The minefield in the open space about a mile outside the woods had immense destructive power in the snow, and it also cast a huge psychological shadow on the aggressive German forces, so much so that once casualties occurred, they immediately collapsed; then, explosives were used to blast down large trees, trapping tanks and preventing their rapid advance, and bazookas were used to destroy them, completely depriving the German forces of armored vehicle cover. For the attacking forces without protection, compared to the defending forces, this was destined to be a one-sided battle. After entering the wooded area, they utilized the mutual support of firepower from the Parks Bunker to form crossfire, inflicting the most direct damage on the German forces. The entire battle started quickly, but ended even faster, with the German attack crumbling under the assault of Easy Company.
"Is anyone injured?" someone was shouting loudly, it was Lipton's voice. He had always been like this, in the intermissions of every battle, he would always shout like this, which was also the reason why many people respected him—his care and responsibility for his brothers. Then there were greetings one after another, as the brothers began to check each other for injuries and so on.
A German company had suffered heavy losses, and quite a few armored vehicles were lost. If the German forces wanted to attack again, it wouldn't start immediately. Their attacks were actually very scattered; although their troop strength was far greater than that of the American forces, their dispersed use was also an important reason why they could not break through the American lines in a short time.
"Parks Bunker!" Welsh winked at Parks. "To be honest, before this, although I was very optimistic about the bunker you designed, after this battle, I truly understood its unparalleled advantages. We're both Americans, so why can you come up with such a brilliant idea? It's awesome!"
"Because I'm Parks! This is called the Parks Bunker!" Parks smiled somewhat smugly at Welsh. To be honest, he knew the advantages of this trench from previous data, but he had never truly experienced it. However, today, this trench, appearing decades ahead of its time, indeed played a huge role, so much so that Parks himself was a bit surprised. The wisdom of the Chinese soldiers on the Laoshan front line was indeed extraordinary, or rather, the wisdom of the masses is infinite and powerful.
"The German forces, having suffered this defeat, certainly won't let it go. They defeated the First Battalion and a portion of the Armored Division, so they likely believe that our position is a breakthrough point," Welsh analyzed the situation. "It seems we still have battles awaiting us; a major German offensive will arrive very soon."
"If they come, we'll hit them hard," Parks said with a slight smile to Welsh. "Harry, let's go count our ammunition and casualties, and boost the morale of our brothers!"
This battle decisively routed the German forces, which clearly greatly boosted the morale of the brothers. Even though they knew that a tough battle should have preceded this, the German forces had tiger tanks and Panzer IV tanks, as well as a company of German soldiers, all of whom were SS, extremely eager for battle. And from their willingness to sacrifice themselves, using their bodies to suppress landmines, it could be seen that they were not so easily defeated. Moreover, their tactical proficiency demonstrated in the woods was also very high.
But even such German forces, under their assault, could only retreat in disarray, leaving behind more than fifty bodies. When they retreated, they even abandoned their weapons. It was clear that they were very panicked during their retreat, wishing they could flee this place quickly. This was a death trap, a slaughterhouse designed by the Americans.
When the German soldiers used their bodies to suppress the landmines, many brothers in Easy Company were stunned. They thought this German unit would become a formidable enemy, causing them heavy casualties. But in fact, the German forces retreated quickly, suffering heavy casualties, while not a single brother in Easy Company was injured in this attack, not even a scratch.
This was a miracle, and this miracle had a very significant effect on boosting morale. Although there was an element of dumb luck involved, they truly inflicted heavy casualties on the German forces and repelled them without losing a single man. Things came too easily. And it was also reasonable, which would undoubtedly greatly strengthen the confidence of the brothers, especially the new recruits.
Stenson seemed very excited. Clearly, in his opinion, striking the German forces was this simple, which would also increase his standing among the veterans, ultimately allowing him to be on equal footing with those seemingly arrogant veterans.
"One, two, three..." Stenson carved vertical lines on the wooden stock of his rifle. From today on, he would engrave the number of every German he killed on the stock. In the future, this would be his capital for talking to the veterans, or for showing off to new soldiers who arrived later. In this attack, he killed three German soldiers.
Vinnie watched Stenson doing this. His rapidly beating heart had not yet calmed down, and he still felt a sense of panic. This feeling made him feel exhausted, and he sat weakly in the dirt pit. Souce's death had a great impact on him. He even once thought that the battlefield was nothing more than a graveyard for new recruits, that they, lacking rich combat experience, would die before the veterans, that they were sent to the battlefield to die. But now, the German forces were easily defeated and withdrew from the battle.
"This is too easy!" he mumbled. But this murmur still made Sabins beside him chuckle. Sabins had participated in the trench warfare in Netherlands, so he couldn't help but laugh.
"Did I say something wrong, Sabins!" Vinnie grumbled unhappily at him. "The German forces suffered heavy casualties, and we were unharmed. Isn't that too easy?"
Sabins nodded, then smiled at him and said, "It is too easy, but you haven't experienced Normandy, nor participated in Operation Market Garden, nor confronted the German forces in trenches for more than two months. And in the first battle, you inflicted heavy casualties on the German forces and drove them back. In that case, of course, you would find it very easy."
Upon hearing this, Vinnie felt there was some truth to it. After all, this was just one battle, and the difficult times might still be ahead. He nodded, no longer speaking, but it was an acknowledgment of Sabins's words.
Sabins nodded and said, "Everything I said is correct, you'd best listen. The German forces have suffered heavy losses and will definitely intensify their attacks, and they will be more cautious, even coming up with many ways to deal with us. You must be ready for battle at all times, not sitting in the bunker like now. Stand up, Vinnie, and watch the front line. We can only succeed by concentrating!"
Vinnie nodded again. He stood up and lay prone at the observation port of the bunker, quietly watching the front line. The German forces were silent. Perhaps they were planning their next attack, or perhaps they were accumulating strength. The attack of a company, from its start to its defeat, was only thirty to forty minutes, which also included crossing a mile of ground. The actual engagement until their defeat was even shorter, less than ten minutes, and casualties reached forty to fifty people. Even with the SS's fearless fighting spirit, they could not plan another attack in such a short time.
"We can't succeed!" Vikinco said to another SS Corporal, Jerivix. "They are too powerful, there are bullets everywhere, I don't even know where to hide! Corporal Jerivix, going again is just suicide." This battle completely crushed Vikinco's morale. Especially when he saw his brothers despairingly throwing themselves onto the landmines, and when he saw his brothers behind the large trees being hit in the neck, with blood spurting, his will collapsed.
This was completely an unequal battle, just like when he dealt with the British crossing the river near Arnhem Bridge back then—a naked slaughter, with limbs and shredded flesh flying through the air like a rainstorm. It's just that the situation now seemed to have reached a turning point. Now, it was their own people, their own brothers, being slaughtered. Watching them desperately struggling in the snow, watching their blood dye patch after patch of snow red, Vikinco also despaired, not even wanting to step into that forest again.
"Are you scared?" Corporal Jerivix looked at Vikinco. He and Vikinco were not from the same company. He did not participate in the last attack, but he was a veteran, having participated in Normandy and Operation Market Garden, experienced brutal battles, suffered greater pain and torment than in the later stages of the Arnhem Bridge operation, and also spent countless difficult days and nights in the trench warfare in Netherlands.
"No, it's just—it's just that it feels meaningless. We can't break through the American line," Jerivix said, a little embarrassed, but he still expressed his feelings. "They're hiding in concealed foxholes, shooting at us. Even if we hide behind trees, they can still see us. They're everywhere, and their marksmanship is precise. I think this must be an elite American unit. They outnumber us, and even with a tiger tank, it won't change our fate!"
Looking at Jerivix's somewhat downcast eyes, Jerivix couldn't help but shake his head. To be honest, Jerivix still lacked combat experience. He was merely a soldier who had followed the troops chasing the retreating British. Other than that, he had no experience. The emotions he displayed were simply the most common views among many German recruits.
"Everything will be fine!" Jerivix could only comfort him this way. To be honest, he saw that company retreat, and although he didn't know the specifics of their battle, Jerivix's performance made him have to be more cautious.
German officers were gathering their men again. They already had a regiment's strength here, and they had to break through. They planned to use this as a breakthrough point to tear open the American line in Bastogne, annihilate the encircled American forces, and thus seize the initiative of the entire battle. No matter what, from the moment the German forces defeated the First Battalion, they considered this place the best breakthrough point.
"Jerivix, hurry up, we're assembling!" Jerivix walked a few steps, then turned back and shouted loudly at Jerivix, "We're going to butcher the Americans! We outnumber them, and I believe the final victory will be ours!"
"Will the final victory be ours?" Jerivix murmured. When they attacked last time, the Captain company commander seemed to have said the same thing, but the result was that they lost more than fifty men.
The German companies were assembling tensely. This time, they deployed two battalions, with another battalion as a reserve. The initial company's fire reconnaissance made them realize that the American forces opposite them might have a battalion defending, and they were not as short of supplies or even ammunition as rumored. The fierce firepower made them realize that this battle would be very difficult.
Captain Winters's Battalion HQ was set up behind Easy Company. If Easy Company's line was breached, then the entire Battalion HQ would be hit. He was sitting in the Battalion HQ, looking at the snow in front of him, feeling a little uneasy. Although he knew Parks's combat ability was strong, and he knew Easy Company had strong combat power, it was clear that this German attack would be very fierce, and their numbers would be greater, even several times that of Easy Company's brothers.
"How's Parks doing?" Winters watched a figure walk in from outside, then looked at him. It was Nixon. He had just come from Easy Company's command post and had a talk with Parks.
"Everything's still good!" Nixon smiled, but it was forced. In the face of such an offensive, no one could smile, because the enemy could very well be a regiment's strength. And the Second Battalion couldn't spare more defensive troops to support Easy Company. To maintain their offensive advantage against Easy Company's line, the German forces maintained an offensive posture on all other fronts, preventing the already short-handed American forces from sending troops to aid Easy Company at this breakthrough point.
"I hope so!" Winters pulled his greatcoat tighter. He was shivering slightly. Clearly, part of this was due to the weather, and part was due to pre-battle tension. Even in the face of larger battles, he hadn't felt this tremor, but today he had this feeling—a cold, breathless tremor.
"We still have reserves, don't we?" Nixon nodded and said, "If Parks can't hold them, we'll send up the reserve company. Colonel Sink already knows the situation here, but he just said one thing: Hold them! I don't care how you do it, but we have no support. It's all up to us! What kind of talk is that?"
"Colonel Sink is always like that!" Winters was a little displeased. He wanted to complain a bit, but there was no one else here besides Nixon. Compton had been sent to contact other companies.
"God bless Easy Company!" Nixon made the sign of the cross.
"God bless Parks!" Winters stood up and walked forward. He wanted to personally go to Easy Company's line to see and personally encourage Easy Company's brothers.
The snow crunched underfoot, still making that monotonous "squeak," "squeak" sound. Even though the snow was deep, Captain Winters walked quickly. He wanted to get firsthand information.
"Reese!" Winters looked at Parks inside the bunker ahead, walked over, and called out to him, catching Parks's attention. When he turned his head, he saw Captain Winters, whose face showed anxiety.
Parks led Winters into the bunker. He knew Winters's purpose and said with a smile, "I know what you mean. Actually, I was a little hesitant before my first engagement with the German forces, but now after one engagement, I think we should be able to handle it."
Winters took the binoculars handed to him by Welsh and looked ahead. He observed very carefully, while Nixon and Welsh conversed. Welsh described the previous German attack in great detail, recounting every single detail, but it was clear he was very excited. After all, being able to beat the German forces soundly while remaining unharmed oneself was something to boast about.
"Your method is very good. If we still had landmines, we should also lay some in the woods. And our only advantage is the effective mutual support and crossfire formed by the staggered bunkers!" Captain Winters put down the binoculars and said to Parks, "Some of the German tanks were destroyed, so they will definitely be wary. Also, the woods are not suitable for tank movement. I estimate they won't use tanks. The only possibility is to bombard the woods and the open ground in front of the woods with artillery fire to detonate our landmines and clear a path forward!"
"Don't worry, Dick!" Just then, Winters turned and saw Nixon smiling at him. "The brothers of Easy Company will be well taken care of. They have a very good company commander! Don't they?"
Winters looked at Nixon, then at Parks, and suddenly enlightened, he smiled and said, "Good, very good!" He stood up, then patted Parks's shoulder and said, "Only by maintaining the integrity of the bunkers can we stop the German attack. It might be a little difficult, but as long as we hold on, it will be the Germans who retreat in the end!"
Parks nodded and smiled, "No problem, Dick. Are you still staying here? The Germans might be starting their attack. If I really can't hold them, aren't you still in the rear? Don't worry, Dick!"
Winters knew Parks was telling the truth. Frankly, if he were to command himself, he might not achieve the same results as Parks. From a tactical standpoint, Parks was superior to any officer in the 101st Airborne Division. What was even more commendable and what Winters appreciated most was that Parks, like himself, always led by example, thereby earning the respect and affection of his brothers.
Captain Winters and Captain Nixon decided to leave. He knew he should stay at the Battalion HQ, not at the very front line of the company. He knew that his presence here might make Parks apprehensive.
"The Germans seem to be making a move!" Suddenly, Welsh, who was observing with binoculars nearby, said to Parks, "They might be starting!" Saying that, he shouted loudly towards the front, "Everyone, attention! The Germans are about to attack!"
His words hadn't even fallen when the air was suddenly filled with the dense whistling of shells, rushing towards Easy Company like an overwhelming tide. Starting from the open ground a kilometer ahead, the intervals between explosions were extremely small, and the density exceeded that of the American artillery barrage at the start of Operation Market Garden.
It seems the Germans are going all out to break through Easy Company's line!
"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!" Explosions rained down, practically plowing the snow-covered ground. Dirt, along with broken branches, flew through the air, then rattled down onto the ground, landing on top of the bunker. The brothers of Easy Company pressed themselves tightly inside the bunker, shaken by the unprecedentedly fierce shelling.
"Am I going to die? I'm going to die!" Vinnie clutched his head, crouching in the bunker, his head buried deep between his knees, muttering incessantly. He was trembling all over. This was a normal reaction for a new recruit, but it was also a premonition of a breakdown. Such intense shelling kept his nerves constantly on the verge of collapse.
"Damn it, you need to calm down! What's so great about dying?" Sabins was irritated by Vinnie's hysteria. To be honest, he was scared too, but what good would that do? In such a fierce bombardment, if he were unlucky, a shell might directly hit his bunker. Although Captain Parks said the bunker could withstand 105mm artillery fire, once truly in such a situation, any guarantee was meaningless.
"If I'm going to die, I'd rather die quickly. But before I die, we have to fight the Germans properly, Vinnie, lift your head. You're already dead now. Only then can you face the Germans without fear. A person who is already dead won't be afraid of anything." Sabins roared at Vinnie. This saying was widely circulated in Easy Company and was the spiritual pillar for many to overcome fear, pick up their weapons, and fight the Germans.
"But—I'm still alive!" Vinnie looked up, his face full of panic, at Sabins.
"Damn it!" Sabins glared at him impatiently. "A fool from Momyon!" he muttered softly, then decided to ignore this timid, slow-witted fellow. He couldn't even understand such a philosophical statement from Captain Parks, what else could he be expected to understand? The more timid a person was, the sooner he would die.
Vinnie didn't hear what Sabins was muttering. His ears were filled with the whistling and booming of shells. He covered his ears tightly with both hands, trying to escape the torment, but it was a futile struggle.
"The Germans are finally starting!" Welsh shouted into Parks's ear.
Parks nodded. He lay in the bunker, praying silently that no shell would land on his bunker. To be honest, although he had confidence in the bunker he had devised, it had never been directly hit. If they could withstand the German shelling, then their infantry would be nothing to worry about. He believed that no matter how many Germans there were, it would be impossible to cross the crisscrossing network of fire without paying a heavy price, and the heavy price was what the Germans could least afford. Parks was gambling on luck, betting that the Germans couldn't afford it.
Vikinco stared blankly at the open ground and forest, which had been plowed over by shells. He wasn't thinking about anything. He wanted to show some joy, but something felt stuck in his chest. Meanwhile, Jerivix beside him seemed very excited. He stared at the forest ahead, watching the smoke rising and the trees that had been literally cut short by the shells, and couldn't help but whistle. He laughed at Vikinco, saying, "Americans, you're finally getting a taste of our power this time. To be honest, I rarely see us have such a high density of shelling now. I'm sick of fighting without artillery fire or air support; that only leads to us dying in vain. Do you know, Vikinco, I like battles like this? It makes my blood boil. Superior firepower is our guarantee of survival."
As he was speaking, some German soldiers had already let out cheers. They were excited by such a furious bombardment. Their long-suppressed desire to attack was being ignited little by little by this fierce shelling. After this round of bombing, it was estimated that the American bunkers would also be largely destroyed, and the remaining resistance would be minimal.
Such optimistic predictions were what their officers told them. And they themselves firmly believed that the outcome would be as their officers said: the Americans would kneel and surrender, the ground would be covered with their corpses, and their blood would dye the snow red.
Jerivix didn't hear Vikinco's response. He felt very strange and turned to look at him. Vikinco's expression was blank, completely devoid of excitement. His eyes held only a deep, disgusted, helpless look.
"Are you scared?" This was the second time Jerivix had asked Vikinco this question. In his opinion, a soldier who lost his fighting spirit would sooner or later be afraid of battle, and might even become a deserter. Now Vikinco was showing such signs. To be honest, Jerivix didn't like this expression, because it would lead to fear and cowardice, which were things to avoid in battle, as they would only lead to the deaths of many brothers. So Jerivix said to Vikinco again, "What's wrong with you, anyway?"
"Nothing!" Vikinco replied indifferently. His thoughts were exactly as Jerivix had imagined: he was tired of fighting, especially when the desperate look on his good friend's face flashed through his mind from time to time, he grew tired of it all. Tiredness was the beginning of losing courage. He began to feel a deep-seated fear of the forest ahead.
"Coward!" Jerivix looked at Vikinco's demeanor with disdain. Artillery fire was the guarantee of victory, Jerivix believed.
"We're off!" An officer was shouting loudly, urging the soldiers, "We must dismantle the American defenses with the fastest attack! Maintain speed, maintain speed!"
The soldiers began to quickly cross the open ground in front of the forest. The landmines in the open ground, having been plowed over by shells, were now few and far between. Occasionally, an explosion could be heard, but this clearly couldn't stop the German advance. They pushed forward very quickly, some even starting to run. If they weren't fast enough in the open ground, they could easily become targets for the Americans.
"Bang!" Continuous gunshots rang out. The Americans finally began to retaliate, but their gunshots were only sporadic, not dense. This made it seem as if the American forces had already been destroyed, and their remaining resistance was insufficient to threaten the German advance. Vikinco knew it wouldn't be that simple. He ran forward desperately, praying to God and muttering to himself.
The sporadic gunshots lulled the German forces, and also made the German officers believe that the American forces were indeed nothing to worry about. They could no longer organize decent resistance, which meant the American forces had likely been defeated, and it was up to them to clean up the mess. But none of them noticed that although the gunshots were sporadic, they were extremely accurate, basically one shot, one kill. As the German forces ran desperately, people constantly fell headfirst, shot dead.
"Bang!" A shot rang out very close to Vikinco. A soldier beside him, running breathlessly, suddenly stiffened. A spurt of blood erupted from his head, and then, like a log, due to the inertia of his run, he fell straight forward, then lay motionless! This made Vikinco's heart pound with fear. He sped up even more. Even if his heart felt like it was about to leap out of his chest, he still desperately opened his mouth wide, breathing in every bit of air he could, just so he could reach the forest sooner. There were trees there that could serve as cover, which meant he would have a greater chance of survival. He was still disgusted by the blood and shredded flesh of his friend that covered him, and he didn't want to become such disgusting shredded flesh himself.
Vikinco looked at Jerivix, who was running not far from him. He looked tense, clutching his M1 rifle, moving swiftly through the snow like a leopard chasing its prey. He glanced sideways at Vikinco, showing a surprised expression; at least Vikinco's speed was quite good, able to charge forward with him and not lag behind. But he didn't know Vikinco's plan. He knew that the faster he ran, the less chance he had of being hit, and once he entered the forest, the chance of being hit would be even smaller.
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Around them, people kept falling. But the two of them were not hit, thanks to their speed and agile movements. Jerivix had dodged bullets several times in a row; if he hadn't been agile enough, he would have been another one lying in the snow. At the same time, a subtle change began to occur within him.
Although the American counterattack wasn't fierce and gunshots were sporadic, their aim was excellent; over fifty German soldiers fell just in the one-mile-long open area during the charge.
However, all of this was overlooked due to the charge and the sporadic gunfire.
This number was almost the total casualties of the first attack.
With a 'whoosh!', Vikinco dropped to his knees, sliding quickly for a meter or two on the snow, then leaned against a large tree, finally reaching the woods.
At that moment, because he ducked his head, a bullet flew over his head, striking the chest of a German soldier who was following him.
The German soldier seemed to have been violently struck from behind, his chest thrust forward, his hands spread out, and his rifle flew from his grasp.
He made a falling posture, his outstretched arms like the wings of a bird struck down, tumbling and falling through the air of death.
With a 'thud,' the soldier fell in front of Vikinco, his wide-open eyes dull, as gray as the snowy sky, and so cold it chilled one to the bone.
His rifle lay on the snow in front of Vikinco.
Vikinco suddenly gasped for breath, pressing a hand to his chest, trying to hold down his heart that felt like it was about to burst out.
"God, God, if I am unfortunately hit, I hope I die quickly!" Vikinco made the sign of the cross over his chest, then slowly turned his head to look at Jerivix, who was also hidden behind a tree.
Jerivix gestured to him, signaling him to charge forward; they were to advance from tree to tree, then finally break through the American defensive line.
Vikinco shook his head; he didn't want to move.
He knew there must be American soldiers aiming at them, and if they dared to stick their heads out, the best-case scenario would be to be shot dead instantly.
Moreover, several of the men who had charged in from behind couldn't find cover and had already been shot dead on the ground.
"Damn it!" Jerivix cursed angrily when he saw Vikinco shaking his head repeatedly.
He had originally intended to advance with Vikinco in a cross-pattern, using the large trees for cover.
But now it seemed Vikinco had no intention of cooperating with him.
Just now, during the charge across the open ground, he had thought Vikinco's courage had returned.
Jerivix again gestured to Vikinco, indicating that he would charge out first, then Vikinco would provide covering fire, after which he would provide covering fire for Vikinco to advance.
Vikinco didn't move or shake his head, which made Jerivix very awkward.
At this moment, German soldiers from behind were constantly pushing into the woods, and people were continuously being struck down.
The American gunfire intensified behind the woods, but it definitely hadn't reached the same density as during the first attack.
Vikinco didn't want to die at this moment.
Jerivix shook his head, cursed under his breath, then stood up and sprinted, hunched over, towards a large tree diagonally in front of him, then he heard a gunshot.
But he felt it was definitely not Vikinco's covering fire.
"Bang!" A bullet struck the snow beside him.
Jerivix once again narrowly escaped death.
He couldn't help but feel secretly fortunate; clearly, his luck was indeed good.
He was about to reach that large tree, and he decided to rush past it quickly, so he straightened up, raising his head and chest, and with a large stride, he leapt behind the tree.
"Bang!" Another gunshot, very close to him.
He still knew this wasn't Vikinco's cover; it was the distinct sound of an American M1 rifle.
His chest felt as if it had been heavily impacted, the leg he was striding forward with remained forward, while his entire upper body tilted backward.
His head snapped back, and he fell heavily backward onto the snow, sinking into it.
"Son of a bitch!" Jerivix lay on the ground.
He tried to move, but his limbs wouldn't obey him, too heavy to lift even an inch.
He had been struck in the chest, blood gushing out in streams.
He cursed under his breath, but then spat out a mouthful of blood.
His eyes searched around, as if looking for something.
Finally, he saw eyes behind a large tree, bewildered and with a sense of inevitability.
His gaze began to unfocus, his life began to ebb away, and only then did he understand what was contained in the eyes hidden behind that large tree.
Unfortunately, it was too late; his life was almost over.
Then he saw those eyes suddenly grow steadily firmer, and to his surprise, Vikinco rushed out from behind the tree and ran towards him.
"Don't come!" He tried to call out to him, but no sound came out, only his eyes watched him with sorrow.
He also hoped Vikinco could save him; he didn't want to die yet.
Bullets constantly flew over Vikinco's head and past him, striking the trees around him and sending wood splinters flying.
Vikinco had already fallen to the snow, then reached out and grasped his shoulder, dragging him behind the large tree for cover.
"Bang!" The gunshot was distant, much farther than the sound of the shot that struck Jerivix.
However, the bullet accurately struck Jerivix's head; his head slumped, and he died on the spot.
By the time Vikinco dragged Jerivix behind the large tree, he already felt that he had died.
He gasped for breath, then arranged Jerivix's body, quietly looking at him.
Death came too suddenly, but it was also expected.
The one who struck Jerivix was Shifty.
He saw a German soldier running agilely on the snow, from the open ground to the woods.
Shifty fired three shots at him, but all three missed.
This was undoubtedly a disgrace to Shifty, who was very confident in his marksmanship, at least in his own opinion.
"Damn it!" Shifty fired another shot into the snow, and the German dodged again.
He quickly hid under a large tree.
After a while, he didn't reappear.
Just when Shifty thought he had no chance, the opportunity suddenly arrived.
The German couldn't stand it anymore; he actually burst out from behind the large tree without any cover, sprinting towards a tree in front.
"Bang!" Another shot missed.
Shifty seized the opportunity again.
To reach the tree faster, the German actually puffed out his chest and raised his head.
This was an excellent opportunity, and Shifty decisively fired a second shot.
Then he saw the German fall through the air, his entire body lying supine on the snow, clearly not alive.
Shifty had struck him in the chest.
The second shot was fired by Parks.
He had originally intended to shoot the soldier who was rescuing the injured German, but because that soldier lifted the injured man's head upwards, he struck the injured man's head with one shot.
Parks couldn't help but shake his head in regret.
Clearly, that soldier never reappeared; he hid behind the large tree and didn't move.
The German advance was swift, but they quickly entered the range of Parks Bunker's crossfire.
Mortars opened fire first, with several consecutive explosions erupting among the German forces, but they did not stop them.
However, dense gunfire then erupted in the woods, the density exceeding that of the first probing attack.
Clearly, Easy Company had also committed all its strength.
When the rain of gunfire erupted, Vikinco, hiding behind a tree, looked at Jerivix's body and shook his head, saying, "This is a place of death, Jerivix, I'll be joining you soon!"
Vikinco saw 隊 after 隊 of German soldiers charging towards the American defensive line in front, like swarms of moths drawn to a flame.
He pursed his lips, then stood up, picked up his rifle, and charged out from behind the large tree...
The American firepower erupted from underground, their weapons like scythes harvesting lives.
The German soldiers at the very front screamed, tumbled, and groaned on the snow, while many more lay motionless on the snow.
Their lives were ruthlessly harvested in the dense gunfire; the white snow had already turned dark red, but the German forces pressed on, one after another.
They had no retreat; only by taking this place could they possibly achieve victory, and the even more brutal battle had only just begun...
Long-range sniping could effectively inflict casualties on the German forces and also make them overconfident.
Because of this, the German commanders believed that the American forces had been annihilated in the latest round of shelling.
Such optimism was quite consistent, at least among German battalion-level and higher commanders.
The German forces, surging like a tide, advanced continuously, covering each other, but they were quickly met with heavy resistance.
As soon as they entered the American defensive line, the dense, cross-firing immediately gave the attacking German forces no place to hide.
Even with the German forces' indiscriminate, full-front attack, because the Parks Bunker formed a continuous line, there were virtually no blind spots for observation; every movement of the German forces was crystal clear.
Even if one bunker was destroyed, it did not prevent other bunkers from continuing to fire.
Moreover, the bunker tops, made of large tree trunks and covered with a thick layer of snow from the previous day, had allowed meltwater to penetrate the roof and then freeze into a thick layer of ice, making the entire bunker incredibly sturdy.
Even if 105mm shells landed, unless they hit the exact same spot repeatedly, it would be difficult to harm the personnel inside the bunker.
The attacking German forces encountered fierce resistance for the first time, and their rapid assault suddenly slowed down, as if a surging tide had suddenly been blocked by a massive dam, its momentum abruptly halted.
The bodies of the German forces at the very front lay scattered across the snow.
Dense firepower and precise mortar fire effectively blocked the German attack, making it impossible for them to advance.
Many Germans, even when hiding behind large trees for cover, could not block the bullets fired from the slanted bunkers.
Basically, as long as the front entered the position, there were virtually no blind spots for shooting.
"Bang!" Guarnere grinned, firing continuously.
He loaded a magazine and almost without pause, fired all the bullets in one go.
This was Captain Parks's requirement; he demanded that the firepower must be continuous and fierce.
Only then could it inflict maximum casualties on the intruding German forces and deter their advance.
"Five!" Guarnere chuckled, firing while saying to Toy, "If every battle was like this, I think I'd love these Germans to death.
They're purely just letting us practice our marksmanship."
No sooner had he spoken than a volley of bullets struck in front of his observation port, splashing dirt and snow onto Guarnere's face, catching him off guard.
"Pfft!" Guarnere spat out the dirt that had splashed into his mouth and cursed in annoyance, "Damn it! Germans, go to hell!"
With that, he raised his rifle and fired fiercely at the German forces in front.
Toy had his back partially turned to him, but he knew exactly what had just happened.
If Guarnere hadn't spoken, the dirt would definitely not have gotten into his mouth.
He laughed while firing, "Guarnere, this is a gift from the Germans.
You give them bullets, and they give you fresh dirt and snow.
Now you're even!"
"Damn it, watch out yourself, don't let the Germans find a loophole!" Guarnere shouted.
The Germans were hiding behind trees, but from his slanted position, he could see half a body exposed behind the tree.
He raised his rifle, aimed, pulled the Trigger, and then saw that German soldier slide down against the tree trunk, his head slumped, already dead!
"Another one down, I've got six already! Joe!" Guarnere shouted, completely entering an excited state.
This feeling of the enemy being unable to harm him while he could take them down one by one was truly addictive, coupled with the thrill of battle.
Everyone in Easy Company was as tense and excited as Guarnere; even the new recruits, after some initial fumbling, began to overcome their panic and play their part.
Cabastel held his rifle, already working systematically.
The crisp sound of gunfire in his ears, and even the clear "ding" of the magazine ejecting, made him feel as if it were a song and dance show, with the sound of the M1 rifle as the accompanying music.
"Bang!" His shot struck the tree trunk, making the German soldier, who was half-exposed, quickly pull back.
"Damn it!" Cabastel cursed in annoyance.
As he was about to look for the next target, that German soldier suddenly fell down.
Sabins, in the bunker to his front left, gave him a thumbs up, smiling triumphantly at him.
Clearly, that German soldier, in avoiding Cabastel's attack, had exposed his entire body to Sabins.
No one would miss such a good opportunity.
Cabastel smiled at Sabins, then his expression suddenly became very awkward.
Sabins suddenly flipped his upright thumb downwards, a blatant sign of contempt and provocation.
Cabastel's face flushed red, but he couldn't vent his frustration because Sabins had indeed accomplished what he hadn't.
"Go to hell, go to hell! You damn Germans!" Cabastel vented his anger on the German forces.
He fired all his bullets in one go; although he didn't hit a single German, he suppressed them.
The German forces didn't dare to stick their heads out easily; the American forces' firepower from infantry light weapons completely suppressed them.
At this moment, a roaring sound suddenly came from the front, and someone was already shouting, "Tank, German tiger tank!"
Cobb was the first to spot the German tank.
When he looked up, a huge tank was charging towards his bunker.
Although the tank's speed was limited in the forest, it still played a huge role.
The German tank crews, having learned from the previous tank being destroyed, tried to advance behind the infantry.
This was a strange way of charging, breaking the traditional mode of tanks in front and infantry behind.
However, this approach was very effective, allowing them to easily break through.
"Bazooka!" Welsh shouted at the front, but the leading tiger tank was already rushing towards Cobb's bunker.
He frantically shouted to Miller beside him, "Damn it, let's run, if the tank comes, we're dead!"
With that, he quickly crawled out of the bunker.
Miller also scrambled out behind Cobb.
The two of them stumbled and crawled out of the bunker, but the tank clearly spotted them, and its gun barrel slowly turned towards them.
"Oh, damn it!" Miller cried out, then heard a loud "boom."
The tank's shell exploded by the large tree in front of them, splitting the tree in half.
Tree fragments splattered on their faces, leaving trails of blood.
The blast wave nearly knocked them to the ground, but they didn't care.
They stumbled and crawled towards the bunkers behind them, which were Muck's and White's bunkers.
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Muck and Pankala were in one bunker, and Muck was directly facing Miller.
He waved at Miller, shouting, "Hurry, Miller, hurry, come over! The tank is right behind you!"
No sooner had Muck spoken than a "boom" was heard.
The tiger tank's 88mm main gun fired another shot at Miller.
Miller felt as if he had been suddenly pushed from behind.
He flew into the air, then landed heavily on the snow, sliding for over ten meters before landing in front of Muck's bunker.
Muck reached out and quickly pulled him in.
Cobb was very experienced; when he ran, he separated from Miller, and they ran in different directions.
White was also separated from Muck's bunker on two sides.
With White was Malarkey, and White was directly facing Cobb!
The German tank had just knocked Miller down with a shell and was about to turn its gun barrel, but then it saw that Cobb had already run to the side of the bunker.
White pulled Cobb, who was already by the bunker, inside.
With a "boom!" the shell landed on top of the bunker.
Although some of the wood on top was blown away, they were unharmed.
The three of them were knocked to the ground by the impact.
White quickly got up and, looking through the observation port, saw the German tank starting to move, about to cross Cobb's bunker and drive towards White's bunker.
"Damn it, the Germans are coming this way!" Malarkey also ran to this side.
He watched the tank slowly turning this way and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "White, do we have any explosives?
We have to take down that iron beast!"
"Nothing, only grenades! Damn it!" White cursed in annoyance, then watched the tank start up and roll over Cobb's bunker.
They heard the crunching sound of the tank's tracks pressing on the bunker's roof.
With a "thump!" the front of the tank suddenly sank in.
The front of the tank sank into the bunker, making a muffled sound, while the tank's rear rose high.
Clearly, this tiger tank could no longer get out.
Its head had fallen into the wide side of the triangular bunker, and its tail was resting on the two sides forming an inverted triangle, unable to fall further.
It was completely upside down.
Any struggle was futile.
It was clear that the German tank crew also knew this tank was finished.
They lifted the top hatch and scrambled out.
"Haha, let this big guy taste some trouble too!" Cobb also lay by the bunker, watching the tank fall into the bunker, and couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Then, as the German tank crew climbed out, Cobb couldn't hold back.
He raised his rifle and fired a continuous burst from a magazine at them.
Three rifles, "bang bang bang" continuous fire, no less than a light machine gun.
Those few tank crew members had just climbed out when they were shot dead.
One was headshotted as he poked his head out of the hatch.
The one who ran the farthest was also shot down on the snow by White.
This was the advantage of the Parks Bunker.
Its design, from any direction, meant that if a tank charged, the only ultimate outcome would be to end up upside down.
And it wasn't just the tank charging towards Cobb that suffered this fate; three other tanks also got stuck in the bunkers.
However, this was completely unexpected by the German tank crews; their carelessness led to their demise.
"This is great!" Cobb excitedly waved his arm.
At this moment, they saw Muck next to them waving, his expression not very optimistic.
His gesture told White and the others that someone was injured.
Without guessing, they knew it was Miller; he had been blown into the air by the German 88mm tank gun.
"Miller, you'll be fine! Buddy, look at me, look at me, you'll be well soon!" Muck tore open Miller's clothes and found three severely injured areas on his body: one on his chest, one on his thigh, and one on his abdomen.
Muck frantically pressed on his wounds, while Pankala beside him shouted loudly towards the back, "Doctor, doctor, someone is injured here!"
At this moment, rocket launchers continuously flew out of the bunkers, trailing smoke as they flew from the side towards the intruding German tanks, causing huge explosions.
Firing bazookas from inside the bunkers meant there was no need to worry about the danger of being attacked by the German forces.
Christenson calmly prepared the rockets and then aimed steadily.
"Boom!" With another sound, the rocket hit the tank's rear armor plate as it was turning.
This was already the second rocket to hit the rear armor plate.
The tiger tank suddenly lurched, then thick smoke billowed out, and flames shot up.
"Got him!" Christenson chuckled, laughing at Ramirez who was with him, "So what if it's a tiger tank? I still took it down, buddy.
Let's beat them senseless! Let them go home to their mommies!"
The rockets once again played their role in stopping the German tanks.
The German attack was forced to retreat as their tanks were continuously destroyed.
Vikinco hid behind a large tree, not daring to move.
He gripped his rifle tightly, and Jerivix lay at his feet, his eyes grayish-white, staring at him, or perhaps at the front.
Vikinco slowly reached out and gently closed his eyes.
Before this, the man had shown disdain towards him, but now he lay quietly on the snow, just a corpse, and everything the man had said and done before seemed ridiculous and meaningless.
He squatted behind the big tree, still like a frightened rabbit with nowhere to run, his nerves highly strained.
German soldiers constantly passed by him, but now they were not attacking, but retreating in defeat.
People kept falling beside him; from his angle, the fallen German soldiers looked like reeds broken by the wind.
"Hurry up, hurry, we are retreating!" a Sergeant shouted at Vikinco.
He retreated while occasionally turning around to fire a burst in the direction of the American soldiers behind him.
But who knew what he could hit?
The Sergeant saw that Vikinco still hadn't moved and was trembling, knowing he was terrified.
He wanted to rush over and pull him, but he hadn't run a few steps before he was hit by a shot.
The Sergeant stumbled, and before he could fall, this brief pause allowed several more bullets to hit him, knocking him back a few steps with a "thump, thump, thump," then he sat down on the ground, his upper body tilting back, and he lay supine in the snow.
"I said, this is just the beginning!" Vikinco murmured, watching the Sergeant fall to the ground, wanting to pull him up, but his legs felt like they were filled with lead, unable to move.
The Sergeant's death made him completely lose confidence in the entire battle; despair rose from his heart.
"They are all killing machines, we can't beat them," he muttered again.
Snowflakes from the treetops, due to the shock of the explosions, occasionally fell, covering his head and body.
Quietly, he looked like a snow sculpture.
"The Germans have retreated!" Welsh watched through his binoculars as the German soldiers hurriedly retreated.
They came quickly, but they also fled quickly, though they maintained their proper formation and did not flee in a panic.
"Parks, we defeated them!" Welsh's voice was very excited, and he gripped his rifle tightly.
Parks shook his head and said, "The Germans have retreated, but we haven't defeated them yet!"
With that, Parks crawled out of the bunker and shouted to the back, "Luz, tell the mortar crews to fire all their shells.
Harry, let's go out and have a good fight with the Germans.
Immediately notify all platoons to pursue the German army; this is our chance!"
This was indeed an opportunity.
If the German army retreated back to their positions, they would certainly bombard the positions again.
However, during the retreat, Easy Company could seize this opportunity to heavily defeat the German army, completely disrupting their intentions and annihilating a large number of their effective forces.
This would make the Germans wary and reluctant to launch another attack easily.
And the brothers of Easy Company also needed time to rest and reorganize their positions and bunkers, which had been bombed to pieces.
"It's our turn!" Guarnere grabbed his rifle, crawled out of the bunker, and roared, "Brothers, let's go, the Germans are escaping, let's go kill them, those sons of bitches!"
At this moment, Landers's voice also came from not far away, his loud voice urging his squad's brothers to continue advancing.
"To hell with the Germans!" Landers roared, "Pick up your rifles, shoot, now the Germans are targets, what we need to do is target practice, hurry up, don't be like a sissy!"
Easy Company's brothers continuously crawled out of the bunkers, organized into squads, with machine gunners and mortar crews constantly striking the German army.
The German army, which could have retreated calmly, began to scatter under the sudden impact of mortars and machine guns, as well as the continuously pursuing rifles.
One German soldier after another fell, and finally, some could no longer endure the fear, throwing their rifles to the ground and running back desperately.
And some German soldiers chose a more direct method: they knelt on the ground, raising their hands high in surrender.
Parks caught up from behind, continuously passing the running brothers along the way.
They kept running, shooting, and running again, just like obstacle cross-country and armed charges during training; everything was orderly.
All the brothers watched Captain Parks run, his speed very fast, constantly surpassing them, and occasionally shouting, "Hurry, don't let the Germans get away! This is our chance!"
Parks's words encouraged everyone around him.
Charging on the battlefield, Captain Parks seemed to always be at the very front.
He was as agile as a leopard and commanded effectively; his figure charging at the front was always the pillar that gathered the brothers together and moved forward with him.
"Boom!" There was an explosion as a German soldier threw a grenade, but the explosion only caused Parks to pause slightly.
He took a few steps back, steadied himself, and with a lift of his hand, his rifle made a crisp sound.
A bullet passed through the German soldier who threw the grenade, and crimson blood splattered in the air.
Parks did not stop at all; he gestured to the teams on both sides, signaling a full-scale assault.
At the same time, another figure was also sprinting across the snow.
He was equally agile and moved quickly; although not as good as Parks, he was still a capable hand.
He held a submachine gun, constantly spraying and single-firing.
His hat brim was pulled very low, but it did not hinder his charging speed or shooting accuracy.
Parks came from behind and overtook him.
He glanced at the figure charging ahead, as brave as a tiger, and suddenly raised his rifle.
With a "bang," a German soldier behind that figure fell headfirst.
The figure then stopped, smiled slightly at Parks, and gave a thumbs-up.
Parks also smiled slightly and gave him a thumbs-up.
Lieutenant Speirs was determined to show something in the battle; he wanted to prove himself a brave soldier, or perhaps a reliable officer.
The moment the German army retreated, he knew it was a good opportunity for pursuit.
He waited for Captain Parks's order to attack, then led the Third Platoon to be the first to counterattack.
He charged very fast.
The German army retreated, and not many of them turned to fire.
Most of the German soldiers just wanted to quickly retreat to their defensive line and let the artillery deal with the Americans.
So, Lieutenant Speirs advanced as if through an uninhabited land.
Even if he encountered one or two German soldiers who turned to resist, they were either kicked down by Speirs and then hit with a burst, or they were shot down from afar by him.
"God, is this guy crazy?" Muck, who was desperately running behind him, couldn't help but complain, but he was quickly mocked by Hubler, who caught up from behind.
"Hey, be careful, he's Lieutenant Speirs, don't you know his story?" Hubler winked at him, then followed Lieutenant Speirs and charged up.
To be honest, Hubler really admired Lieutenant Speirs.
"Hey, Hubler, wait for me!" Muck shouted from behind, then also charged up.
Speirs knew Captain Parks was nearby; he wanted to compete with Captain Parks, and both of them charged incredibly fast.
However, he didn't expect that Parks would ultimately save Lieutenant Speirs once.
Speirs was not unconvinced but rather very impressed; Parks's reaction and speed were ultimately superior to his own.
Moreover, the outcome of this battle was precisely due to Parks's arrangements.
All along the way, there were German soldiers kneeling on the ground with their hands raised in surrender, and some wounded soldiers groaning on the ground.
Even more, however, were corpses lying on the ground; they lay there permanently, no longer caring who won or lost.
"I almost couldn't keep up with you!" At this moment, a panting voice came from behind.
Welsh rushed over, leaning one hand on a tree trunk, gasping for breath.
"Are we still going to attack? We're already at the edge of the forest.
If we continue to pursue, the German army might use the open ground to inflict casualties on us!"
Parks nodded, then said to Speirs, "We'll retreat.
Tell the brothers to fall back.
Harry, notify all platoons to retreat immediately and stay in the bunkers.
We need to guard against German artillery fire; once they retreat to their defensive line, they might bombard us again."
"Understood!" Welsh nodded, then began to dispatch soldiers to relay the orders.
At this moment, Lieutenant Halliger also ran over.
He saw Parks, who had already stopped, and couldn't help but ask, "Are we retreating, Captain?"
"Halliger, escort the prisoners back to Battalion HQ and report our situation to Battalion HQ.
We are retreating to prevent a second German attack!" Parks issued orders in an orderly fashion, then gestured to Speirs.
The two nodded and began to call their brothers to retreat back to the defensive line.
When the brothers returned to the bunkers, the German shells arrived as expected.
They had suffered a heavy blow, so the shelling became even more fierce and dense.
The sounds of 88mm and 105mm artillery, as well as the MG42 heavy machine guns, poured down on Easy Company's position like rain, causing the bunkers to rumble and constantly shaking down wood splinters and large chunks of snow, which fell into the brothers' necks, and dirt flew everywhere, almost making it impossible to open one's eyes.
"Have Reese and the others returned to the bunker, Buck?" Winters asked Lieutenant Compton, who was beside him, raising his binoculars in the bunker behind.
"Yes, Dick!" Lieutenant Compton nodded and said, "This is the result I personally observed.
Don't worry, Dick, Parks will handle it very well; he is an excellent commander."
"This is the second time you've asked that question!" Nixon looked at Winters, shaking his head and smiling.
The sound of explosions made their conversation very difficult.
Although only an occasional shell might fall on their position, the dense explosions and the sound of the MG42 machine gun still made Winters uncontrollably worried.
"I know, I know!" Winters put down his binoculars, looked at Nixon, and said, "You're always right; Parks will take good care of Easy Company.
He'll even take better care of Easy Company's brothers than I will."
Winters walked a couple of steps and found a wooden box to sit on.
He was a clean guy and always disdained sitting on dirt.
"After such an intense shelling this time, will the German army continue to attack?" Winters muttered to himself, then pulled out a map from his pocket, spread it on another wooden box in the bunker, and frowned.
"Perhaps!" Nixon didn't look at the map; he just looked at Winters and said, "If the German army finds a way to break through Parks Bunker, they will attack again, and it will be even more intense.
But before that, I think they will still consider it carefully.
Do you know how many people's attack we repelled? A regiment's worth of troops.
Counting the forces from their other companies that were tying us down, this was already more than a regiment.
Think about it, how well did Parks do?"
A slight smile appeared on Winters's lips, and he nodded: "Very good, Parks Bunker, I like it!"
It was a miracle in itself that over a hundred people withstood the attack of over a thousand German soldiers. What was even more miraculous was that the German army not only failed to win the attack but also suffered heavy losses during their retreat.
Their battle losses exceeded two hundred, while Easy Company soldiers, relying on advantageous bunkers, suffered minimal casualties: five killed and over thirty wounded, which occurred during the pursuit of the enemy.
Among those sacrificed was Miller, who had been with White.
Miller died on the way to the hospital behind Bastogne. At his side were Huxley and Heffron. The three of them had always been the best in Easy Company.
Miller died screaming in pain, under the gaze of the two. Huxley still remembered Miller's eyes, full of a longing for life, and his body struggling as he tried to take another breath.
Huxley refused to accept the fact. He held Miller's hand tightly, muttering, "We'll be at the hospital soon. The doctors will save you. They're highly skilled, don't worry. We still have to go to Paris together to have fun!
Haha, you made such a fool of yourself in Paris that time, you couldn't find any women, all because of that guy Cobb, wasn't it? He's just an idiot!"
"He's dead!" Heffron said to the self-talking Huxley, "He's dead, Huxley, you need to know that. What you're saying now is useless!"
Huxley suddenly stopped. He stared at Heffron with a confused expression: "He's dead? Is he dead? God! How could this happen, how could this happen..." He was already sobbing uncontrollably, burying his face deep in his hands.
Heffron patted his shoulder, then put an arm around his head and pulled him closer, letting him lean on his shoulder, comforting him softly: "Don't worry, don't worry, Huxley, we're still here, we still have many brothers."
Yes, every man in Easy Company was a brother, and this was most evident in combat. The brothers of Easy Company were somewhat exhausted, both physically and mentally, after a major battle, but before they could clean up the battlefield, Captain Parks ordered them back to the bunker to prevent another German shelling.
Parks watched his brothers return, and only then did he, rifle in hand, follow at the very rear of his brothers. This had become his gradually developed habit, especially after becoming a company commander.
Charging at the front, retreating at the rear, only in this way could he earn the trust of his brothers.
Welsh followed beside him, the two of them maintaining a distance, one on the left, one on the right. Aside from occasional jokes, the brothers had no energy or mood for humor, even after winning this major battle.
Everyone walked silently, only the "creak," "creak" of their boots on the snow could be heard.
Suddenly, Parks squatted down, clenching his hand into a fist and raising it, signaling everyone to stop. He had heard a slight disturbance. When returning to defense, the most taboo thing was encountering German snipers, just as he dealt with the German, it would cause unpredictable losses to his brothers.
The sound came from under a large tree, where three German soldiers lay. Two were sprawled on the snow, and one leaned against the large tree, sitting beneath it. Snow covered all three, as if they were three snowmen.
But now, the German soldier sitting under the large tree suddenly moved, seemingly trying to struggle to get up.
"Hands up!" Parks aimed his rifle at him and spoke to the German soldier in standard German, then signaled to Welsh, "Keep moving forward with the brothers!" As he spoke, he kept his eyes fixed on the German soldier, watching him slowly raise his hands.
"Slowly stand up!" Parks continued to command, "Put your hands on your head, slowly, yes, yes!" Parks approached the German soldier, signaling a nearby soldier to search his body. The German soldier had no weapons on him, and his eyes appeared dull, completely lifeless.
But Parks knew that this German soldier had lost his will to fight.
"What's your name?" Parks slung his rifle over his shoulder and asked the German soldier.
The German soldier looked at him blankly, hesitated for a moment, then said, "Vikinco!"
Parks nodded and said to the soldier beside him, "Take him to the POW camp!" He had no intention of saying anything more to this prisoner of war. This German soldier had no fighting spirit left. He had no interest in such people.
He continued walking back to his defensive line with his rifle slung over his shoulder.
"Sir, can I take my friend's body with me?" Suddenly, he heard the German soldier shouting from behind him, "Sir, please, I want to take him with me!"
Parks couldn't help but stop. Lieutenant Welsh also stopped ahead of him; it was clear he had heard the request as well. This request was very strange, at least to the officers and soldiers of Easy Company, it was the first time a German prisoner of war had made such a request.
Several people stopped, looking at the German prisoner of war, Vikinco, and then at their company commander, Parks.
"Why?" Parks asked, though he shouldn't have. But he still asked, he wanted to hear the German say the reason he already knew.
Burying one's brother was a tradition in Easy Company, so what would it be like in the German army? Everyone who had stopped to watch wanted to know the answer.
"I promised him I wouldn't let his body be exposed in the wilderness, and he also promised me he wouldn't let my body be eaten by wild dogs!" Vikinco looked at Parks, his eyes showing a pleading expression, completely different from his previous blank gaze.
"Please, sir!" Vikinco looked at Parks. His lips were blue, and his body was trembling from being covered by snow for so long, but his eyes gradually became firm.
He made his request to Parks again, "Sir, if I can't take his body, then please shoot me! Let me be with him."
Parks's mouth twitched. He looked at Welsh, and Lieutenant Welsh nodded at him. It was clear he strongly agreed that this German soldier should be allowed to bury his brother.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on Parks.
"Take him!" Parks finally spoke, pursing his lips. "Take your brother, carry him yourself. I hope you'll be fast. If your people start shelling again, we won't be able to help you!"
Parks then said to the soldier guarding him, "Watch him carefully. If the German starts shelling, shoot him and then return to your bunker. Understand?"
"Understood, sir!" The soldier nodded, slightly raising his rifle, signaling Vikinco to take his companion. Vikinco looked at Jerivix, whose body was already covered in snow, and carefully wiped the snow from his face, his movements gentle, as if afraid of waking him.
In truth, he had lied just now; he hadn't promised Jerivix anything, and they hadn't spoken of burying each other's bodies. But he felt that only by taking him would he feel a little more at ease.
It was as if Jerivix was alive, looking at him with disdain or admiration, and that was the only way he could feel alive himself.
Vikinco laboriously dragged Jerivix's body through the snow. He used almost all his strength to avoid falling behind, but he gritted his teeth and persevered.
Along the way, he drew many glances from the soldiers of Easy Company. They watched the German's strange behavior, none of them spoke, but no one helped him.
Parks ignored the German, although he understood the German soldier's feelings, he still decided not to bother with him.
He merely urged the brothers of Easy Company to return to their bunkers as quickly as possible to prevent the next round of German shelling. That was the priority; otherwise, perhaps next time it would be his own brothers lying in the snow.
Just as Parks led his men back into the bunker, Colonel Sink had already received Captain Winters' combat report. His expression was peculiar.
Although he knew Parks would hold the line, he hadn't expected such a brilliant counterattack.
"Look, Easy Company's combat report came in very quickly!" Colonel Sink handed the report to Colonel Strehl beside him, a strange smile on his face.
A company had held the line, facing a regimental assault, and the German army had poured shells onto their defensive line almost without regard for ammunition. "Isn't this a miracle?"
"A miracle?" Colonel Strehl looked at the report, then smiled and shook his head. "Has Parks given us any fewer miracles? It's just that in the past, he always used surprise attacks, achieving maximum success with minimal cost.
I never expected him to be so effective in defensive battles as well; that's what truly amazes me. Perhaps this is the Parks Miracle!"
"The Parks Miracle?" Colonel Sink smiled, "Perhaps it could also be called the Parks Bunker Miracle. The report highlights the role of the bunker, and in practical combat, this bunker is undoubtedly a key factor in success!"
Afterward, he stood in the temporary command post's makeshift building and looked outside. "What else will he give us?"
Strehl suddenly chuckled. He said to Colonel Sink, "Based on the results of this battle, it should be time for you to worry. He has already received a Medal of Honor.
Now you should think about what kind of medal to apply for him, because if he achieves any more significant battle results, he will again be eligible for another Medal of Honor. But have you ever seen anyone receive two consecutive Medals of Honor?"
Strehl's smile was mischievous. But then he said to Colonel Sink, "After the German hit a wall at Easy Company, will they try to break through elsewhere?"
Would the German army attempt to break through elsewhere? The German command was already in an uproar. The German SS 2nd Panzer Division had suffered unprecedented heavy losses.
Even when they engaged the 1st Battalion of the 506th Regiment of the U.S. 101st Airborne Division and the U.S. 10th Armored Division's Desobry Team, although the fighting was tough, there were mutual victories and losses, and ultimately they defeated the U.S. forces.
Now, they had suffered an unprecedented defeat almost before they had fully understood the strength of the U.S. forces, leading to significant disagreements in their opinions.