put on clothes? We can't discuss the relief like this, can we?"
"Alright, as you wish!" Malarkey shrugged indifferently, then jumped into the trench and shouted to the brothers, "Guys, put on your clothes, we're leaving this hellhole, let the Canadian brothers take over!"
The relief went smoothly! When the brothers of Easy Company left, the Canadian soldiers stared with wide eyes. One soldier couldn't help but whisper to a non-commissioned officer beside him, "Heaven, are these refugees? I heard this is the Allied's most powerful company, the one led by the legendary Parks. It can't be like this, can it?"
"Why not? Anyone who stays in such weather and trenches for more than two months will end up like this. And they didn't go crazy like some people in other companies, which clearly means they are much stronger than those on other fronts!" The non-commissioned officer muttered to the retreating backs of the brothers of Easy Company.
The brothers of Easy Company didn't want to stay there for another moment. The battalion headquarters also seemed to understand the public sentiment particularly well. They had the brothers board the cars and leave the defensive line they had held for more than two months.
The brothers of Easy Company boarded the trucks, returning to France for rest.
As the trucks gradually moved away from the front line, the brothers stared blankly at the receding defenses, no one speaking.
Truthfully, after enduring so much torment here, leaving brought an indescribable feeling.
Operation Market Garden proved to be a high-risk failure.
The Allied hope of ending the war before Christmas was dashed.
In this battle, the 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division suffered over 130 fatalities, which was more than 40 fewer than previously estimated, and 380 wounded, also significantly fewer than previously estimated, but the overall result of over 750 fatalities and more than 2,100 wounded for the entire 101st Airborne Division remained unchanged.
Furthermore, the result of over 8,000 British 1st Airborne Division fatalities also remained unchanged; more importantly, despite briefly occupying Arnhem Bridge, the Nijmegen Bridge was unexpectedly destroyed by the German, leading to the eventual destruction of Arnhem Bridge, which caused the Allied offensive to fail at the last hurdle.
The overall outcome of the operation did not change, but this operation made the 101st Airborne Division a shining star, and Captain Parks of Easy Company, 506th Regiment, once again caught the attention of Allied generals; his reputation was greatly publicized among the Allied, becoming an American-style lone hero admired and worshipped by countless people.
Easy Company departed on September 17th with 156 officers and soldiers.
When they withdrew from the Netherlands, there were 122 officers and soldiers.
Lieutenant Brewer, Compton, and 25 soldiers were wounded.
Seven Easy Company officers and soldiers were killed in action; in Normandy, Easy Company had already suffered 45 casualties, so by the end of November, counting both battles, the total casualties amounted to 79, with no prisoners taken.
Easy Company did not linger; they hurried along the "Hell Highway" back to the rear, where there was no gunfire, no continuous, unavoidable rain that could break a person, no teeth-grinding sound of bullets tearing through bodies, and no screams of the wounded!
Everything felt surreal.
Although the brothers had experienced many battles, they always had this feeling, and it became more intense each time, leading to a growing aversion to war.
The Dutch people lined both sides of the road, cheering for their liberators.
The young women showed more excitement than others, letting out bursts of screams, constantly causing the soldiers in the trucks to stick their heads out and whistle loudly at them.
"Man, I never thought Dutch girls were so pretty!" Luz said to Moore beside him, "It's a shame we can't stop here.
Maybe tonight we can stay in Eindhoven; the girls there are pretty good too!
Will you be with Malarkey?
Or the three of us can find some fun in that town!"
"You haven't seen a woman in too long, Luz!" Moore chuckled, "If we spend a night in Eindhoven, I promise I'll take you out."
Easy Company did stay in Eindhoven for one night, but this very night enraged the local Dutch people.
soldier Hank Nujun raped a local Dutch girl, and when the girl's husband rushed to stop him, Hank Nu shot him three times with a pistol.
That same night, the Dutch underground resistance organization found Colonel Sink, who was also camped in Eindhoven.
At the battalion headquarters, Colonel Sink threw a cup; it was clear he was very angry about the incident.
Captain Winters, Captain Nixon, Captain Parks, and Lieutenant Welsh were all at the battalion headquarters, enduring Colonel Sink's wrath.
"You have disgraced the medal, Captain Parks!" Colonel Sink did not use Parks's familiar address, but his rank, "It is unforgivable; I cannot believe such a thing would happen in your company.
I need your explanation!"
"No explanation, sir!" Parks straightened his chest; he decided not to implicate anyone else and intended to take responsibility for the incident himself, "I am willing to accept punishment!"
"Sir!" Winters spoke up at this point, "This incident was indeed a bit excessive, but the soldiers have been in the trenches for so long, their emotions on the verge of collapse; once they suddenly relax, they will make this or that mistake.
This is a serious problem, and that American soldier must be severely dealt with, but Captain Parks—"
Sink interrupted him, somewhat displeased, "Dick, don't defend him; he didn't manage his subordinates well and should be held responsible for this incident.
Of course, it's not just his responsibility, including Lieutenant Welsh!"
Upon hearing this, Parks quickly replied, "Sir, this matter has nothing to do with Lieutenant Welsh; he was carrying out my other orders.
I am willing to bear it alone!" He could not drag Welsh into this.
"I'm sorry, sir, I believe I was on patrol duty last night, and this is my fault.
I didn't notice the Soldiers' condition; Parks completely entrusted it to me, so this has little to do with Captain Parks!" Welsh's face was somewhat grim, but he decided to bear this responsibility alone.
Welsh's words were exactly what Colonel Sink wanted to hear.
He did not want Parks to be held responsible for this matter; he was an American hero personally nurtured by the 101st Airborne Division and even President Roosevelt himself.
If he were to be tarnished by this one incident, it would definitely be a net loss, and General Taylor's attitude also leaned towards handling it discreetly, even if the responsibility ultimately fell on Parks.
"Lieutenant Welsh, I am responsible for Easy Company, not you!" Parks insisted on his viewpoint, telling Lieutenant Welsh, "If you want to be responsible, wait until you are a company commander!" His words were very firm, but Welsh understood that he was trying to absolve him.
He still wanted to say something, but Parks had already given him no opportunity.
"Sir, I voluntarily request to take responsibility for this incident.
I do not need anyone else to bear this responsibility for me!" Parks said to Sink very firmly.
Colonel Sink looked at Parks, then at the others, and was about to say something when Lieutenant Colonel Strayer walked over and whispered a few words to Colonel Sink, who then said, "Alright, it's best to have a detailed investigation report on this matter, and hand that scumbag soldier over to the military police for handling.
Dismissed!" He sighed as he waved his hand.
After they all left, Lieutenant Colonel Strayer smiled and said, "That Dutchman is out of danger, no threat to his life.
The girl requested a certain amount of money as compensation, which General Taylor has already agreed to.
The Dutch underground resistance organization also has no intention of pursuing it further; General Taylor requested a low-key handling.
I think that's his deeper meaning!"
Sink nodded and said, "I know.
This matter can't be blamed on Reese either; after all, it's just an isolated case, he just had bad luck." After a pause, Sink suddenly smiled at Strayer and said, "However, I quite admire him.
Easy Company needs a company commander who is willing to take responsibility.
If he had agreed to my handling of Welsh, even if it was tacit, I would have felt uncomfortable!"
"So what's the final outcome?" Strayer looked at Sink and then added, "I mean Reese!"
"Demote him to Lieutenant and let him continue as Easy Company's company commander." Colonel Sink looked at Strayer, "This announcement will be sent to the entire regiment.
Although it's an isolated case, we cannot let it spread."
The announcement was circulated throughout the regiment in the morning; of course, the 101st Airborne Division had to continue moving forward, and this matter was not spread among the Dutch people.
The Dutch underground resistance organization knew that in many matters, they still had to rely on the help of the American military, and now was not the time to be too assertive.
Hank Nu might face a military trial, but Parks had already taken responsibility; he had once again become a Lieutenant.
"This isn't fair!" Lieutenant Welsh complained to Parks in the jeep, "That damn guy did something bad, why should you bear it alone!"
"I am his company commander, Harry." Parks was indifferent to rank, as long as he could lead Easy Company.
He also had to help the brothers of Easy Company get through the difficulties of Bastogne.
Parks turned his head, looking at the Dutch people on both sides of the road who were still very enthusiastic towards the American officers and soldiers, still cheering for the American liberators, and couldn't help but sigh slightly.
The Soldiers' mental state was abnormal, and it was inevitable that such problems would arise in a cruel environment.
Parks could only try to minimize or prevent these things from happening.
However, after the Hank Nu incident, everyone's emotions were much more restrained; even Luz, who had a greater desire for women than most, no longer easily spoke of Dutch women.
In their view, they had already become contraband.
This contraband was unconsciously formed in their minds.
"Damn it!" White sat in the truck, unable to resist cursing.
"What?" Lipton looked at him in surprise from beside him.
"That unseeing kid!" White said grumpily.
It was clear that everyone knew who he was talking about!
In fact, the matter of Parks accepting punishment felt like a lump in the hearts of the Easy Company brothers, making them somewhat uncomfortable.
Everyone in the truck looked at White, then fell silent; the joy and relaxation they felt after leaving the trenches now seemed to be overshadowed by a shadow.
"American Liberators!" Guarnere, in another truck, looked at the sign held up by the Dutch people outside and couldn't help but sneer, "They probably don't know about what happened last night!
The Boss is really unlucky!"
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Toy shook his head and said, "I've never felt like a liberator.
We didn't liberate the Dutch people; Hank Nu's behavior was even worse than the German SS.
Didn't you hear it in the trenches?
The German broadcast—Anne of Arnhem said: You can enjoy our music, but you cannot walk on our streets.
She was absolutely right; we never truly entered Arnhem, and even if we did, we still retreated."
"We're not heroes, never have been!" Guarnere nodded, then looked somewhat blankly at the jubilant Dutch people outside. "Hopefully, the next time we come, we'll be able to stroll down the streets of Arnhem!"
The car kept moving forward, swaying. On the road after that, although some people still joked around occasionally, it was clear that most of the brothers were dispirited. Captain Winters had specifically shared a car with Parks, wanting to talk to him, but he found he was mistaken; Parks's mindset was very normal, even joking with him from time to time.
"Dick, that German stuck his butt out, and I kicked him, sending him face-planting right then and there!" Parks enthusiastically recounted to Winters, describing a scene from a battle, gesturing continuously with both hands, looking very energetic, and speaking loudly. His voice even carried to the truck ahead from the jeep, causing the brothers to constantly look over at them.
"You've been demoted, Reese!" Winters looked at Parks and couldn't help but remind him again.
Parks's voice abruptly stopped. He sighed deeply and said to Winters, "Dick, it's nothing. I'm trying to act calm, but I still feel guilty. That innocent Dutchman, and that innocent girl. I don't even know how to help them, so I could only leave her all the dollars I had. I hope it helps a little! No matter how you look at it, it's my fault. Hank Nu made an unforgivable mistake!"
"It's not your fault!" Winters patted Parks's shoulder, and then they said nothing more. Winters didn't know how to comfort him, but even though Parks said he didn't care, he still did. He didn't care about his rank, but about the Dutchman and the woman who were shot by Hank Nu.
At 6 PM on November 26th, as the sunlight was still lengthening everyone's shadows, Easy Company arrived at Momyon Barracks in France, located outside the large Momyon village (near the small Momyon village), about 30 kilometers from Reims, known as the Cathedral City and the center of Champagne. Momyon, as a military stronghold, has a history of at least 1998 years.
The tailgate of the truck lowered with a "click." Everyone got out and curiously surveyed the place. Although they were very tired, there was always some curiosity about a new place.
"In 54 BC, Julius Caesar and his Roman legions once camped here." Nixon got out of the car, then looked around the place, and couldn't help but exclaim, "The French also established military camps here for hundreds of years! For us American soldiers, it should be considered a return to an old haunt!"
"Have we been here before?" Parks clearly didn't know much about this place. He also looked around as the brothers of Easy Company began heading to their respective billets under the command of their squad and platoon leaders.
"Momyon is south of the Marne River and north of the Aisne River, located on the historical route to Paris. This land has witnessed many wars over the centuries. Recently, it suffered the ravages of World War I, and our American infantry fought nearby at Château-Thierry and Belleau Wood in 1918." Nixon spoke eloquently, like a tour guide.
"Luckily, we were still young then!" Parks couldn't help but smile. This joke clearly lifted much of the gloom they had felt earlier.
"Reese, we will be on garrison duty here. On the first day, the brothers can arrange their time freely, but they cannot leave the barracks. On the second day, we will begin training. I hope to first conduct some restorative training, and then proceed with conventional retreat and attack formation training under artillery cover. If you have any suggestions in this regard, please tell me as much as possible, and I will support you!" Once Winters shifted the topic to military matters, his efficiency became apparent!
"Understood!" Parks nodded. He began to notice that Easy Company should not have any battles in the coming days, but a brutal battle from the Ardennes would follow. The Ardennes Offensive would be the most difficult and costly battle for the Easy Company brothers. The brothers would suffer not only physical torment but also mental torment. And these torments were unavoidable.
After Winters finished speaking, he said to Parks and Nixon, "Let's go too. What I've wanted most these days is a good night's sleep. Now I need to get some hot food, then a hot shower, and comfortably lie in bed." He patted Nixon's arm and said to Parks, "Return to the company as soon as possible!"
Parks nodded, and as Winters was about to leave, he suddenly called out, "Hey, Dick."
"What?" Winters turned around and looked at him.
Parks said, "Now I think the training for the near future should focus on how to defend and attack in cold weather. After all, with the change in weather, we might fight the German in harsh winter. If we prepare in advance, we can be well-prepared. You know, we didn't do enough in this regard in Taccoa!"
Winters was suddenly startled, then laughed, "You think we'll parachute in heavy snow and fight the German? But your suggestion has some merit, I'll talk to Colonel Sink about it." With that, he waved his hand at Parks and left with Nixon.
Clearly, even Captain Winters only acknowledged Parks's suggestion out of friendship. Perhaps winter really isn't suitable for airborne operations, but airborne units don't only fight by parachuting. Parks couldn't help but feel a bit helpless.
The brothers hadn't showered in over 60 days. The first thing they did upon returning was to rush into the bathhouse, strip naked, and let the hot water pour down from head to toe. Then loud exclamations of satisfaction could be heard.
Miller was diligently scrubbing his privates with soap when he heard someone laughing loudly: "Hey, Miller, wash up properly, that thing can't get moldy. Then go make a fire. Roast them dry, and maybe they can be like potatoes for our dinner!"
This was just a joke among them, and no one really cared about it. The showering process was so long that many squad leaders and platoon leaders were shouting loudly outside the bathhouse: "Damn it, do you all want to shed a layer of skin in there? Hurry up, hurry up, we still have a lavish dinner, whatever you want to eat, you'll get it!"
These words were more effective than anything else. The naked men in the bathhouse immediately came out, swaggering as they put on their clothes outside, not at all worried about being seen naked, because there were no women present here anyway.
Dinner was indeed lavish: roasted beef, mashed potatoes, steak, vermicelli, pasta, beer, rum, etc. There were so many choices. Compared to the days spent in the trenches, this was undoubtedly heaven, and that was hell. So many brothers ate until their stomachs were round and a bit bloated. Then, after eating their fill, they vented their energy by roughhousing in the barracks, with pillows and blankets flying everywhere, a complete mess. Of course, this was the release of long-accumulated emotions.
Parks had some insomnia that night. Although he had been physically and mentally exhausted from the long days of guarding the trenches, he still couldn't sleep, as the Battle of the Ardennes was approaching. He hadn't even fully convinced Winters of his ideas, so how could he convince Colonel Sink and General Taylor?
Moreover, during this rape incident, Parks clearly felt a subtle change in Colonel Sink's attitude towards him. Perhaps not just Colonel Sink, but possibly General Taylor too!
The Ardennes region would be the weakest Allied defensive line, which would lead Hitler to misjudge the situation. He planned a counterattack from the Ardennes, attempting to reoccup Liège and Antwerp in Belgium, cut off the US and British supply lines, and annihilate their main forces, thereby forcing Britain and the US to negotiate a separate peace with Germany. At that time, the German forces involved in the battle would reach 23 divisions, over 200,000 men. The German would begin their offensive at dawn on December 16th, in a blizzard, under the command of German Commander-in-Chief Rundstedt on the Western Front. The bad news was that the US forces in the Ardennes region only had 4 divisions, completely unable to contend with the German. The final outcome of this battle was that the Allied suffered over 80,000 casualties, with 77,000 of them being American, making it the greatest setback and casualty toll for the US since the Normandy landings.
What should I do? This was the question Parks thought about most that night. But he was just a company commander; army movements were not his place to comment on. Although he had made some impression on many important figures, he felt he completely lacked the ability to convince them. Because from all perspectives, Hitler would not launch a counterattack from the Ardennes—this was the view of the important figures. But it was precisely this unconventional counterattack that made the entire battle incredibly passive and protracted.
Parks didn't know when he fell asleep; after all, he was too tired, and even with things on his mind, he couldn't keep his weary eyes open. When he was in a daze, he heard the sound of a whistle outside the barracks, and then the entire camp became noisy, like a boiling pot. Parks opened his eyes and looked at the barracks ceiling—a new day had begun!