The trucks slowly drove away from Lacham and began to head towards Alsace.
They would again pass through the road that crosses Bastogne, the same one they took when they left Momyon on December 18th.
They returned along this road.
They saw Bastogne again, where they had previously encountered groups of dazed, frightened, and dispirited American soldiers.
They had fled from the front lines, massacred by the German army, filled with despair and decadence.
But now it was January 18, 1945, exactly one month since the brothers of Easy Company departed from Momyon Camp and garrisoned Bastogne.
Everyone in the truck silently looked at the small town, with various emotions brewing in their hearts.
Bastogne was the toughest period they had endured.
Cold, hunger, casualties, and endless fear—here, they suffered greatly but also gradually became stronger, and this experience would forever remain in their hearts.
Perhaps they would never again encounter such hardships in the future, and even if they did, they would use their experience in Bastogne to convince themselves to keep fighting—what could be worse than Bastogne!
Easy Company suffered heavy casualties; the exact numbers were impossible to tally, as the company roster was incomplete when they hastily left Momyon, and new recruits and replacements came and went without full registration, while wounded soldiers returned sequentially after leaving.
The current total is 123 men, which is due to their having received two batches of new recruits and replacements.
As the truck passed through Bastogne, Captain Parks welcomed several more returning men: Muck, Patrick Christenson, and Pankala, who had escaped from the hospital and were waiting by the roadside for the truck to pass.
Sergeant Guarnere spotted them waving their scarves by the roadside; they shouted at Guarnere, catching his attention.
Finally, they boarded the truck, squeezing into the back of the truck where Guarnere was.
"Haha, I thought it was Belgian girls cheering for us! Goodness, you know, the way you were standing by the road waving your scarves, you looked like girls in the throes of passion!" Guarnere laughed heartily.
"Shut up, Mr. Gonorrhea!" Patrick Christenson yelled back at Guarnere irritably.
"I guess you ran away on your own, Muck, I know you too well.
And you two, if I'm not mistaken, you don't have discharge papers from the hospital.
Goodness, why do so many troublesome things happen to me?" It was Captain Heiliger, their Platoon Leader, speaking from inside the truck.
He shook his head at the three, "You are always trouble-makers!"
"Why are you a Platoon Leader?" Pankala chuckled, "I was just thinking, if I get back to the company, I won't go anywhere else, I'll just go straight to First Platoon.
Captain Heiliger can always handle it.
Just treat us as replacements, Lieutenant, we're not picky, we're even willing to be soldiers!"
"You're all wrong, you should call him Captain!" Guarnere chuckled, saying to Pankala.
At this moment, the three also noticed the two silver bars on Captain Heiliger's inner military uniform, peeking out from the collar of his overcoat.
Muck couldn't help but whistle and then shouted, "Alright, brothers, we can rest assured this time, Heiliger has become a Captain.
Let's stay in First Platoon, I'm not going to Second Platoon, let them find more replacements!"
"Congratulations, Captain!" Hubler and Pankala both shook Captain Heiliger's hand and then sincerely thanked him.
"Let Captain Parks decide.
You won't trick me!" Captain Heiliger shrugged, chuckling, no longer engaging in verbal sparring with them.
Meanwhile, Captain Winters's jeep also encountered Lieutenant Welsh on the road in Bastogne.
His injuries had largely healed, but he was unwilling to suffer there any longer.
He heard that Easy Company was passing through today, so he waited by the roadside, and upon seeing Captain Winters's jeep, he desperately waved his hand and shouted loudly, "Dick, hey, Dick, over here!"
The jeep pulled away from the convoy and stopped beside Lieutenant Welsh.
Captain Winters saw Lieutenant Welsh waving desperately at him, got out of the car, and shook his hand: "I guess you snuck out."
Lieutenant Welsh chuckled, saying, "Do you mind?"
Captain Winters looked at him amusedly, then gestured with his head, "Get in, fellow.
Maybe I'll send you to a court-martial later.
But you'll have to squeeze."
Captain Nixon and Lieutenant Compton were also in the jeep.
Captain Nixon looked at Welsh and chuckled, shaking his head and laughing, "It seems you're planning to give Reese a surprise.
But he's still in the truck right now, with the brothers from the company, you'll have to wait a while until we reach Alsace, then you can catch up with him."
"Captain Parks doesn't lack helpers now!" Compton added, then chuckled to himself, shaking his head, "His best partner is back, he'll be freed from tedious administration, heaven knows how profound the report he wrote about Lacham was, I almost couldn't understand it, but now that you're back, I won't worry about that problem."
"I'll tell Reese on you, you'd better be careful!" Welsh chuckled, settling firmly into the car.
"How's the leg wound?" Winters sat in the driver's seat, driving the whole way.
"Very good, I finally caught up with you all.
I think by the time we reach Alsace, it will be completely healed!" Lieutenant Welsh chuckled, "I can't wait to be with the brothers, I can't stand that pungent smell and gloomy environment, if I stayed a few more days, I might go crazy."
"I've been to that place, so I agree with you, Harry!" Compton, sitting next to Welsh, nodded.
Indeed, as Welsh said, hospitals were places many people didn't want to stay in; as soon as their injuries improved, they always tried to find ways to escape.
Just imagine, if life was constantly filled with complaints, curses, blood, and screams, then life would lose its color, and people would become sensitive and timid.
The aid station in Bastogne still existed there, and perhaps it would be disbanded soon.
But many wounded soldiers were familiar with it, especially Dr. Luo.
He raised his head and looked out even before the truck arrived.
The aid station was not on the road the truck was passing, but Dr. Luo poked his head out from under the truck's tarpaulin and looked outside, able to see the outline of the aid station.
"Are you looking at her?" Parks was sitting inside this truck, and he said to Dr. Luo, who was constantly poking his head out and looking around, "Are you sure you can see her from the truck, Eugene!"
"No, Sir!" Dr. Luo pulled his head back in, then pulled up a corner of the tarpaulin so he could constantly look outside, watching the small town of Bastogne.
His feelings were different from everyone else's; in Bastogne, he had gained suffering, and also the respect of his brothers, and even more, a relationship that no one else had ever experienced.
"Forget about it, this is just an accident in the war!" Parks looked at Dr. Luo, then patted Malarkey, who was sitting next to Dr. Luo, and swapped places with him, sitting down next to Dr. Luo.
"No, Sir, this might be an accident, but I—I made a promise.
We descendants of Indians value such promises very much; these promises can help us find ourselves, even after getting lost in reality!" Dr. Luo glanced at Parks, then looked outside again, "I promised that as soon as the war ends, I will return here.
Then I'll marry her and live out my life peacefully.
Sir, that's what I'm thinking right now."
"Alright, Eugene, good luck!" Parks patted his hand and then nodded.
At some point, he had almost forgotten his promises to women.
From Jennifer at Taccoa Barracks to Virginia in New York.
Since being reborn into this world, he had viewed emotional relationships between men and women very lightly, even somewhat playfully.
He admitted that while he liked Jennifer, he also fell in love with Virginia, but he had never thought about making any promises to either of them, and even if he did, they were like reflections in a mirror, just casual words.
This was a side effect of his rebirth, a reaction and self-protection after viewing male-female relationships coldly.
But now looking at Dr. Luo's expression, Parks couldn't help but fall into deep thought: had he really gone too far?
But he was also conflicted: how should he make promises to two women?
As the trucks passed through Bastogne, a light snow began to fall, with snowflakes swirling in the wind.
The weather gradually turned cold.
The road surface was also very slippery, making driving dangerous, so the trucks moved slowly, as if walking.
In the cold wind, Dr. Luo suddenly saw a figure standing gracefully by the roadside, a blue scarf fluttering in the wind, with long strands of hair brushing against her fair face.
Her eyes narrowed slightly in the cold wind, then stared at one truck after another.
Although the trucks were covered with tarpaulins, she hoped that the tarpaulin of one truck might lift a corner, allowing her to catch another glimpse of that familiar figure.
Her figure appeared thin and frail in the cold wind.
"Eugene!" Parks also saw the blue scarf in the wind and shouted to Dr. Luo.
Before his voice fell, Dr. Luo had already jumped off the truck and sprinted towards the roadside, his eyes only on the blue scarf fluttering in the wind.
"Eugene!" Renee finally saw him.
She had always felt her hope wouldn't be realized.
She stood stubbornly, wanting to stand until all the trucks had passed, but she still saw it—she saw that familiar figure jump off the truck and sprint towards her.
The two embraced tightly.
Dr. Luo cupped her face in his hands, then fiercely kissed her pale red, somewhat frozen lips.
Their cold lips met and gradually warmed, and Renee could no longer support her body, softly collapsing into Dr. Luo's arms.
Passing trucks at this moment all lifted their tarpaulins, continuously whistling at the two, some even cheering.
Yes, in war, no matter the place or time, such moments were extremely precious.
With a "click," this scene was permanently captured in the camera.
War correspondent Spike Labov leaned out from under the truck's tarpaulin, holding his camera, and captured this moving moment.
This created one of the most classic and heartwarming memories of World War II, moving peace-loving people all over the world during the war!
Easy Company departed Noville, intending to advance 160 miles southeast of Bastogne into Alsace.
However, due to the snow, the roads gradually became very slippery, and driving became dangerous, causing the convoy's speed to slow considerably.
Guarnere's prophecy came true; they had to get out of the vehicles repeatedly along the way to relieve themselves.
But that was fine; since the convoy was moving slowly, they could always catch up to the trucks even after taking a break.
However, those with Guarnere could not escape his mockery.
The truck convoy passed through Bastogne, then through Belfort, Virton, Etalle, Toul, Nancy, and Durlingham, but along the way, Lipton fell ill.
He had a high fever and was trembling all over!
Yet, he insisted on not going to the military hospitals in the areas they passed through.
But when the convoy reached Nancy, Captain Winters gave an order for him to see a doctor at the local garrison hospital.
He had Lieutenant Compton personally drive Lipton to see the military doctor in a jeep.
"Sergeant, you have pneumonia and need to be transferred to a larger hospital.
I can only give you an injection and some medicine now.
If you insist on continuing the march, I'm afraid your condition will worsen!"
The young doctor looked at Lipton, shaking his head.
"That won't do, Doctor.
I am Easy Company's First Sergeant, and I don't want to go anywhere."
Lipton shook his head firmly.
He had just been promoted to First Sergeant by Captain Parks, and he absolutely did not want to cause such a departure from the company right after taking office.
"I think you should listen to the doctor's advice!"
Compton shook his head at Lipton, "Don't worry, the brothers of Easy Company will be well taken care of.
Don't make the brothers of Easy Company worry about you."
Lipton looked at him, shook his head again, then turned to the doctor and said, "Give me more anti-inflammatory medicine, aspirin or something.
Buck, don't say those things; I can't hear you.
Either you drive me back to the company, or you go back yourself, and I'll walk back to the company."
Lipton looked at Compton, his expression very firm.
Compton watched him for a while, and seeing that he had no intention of backing down, he shrugged and said, "Alright, you win!
I'll drive you back to the company.
I hope Captain Winters and your company commander, Captain Parks, will let you off the hook.
You'd best pray!"
With that, he gestured to Lipton and jumped into the driver's seat.
When the company reached Durlingham, it was already night, and the convoy stopped to camp there.
Captain Parks's first order of business was to find Lipton.
He didn't want this guy to collapse.
Originally, he had not left the company because of this pneumonia.
"Come here, Lipton.
I found a good place for you!" Captain Parks said to Lipton.
Regardless of whether he wanted to, he led him to the home of a German couple.
There was only an elderly German couple in the house.
They seemed very welcoming when they saw Captain Parks and his men, clearly, Captain Parks had already communicated with them beforehand.
"It's good to see you, Captain!"
Although the German old man was seventy, he looked as energetic as if he were in his fifties, while the old woman appeared very haggard, with sunken eyes, but a faint smile could still be seen on her face.
The old man embraced Captain Parks, then embraced Lipton.
The German old man spoke German, which Lipton didn't understand.
Parks smiled and translated, "They say you are very welcome; you are a distinguished guest!"
With that, he and Lipton followed the German old man into the house, one after the other.
A fire was burning in the fireplace in the living room.
There was a rocking chair in front of the fireplace.
The elderly German couple warmly entertained them, providing them with a very nice dinner.
Then, at Parks's request, Lipton lay down in the rocking chair by the fireplace and covered himself with a thick blanket.
The German old man walked over with a smile.
He brought some strong pine schnapps and apple strudel.
"Sergeant, have some!" the German old man said, pouring a glass of wine and handing it over, then pouring another for Captain Parks.
"When I had typhoid, I usually drank wine and then sweated it out.
That made me much better.
Look at my body now, it's great!"
With that, he specifically showed off his body to demonstrate his strength.
Parks smiled and translated his words to Lipton, which made Lipton, who had been a bit hesitant to drink strong liquor, laugh.
He had never drunk strong liquor before, but this time, he drank it little by little.
He also ate quite a few apple strudels.
Then, while talking with Parks and the German old man, he drifted off to sleep.
"It's hard to imagine Germans being so kind to us!" Lipton mumbled before falling asleep.
But the German old man didn't understand.
He looked at Parks curiously, hoping for a translation.
Captain Parks told him truthfully.
"For you, are we considered invaders now?" Captain Parks continued Lipton's words, "Now I can't believe that one day I would enter Germany in this way with a group of soldiers."
He looked at the old man, feeling that he was no different from any ordinary European.
He saw no fanaticism brought by fascism, or blind spiritual pursuit of the German Nazis, in him.
He was just an ordinary, aging European old man, without regard for national borders.
"No, young man, actually I was once a soldier too.
I know what war is."
The old man slightly reined in his smile, "My son loved this country very much, so he joined the SS and, like you, rose to the rank of Captain.
But he died in Normandy.
However, for me, there is nothing to regret.
I wouldn't dissuade him from joining the army; it was his choice, just like I chose World War I back then.
It's just that I was lucky enough not to die."
Parks nodded.
He didn't speak, but sat quietly in the chair, holding his wine glass, looking at Lipton, and then at the dancing flames in the fireplace.
"You are the first German to say such a thing to me!"
Parks was stunned for a long moment, then couldn't help but look up at the old man with a slight smile, raised his glass, and took a small sip of wine.
"I've heard a lot about this war, and its reasons.
War always entails death.
But my mission is to ensure that the men in my company do not die for this war!
That is my mission!"
The old man couldn't help but look at Captain Parks, then smiled and said, "This is also the most moving conversation about war I've ever heard.
I remember an officer once said something similar to me, also an American.
I wonder if he's still doing well now.
On Christmas Day, whether it was us or the enemy, everyone celebrated wildly in the trenches and drank.
No one fired a shot; we enjoyed the peace and joy that Christmas brought.
There were no shells, no attack whistles, no screams or blood.
We all drank too much, and then an American officer put his arm around my shoulder and said the exact same thing you just said!"
Upon hearing this, Captain Parks couldn't help but smile faintly.
He nodded and said, "I'm afraid many people thought that way at the time.
I'm just one of them.
What was the name of that American officer?
I'm still a little curious about that."
"Orick Ben Parks."
The old man spoke the American officer's full name, which showed his respect for this American officer.
In fact, this American officer was a legend among both armies at the time because of an incident in a subsequent battle: "An excellent soldier, an officer with a constantly compassionate heart."
He didn't notice the expression of the Captain officer beside him at all.
Parks's expression at this moment seemed very strange.
Yes, he heard his father's name from this German old man.
Was this a coincidence or something?
Perhaps it was someone with the same name?
Parks didn't press the matter.
He felt very little for this father, this convenient father; he had always been rather uninterested, the reason stemming from the memories within this body itself: abusive, even mistreating his wife, and never showing a good face to the original Parks.
"In one offensive battle, he saved a little German girl, and as a result, he was wounded by the little girl's father.
But he still insisted on taking the little girl to a safe place.
I was right there at the time.
I aimed at him, but I didn't shoot.
Originally, this was very common in war, but when I saw the little girl's face, I felt deeply ashamed of my actions."
The old man sighed deeply, "I saved him, helped him bandage his wounds, removed the bullet, and sent him to a safe zone.
Actually, it was only because I had drunk with him that night, and because of that one sentence he said!"
Parks was speechless for a long time.
He found it hard to digest the old man's words.
He couldn't fully comprehend that his father, a father who saved a little girl in war, could be a violent man, a man who tormented his wife and son.
He felt somewhat conflicted.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" The old woman came out of another room at some point.
She smiled slightly at Parks and said, "Captain, the room is ready for you, it's just a bit simple!"
Captain Parks nodded somewhat absently and said, "Thank you very much, Madam!"
With that, he stood up, nodded and smiled at the old man, "A very moving story, it left a deep impression on me.
I think the officer you mentioned is admirable, but your actions are also greatly to be admired.
This is a valuable asset to me!"
With that, he extended his hand and shook the old man's hand.
The old man released his hand, then rubbed them together and chuckled, "I've told this story to many people, but you are the first American I've told it to.
Good luck, Captain!
And don't take it too much to heart; just think of it as a kind fairy tale!"
Captain Parks nodded.
Then he turned and followed the old woman into the room, a simple room with a single bed.
But it was very tidy.
Parks looked through the crack in the door again at Lipton, who was sleeping by the fireplace, and then lay down.
Early the next morning, Parks was awakened by a knock on the door.
It was Lipton waiting outside.
He shouted at Parks, "Sir, we're leaving!"
From his voice, he sounded very energetic.
And in fact, he was.
When Parks saw him, he looked radiant, although his eyes still seemed a bit sunken, but he no longer had a fever.
He would probably be completely well after a few more doses of medicine.
After bidding farewell to the German couple, Lipton said proudly, "It must have been the strong liquor.
I never thought my first time drinking strong liquor would cure my pneumonia.
This is truly a miracle!"
Parks retorted dismissively, "Yes, it's a miracle.
Next time, just skip the needles and medicine.
Just have the doctor prescribe you a bottle of strong whiskey!"
But no matter what, Lipton was able to continue with Easy Company.
And the convoy was very soon to enter their designated destination—Alsace.
As they gradually approached, everyone's mood became very complicated!
Easy Company arrived in Alsace, but they were not immediately sent to the front lines.
They were used as reserves, constantly moving from one village to another every day.
The weather began to warm up, with sunshine every day melting the snow on the ground, making the roads very muddy and difficult to traverse!
But they were lucky; on their third day in Alsace, they got access to showers that could accommodate 215 people per hour.
Although the water wasn't very hot, they no longer had to endure icy cold water.
Many people scrubbed themselves frantically, rubbing with soap over and over until they felt they had removed all the grime from over a month.
After a refreshing shower, everyone looked revitalized; some even found razors and shaved their faces clean to appear more energetic.
"Lipton, the quartermaster truck has brought what we wanted!" Captain Parks waited for Lipton outside the shower room.
He looked much more energetic, completely free from the decline and depression that pneumonia had brought him.
"Have the men get the supplies; this is an extra benefit for us.
Also, turn in old clothes, sleeping bags, blankets, and the like to the quartermaster to take to the laundry room."
Saying this, Parks patted Lipton on the shoulder before leaving.
Even after walking quite a distance, he could still hear the excited shouts and whistles of the men inside the shower room.
This made Parks shake his head and smile.
Lieutenant Welsh had returned to the company headquarters; the wound on his leg hadn't fully healed, and he limped a bit when he walked, tidying things up in the company command post.
Just then, Captain Parks pushed the door open and entered.
"Damn it, Harry, I told you, let someone else do this; you need to be in bed, not standing here walking around.
For heaven's sake, even if you sit somewhere, it would be better than this!"
Parks looked at Lieutenant Welsh and shook his head with a bitter smile, "What do you think you're doing?"
"Reese, alright, alright, I just want to make myself seem useful.
If someone else were to clean this room, he would definitely be thinking, 'Look at that cripple, he can't do anything.'"
Welsh turned around again, then placed a bag of documents on the table, "Now it's proven that besides being a bit lame, I can still do things."
Parks walked over, put the bag of documents in the cabinet, then sat down and said to Lieutenant Welsh, "You can do the work of a supply clerk?
Heaven, Harry, you're the executive officer of Easy Company, a Lieutenant!"
"I know, but I just can't break this habit.
Heaven knows what's wrong with me; I'm already a Lieutenant, yet I'm still so enthusiastic about the work of a supply clerk!"
Lieutenant Welsh clapped his hands, then walked to the opposite side of Parks and sat down, rubbing his leg.
"I've only been at it for less than an hour, and I already feel like I can't take it anymore.
It seems that my time in the hospital not only spoiled my appetite but also my body."
"You'll break down sooner or later!" Captain Parks looked at him, then said to Welsh, "battalion headquarters will send a Lieutenant officer over, named Hank Jones, a West Point Military Academy graduate.
He graduated from Fort Benning Airborne School at the end of December last year and was then assigned to serve as a junior officer.
It seems he has some background.
You know, Colonel Sink never calls me about officer assignments, but this time he specifically told me this information and even introduced his situation in detail."
"West Point!" Lieutenant Welsh whistled, chuckling, "We're already short on officers, and he's a top student!
It seems your reputation has grown; people are trying to use you to get a gilded resume in Easy Company.
This will be the last time those young guys get to benefit from you being the commander of Easy Company."
Parks looked at Welsh, his mouth twitching, and said, "You know?"
"Of course I know; this matter has at least spread among the officers.
You're going to be promoted to Major, and Sink might transfer you to battalion headquarters.
This is no secret."
Lieutenant Welsh chuckled, "Some people are even considering who your successor will be, Captain Heiliger? Or Captain Speirs?
Are you still trying to hide this well-known secret?"
Parks couldn't help but laugh, then looked at Welsh and said, "I originally wanted to tell you later.
But—you know, I don't want to make it so feminine.
Nothing is set in stone yet, and even so, I can't go to battalion headquarters.
Dick has already given me a job.
The executive officer of Second Battalion, I think this job should suit me very well!"
"There's no better arrangement than this."
This outcome made Lieutenant Welsh happy as well, as they could continue fighting in the same battalion.
"Have you thought about who you should recommend to lead Easy Company?
Colonel Sink still values your opinion; I think you have a say on this matter!"
Parks looked at Lieutenant Welsh, then nodded and said, "Our conversation is just between the two of us."
"Yes, I promise!" Lieutenant Welsh nodded.
"I lean more towards Captain Heiliger," Parks stated his position to Lieutenant Welsh.
"Captain Speirs is one of the bravest officers I've ever seen, but in combat, his flaws are also very obvious.
The men also have some private complaints, which isn't a good thing.
We need a brave company commander, but we also need a company commander the men trust and love.
This is Easy Company's tradition, and I don't want to break it.
So Heiliger is the best choice!"
"Fantastic!
You know what I'm thinking?
I think if it's Heiliger, that would be a wonderful thing!
I like him."
Welsh chuckled, "At the very least, after you leave, I can still find a company commander with whom I have a lot to talk.
This is also a legacy, Easy Company's, Reese!"
Parks indeed played a crucial role in the selection of the company commander.
Because when Colonel Sink explained Lieutenant Jones's situation, he had asked Parks for his opinion.
His ultimate hope was that Parks could recommend a company commander who could inherit Parks's combat essence and continue to build Easy Company into an elite force, an elite force that would not be too affected even if Parks left.
Therefore, Parks's opinion would determine the final choice for Easy Company's commander.
The men were largely unaware of the change in company commanders; they continued to live their simple lives.
Lipton directed the sergeants to lead the Easy Company soldiers to unload the trucks, and then they saw high-top boots, complete with thermal socks and felt insoles.
"What a bunch of geniuses!" Malarkey couldn't help but exclaim when he saw these items.
Luz, standing nearby, couldn't help but shout at the truck driver, "Over a month ago in Bastogne, we needed you, but where were you?"
Yes, over a month ago, the men were in the forests of Bastogne, starving and suffering from hunger and cold, yet isolated and helpless.
"Alright, Luz, don't yell at him; they don't fall for that.
I think these are just what's left over for them; they've already kept the good stuff for themselves.
Who doesn't know?
When supplies are shipped from the U.S., the best are first taken by the big shots in London, then when they're transferred to trains, the best of what's left is taken by the transport troops, then on the trucks, the best of what's left is taken again, and when they arrive at the camp, the officers pick what they're satisfied with, and finally, the inferior goods are for us soldiers.
Damn it, we're the lowest of the low.
They don't care how we're dressed or what we eat!"
Guarnere seemed to harbor a great deal of resentment.
This resentment stemmed from the bitter suffering in Bastogne.
It made one unable to help but complain whenever they saw something they disliked.
"Very well said!" Malarkey, who was beside him, said, "But tonight we can watch movies.
This is something we didn't have before, except when we were at Momion Camp.
"Rhapsody in Blue," "Buffalo Bill," and "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay," God, I love "Buffalo Bill"; finally, there's something comforting to do!"
However, watching movies didn't truly uplift everyone's spirits.
Although they hadn't fought recently and had lived comfortably, during the movie screenings, some documentaries about the Pacific War brought information.
All these signs indicated that the Pacific War would continue for a long time, and they, the soldiers, would be parachuting into Japan.
"God, what kind of torment will we still suffer!" Webster vented his dissatisfaction in his diary.
"We encountered the most brutal European War, we struggled on the line between life and death, and then, after much difficulty, we saw the dawn of victory.
Everyone was counting the days until they returned home, but the dark clouds over the Pacific shattered all of that.
I can't imagine if it will be another massacre when we parachute into Japan, but I know that once I go to the Pacific, my chances of survival will greatly diminish!"
Nevertheless, on February 5, 1945, the 506th Regiment replaced the 313th Infantry Regiment of the 79th Division, which was stationed in Haguenau, and Easy Company entered the front lines.
When the soldiers heard this news, they were expressionless; they had long been numbed by various messages.
What if they were on the Haguenau front?
Anyway, they would enter one front after another in the future, and finally, they would be transported to the Pacific.
"Are the people in the Army Department all crap?
Aren't we just taking the Marines' job by going now?"
On the day before heading to the front, Cobb suddenly said something amusing in the ranks.
But no one laughed!
Agnon straddles the Moder River, a tributary of the Rhine River, and has a population of nearly 20,000.
Easy Company's position was on the far side of the 506th Regiment, located at the confluence of the Moder River, which forms a loop here, and a canal that diverts part of its water and passes through the town.
Easy Company occupied the houses on the south bank, while the German occupied the houses on the north bank.
The riverbed was high, the water had overflowed the banks, and the current was swift.
The river's width varied from 30 meters to 100 meters, too wide for grenades to cross, but close enough for machine guns, rifles, and mortars.
Both sides had artillery support.
Several kilometers behind the German line, there was a large railway gun with a caliber of about 205 millimeters, left over from World War I.
The Airborne Division occupied the houses taken by the 79th Division.
Several men from the First Platoon took over a house at the confluence of the Moder River and the canal, which served as their observation post.
The house was severely damaged, with several walls blown down, part of the roof collapsed by mortar shells, all windowpanes shattered, and the floor covered in plaster, bricks, and broken glass up to their ankles; the railings had been used for firewood, the toilet was overflowing with excrement, and the basement was full of ashes, grime, and military cans.
"This is terrible, we need to clean up this hellhole!" Corporal Mike Lilley complained as soon as he entered, "I can't imagine those guys from the 79th Division staying in a place like this and acting as if nothing happened; are they all trash?"
"This isn't the worst of it!" Webster slung his rifle over his shoulder, then looked out the window, peering outside, "Look, there are only six of us, armed with these semi-automatic rifles, yet we have to guard an observation post that is defended by 18 men with two machine guns.
This is what we should be worried about; in Eisenhower's eyes, we soldiers of Easy Company are worth three infantry divisions."
"Why don't you see this as a compliment to you?" Corporal Mike Lilley chuckled, then, while clearing debris from the room, he said, "Don't forget, those bastards also said that this area is very quiet, and neither side has attacked each other, so as long as we don't actively shoot or shell them, we should be fine."
However, as if deliberately contradicting Corporal Mike Lilley, just as he finished speaking, they heard the sharp whistling of an incoming shell.
Then came a loud bang, a "boom!" that shook everyone in the house, throwing them off balance.
"Enemy artillery fire!" Webster roared, flipping over and throwing himself to the floor from the window.
Everyone lay prone on the floor, not daring to breathe, their hands clutching their heads, waiting for the German shells to continuously strike, but there was no further movement.
Only the dust from the ceiling continuously fell on their heads.
"Damn it! They lied!" Corporal Mike Lilley couldn't help but curse, "Those bastards! We haven't even shot at them, and they're already firing at us.
Is this what those bastards from the 79th Division meant by 'no mutual attacks'? Bullshit!"
Just then, the door suddenly pushed open, and Sergeant Martin walked in; he watched the men scramble up from the floor in disarray, and the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.
Webster believed he was trying his best to hold back from laughing out loud.
"Alright men, I was just about to tell you." Sergeant Martin said to them, "Corporal Mike Lilley is in charge of Observation Post No. 2, with a two-person shift, one hour each time, one at the third-floor window, and the other in the basement guarding the phone.
From the window, you can see the part of the town occupied by the German.
And we also have a special privilege: we can have the artillery fire on the enemy at any time.
Of course, don't expect the German to meekly let us bombard them; they will return fire, so I advise you to stay put and not make any rash moves, unless you want to hide in a dirty basement or be shaken inside the house."
"Of course, I'm not stupid!" Corporal Mike Lilley chuckled.
"Excellent!" Sergeant Martin gave him a thumbs-up, "But men, I advise you not to move around freely during the day.
German snipers are very accurate; one shot can take down anyone wandering around outside.
Also, don't make too much noise, or you'll attract mortar shells.
Unless absolutely necessary, don't have two or three people outside, as that will draw fire from the German 88mm cannons.
Alright, that's all I have to say; I still need to brief the other brothers!" Sergeant Martin said, clapping his hands once, preparing to leave.
"Those damned bastards!" At this moment, Corporal Mike Lilley couldn't help but curse again.
"What?" Sergeant Martin couldn't help but turn back and look at Corporal Mike Lilley.
"I'm talking about those bastards from the 79th Division; they think the German across the way are our friendly neighbors and never cause trouble." Corporal Mike Lilley said through gritted teeth, "If we actually believed them, we'd be in for it!"
"You'd best not believe them; better safe than sorry!" Sergeant Martin said, quoting what Captain Parks most often said.
"Hey, Sergeant Martin, then how are we going to spend our days like this?" Webster suddenly called out to Sergeant Martin, frowning, "Are we just going to rot here? Can't go anywhere?"
"Better than rotting among the dead!" Sergeant Martin said, no longer bothering with these guys; the more patiently you explain to them, the more enthusiastic they become, complaining endlessly until your nerves are tormented.
According to the rule Sergeant Martin had just stated, Corporal Mike Lilley decided to leave two men, and the others all hid in the basement.
Private Roy Caber and soldier Clarence Lyle were left at the observation post; they were the first shift, and then others would relieve them.
Private Roy Caber, like Webster, was one of the few veterans from Taccoa who had not become a non-commissioned officer.
He couldn't help but grumble a bit when he heard Corporal Mike Lilley's arrangements, but in the end, he didn't say anything.
Corporal Mike Lilley left the binoculars and then took the others to the basement, where they still needed to clean.
"Do we need one up here and one downstairs?" Roy looked at Lyle and shook his head involuntarily.
Lyle was a new recruit; he shook his head and said, "I don't want to be alone here!
Go get the phone up here; we'll observe from here, at least we'll have company, otherwise I'll go crazy!
This damned observation post!"
"As you wish!" Lyle chuckled, "I was thinking the same thing!" With that, he quickly went downstairs and brought the phone upstairs.
One person at each window, observing the German movements outside.
There was no movement from the German side.
They, like the Americans, were holed up in their houses, unless absolutely necessary.
But the more it was like this, the harder time felt.
Lyle raised his binoculars to look ahead, then put them down, rubbed his eyes, and handed the binoculars back to Roy.
"Hey, buddy, I saw him! There's a German!" Roy suddenly exclaimed excitedly, like a hunter who had spotted a magnificent stag.
He handed the binoculars to Lyle and said, "Buddy, help me see my kill.
There's a German a few hundred meters ahead; who does he think he is? He can ignore my existence, in God's name, I will send this German to meet his maker!" Saying that, he raised his rifle, rested it on the windowsill, and slowly squinted, taking aim.
A German soldier was walking back and forth in front of a house.
Clearly, he completely disregarded that he might be the best target for an American sniper; he seemed to be thinking, or perhaps he was just nonchalant.
But none of that mattered; what mattered was that he was now just prey, his life controlled by Roy's single finger.
A slight curl of the hand on the Trigger could strip him of his life.
"Bang!" A gunshot rang out, and Lyle saw through the binoculars that the German soldier's head snapped upwards, his hands dropped, and he tumbled sideways to the ground.
But his body was still moving; although the shot had hit him, it hadn't killed him.
"God, he's not dead, he's struggling, looks like he's calling for help towards the house!" Lyle clearly saw the expression on the German soldier's face through the binoculars: pain, struggle for survival, cries for help.
Lyle's heart trembled for a moment, but quickly he felt it was nothing; this was war, and the fallen German was prey.
"Quick, Roy, he's trying to crawl back into the house!" Lyle held up the binoculars, constantly urging Roy.
"Okay, okay, watch me, Lyle!" Roy said, pulling the Trigger twice in quick succession.
With two "bang bang" gunshots, Lyle could clearly see the spasms and tremors caused by the bullets hitting the German through the binoculars.
When all fear, disgust, pity, and sympathy receded, it instead gave him a thrill of deprivation.
With each hit, the German would let out heart-wrenching screams, and even from hundreds of meters away, Roy and Lyle could still hear them clearly.
It wasn't until the third shot that the German lay motionless on the ground.
"Haha, Lyle, I hit him, that's another soul claimed by my gun, I really like this feeling." Roy chuckled at Lyle, "Learn from this, rookie!"
"Don't call me a rookie!" Lyle grumbled discontentedly, but this situation undoubtedly stimulated him greatly, and perhaps after this, it might even turn him into a bloodthirsty person.
It wasn't just Roy and Lyle; every soldier who had been on the battlefield for a while was like this.
They gradually felt that on the battlefield, they not only wanted to preserve their own lives but also tried every means to destroy the lives of the enemy, and this destruction had overshadowed the compassion they felt when they first entered the battlefield.
And every time they destroyed an enemy's life, an inner fear of possibly being destroyed by the enemy would increase.
And this fear kept growing inside until they were filled with a sense of disgust for the entire battlefield.
The entire 101st Airborne Division deployed on the front line was like this.
Of course, the brothers of Easy Company were also like this.
In February 1945, the brothers of Easy Company felt as if they were back in the trench warfare on the "island" in the Netherlands, where they dared not move during the day, nor could they walk around freely.
They stayed indoors, sending out patrols to engage and exchange fire with German patrols.
Everyone lived under the constant, strong apprehension of being killed at any moment.
As Webster wrote to his parents, "Strictly speaking, life is counted by days or hours."
On February 15th, Corporal Mike Lilley's observation post number two welcomed four new replacement recruits.
The arrival of these young recruits surprised Webster, as their tender faces looked incredibly amazed, like curious children entering an amusement park.
However, at least they maintained a sense of awe towards the veterans.
"I really don't know why the U.S. Army insists on sending these very young, inexperienced, and barely trained individuals to the front lines as infantry, to do the most dangerous job in the world?" Webster shook his head, expressing his dissatisfaction as he watched the four recruits enter the observation post's basement under Corporal Mike Lilley's guidance.
Many of the brothers were dissatisfied with this.
There were plenty of strong adult men in the U.S. Army's rear echelons, and robust individuals in the Air Force units stationed in the United Kingdom, yet the Army Department insisted on sending these seemingly just weaned children to the front lines.
This was not to increase strength, but to increase casualties.
"At least they can do observation and phone duty!" Corporal Mike Lilley had his own opinion.
In his view, involving these new recruits in outpost duty was an excellent idea, as it could completely lighten their burden, and they could even be used beyond their workload.
"Remember, guys, your job is to observe and then report, not to call the artillery company immediately and then unleash a barrage of indiscriminate bombing, which will cause us trouble!" Despite assigning the new recruits, Corporal Mike Lilley was not entirely at ease, emphasizing this repeatedly as he left.
The new recruits also appeared deferential, nodding continuously at the Sergeant's words.
On February 10th, Captain Nixon received a direct order from Colonel Sink to serve as an intelligence officer at battalion headquarters, which brought an end to his long-standing partnership with Captain Winters.
However, the battalion headquarters and Battalion HQ were not too far apart, so the two still often met, only their workplaces were different.
"Congratulations!" Captain Parks met Captain Nixon, who was packing his belongings, at the Battalion HQ.
"If this counts as a promotion, I'm happy to accept it," Captain Nixon said with a laugh to Captain Winters, who was lathering his face with soap, preparing to shave.
"I should make room for you too.
I don't know how much Dick wants to be with you, but you'll find that he's actually a very quiet person."
"For me?" Captain Parks couldn't help but look at Captain Winters, "Has it been confirmed?"
"It should be soon!" Captain Winters stopped shaving his face and was about to speak, but Captain Nixon chuckled from the side, "You know the efficiency of the battalion headquarters, and after this, there will be another commendation.
I don't know if there will be a ceremony, but in such a frontline area, I'm afraid that will be difficult to achieve!"
"It seems this is true.
Before this, I was still thinking that the three of us could be together, staying in the same room.
Now it seems Colonel Sink has pulled us apart." Captain Parks chuckled, "But I'm worried you won't get used to being at battalion headquarters.
No one will hide liquor in your box for you anymore.
You'll have to be careful with Sink!"
Captain Nixon left for battalion headquarters in the afternoon, and of course, his departure was Colonel Sink clearing a position for Captain Parks.
Moreover, their ranks would be promoted at the same time.
After all, in the 506th Regiment, only Winters, who led the Second Battalion, held the rank of Captain, while the other two were Lieutenant Colonels, which also put the Second Battalion at a disadvantage at all times.
Then, less than two days after Captain Nixon went to battalion headquarters, he found Captain Winters, and he came with orders.
Captain Parks already knew what kind of mission this would be.
"battalion headquarters wants to issue a prisoner-capture patrol mission.
This is a direct order from Colonel Sink, and it has nothing to do with me!" Captain Nixon shrugged at Captain Winters, spreading his hands to show his helplessness.
"The river in front of us is our main defensive line, so if we want prisoners, we'll have to cross the river."
"Well, that's a great job!" Captain Winters grumbled with some dissatisfaction, but he had nothing to complain about in front of Captain Nixon.
If there was a mission, someone had to do it, but he still shrugged and smiled at Captain Nixon, "That's the downside of a Captain serving as Battalion Commander.
The brothers of the Second Battalion are unlucky along with me!"
Captain Winters's complaint was understandable, as most of the difficult and pioneering missions were completed by Captain Winters's Second Battalion.
Of course, this also established Easy Company's reputation in the 506th Regiment and even in the 101st Airborne Division.
"You know, Colonel Sink said that even General Eisenhower was proud of Easy Company of the Second Battalion, so he wants Easy Company to undertake this patrol mission, also to set an example for the new recruits to see." Captain Nixon smiled bitterly, "Sometimes, I really feel it's unfair to Reese.
It's as if those things that bring Sink honor are somehow his mistakes."
"Alright, it's best if we go to Easy Company's company headquarters ourselves." Captain Winters also knew how intense Easy Company's combat operations had been for almost two months, far more than other companies.
He had to personally arrange it, and even after the specific personnel were finalized, he still had to talk to them personally.
Easy Company's company headquarters was set up in a hotel, and it had comfortable large beds, hot water for bathing, and even a kitchen where you could make any food you wanted, but it lacked ingredients.
Many good things could not be transported to the front lines and were exploited midway.
Even C-rations became scarce, and cigarettes were only inferior brands like Chelsea and Raleigh.
Of course, resourceful people always managed to get some Schlitz beer along the way.
Easy Company's two cases of beer were brought by Colonel Sink to Captain Parks during a visit to Easy Company, which was already a significant favor.
Dinner was beef exchanged for a roll of Marks from a nearby farmer's house.
Lipton's cooking skills were not great, but Captain Parks's were even worse, and Lieutenant Welsh only knew how to drink beer and wait for the meal to start; he didn't bother doing those things because he couldn't.
"Alright, let's enjoy the luxurious life of an officer now." When Lipton brought the fragrant roasted beef to the table, Captain Parks unceremoniously forked a large piece and put it on his plate.
"Do you know what the enlisted men in the platoons say about us?
They say: 'Damn it, the officers at company headquarters snatched the best place, they eat steak that can only be found in the most luxurious restaurants in New York, compared to them, we are beggars, those bastards!' I don't want to waste these guys' evaluation of us."
"We are those damned bastards!
They are absolutely right, guys!" Saying this, Lieutenant Welsh raised his glass, which was full of golden yellow beer.
The three clinked their glasses, making a crisp sound.
Lipton drank the beer in his glass in one gulp.
Although he felt it was a bit inappropriate to do so, he was still only a Sergeant, not an officer, and by rights, he shouldn't be sitting with Captain Parks and them, but it was Captain Parks's enthusiasm that made him stay.
"Sir, are you sure you kept me not because none of you can cook, but because I can roast beef?" After drinking the beer, Lipton looked at Captain Parks with some doubt.
"Of course, that's one of the reasons!" Captain Parks forked a piece of beef into his mouth, chewing, and said indistinctly, "When Staff Sergeant Talbert was the company's First Sergeant, he often dined with us.
Of course, his cooking was much better than yours.
And I believe that the most crucial thing for a First Sergeant is to be a link for communication between soldiers and officers."
Lieutenant Welsh also nodded and smiled, "Exactly.
That is to say, you can perfectly eat here, and then go to the platoon to eat rotten beans with the soldiers.
That's the role of the link, Lipton!"
Lipton was stunned for a moment, then he raised his hands and said, "Alright, I admit I was wrong!
I can totally eat beef first!" Saying that, he began to eat heartily, enjoying the delicious food and beer.
This was a common practice in the military; in the eyes of the soldiers, officers were high above them, and it was no different in Easy Company.
Although Captain Parks and they had all trained together as soldiers in Taccoa, Captain Parks's long-term victories and achievements had already made it impossible for all the veterans to view Captain Parks as an equal.
In their hearts, Captain Parks was both close and awe-inspiring, let alone for the new recruits.
The three were enjoying their meal when they suddenly heard someone shout at the door: "God, what do I smell? The aroma of roasted beef and the smell of beer.
It seems we came at just the right time, otherwise these bastards would secretly eliminate all of this." Saying that, Captain Nixon and Captain Winters appeared at the entrance of their dining room.
The three quickly stood up, Lipton even ready to salute.
Captain Winters walked over with a smile, then nodded to the three and said, "At ease, we've come at just the right time!" Saying that, the two walked directly to the table, pulled up chairs themselves, and sat down.
"Lipton, get two more sets of cutlery, that's the one thing we're not short on!" Captain Parks chuckled, then said to Captain Winters and Captain Nixon, "Alright, given your luck, I'll allow you to take some beer back."
"Captain!" At this moment, Lipton also brought two sets of cutlery and placed them in front of the two.
Captain Nixon had already eagerly poured himself a glass of beer.
Captain Winters couldn't help but shake his head with a smile and said, "Here's the thing, Colonel Sink directly ordered Easy Company to organize a night patrol mission.
Four days from now, cross the river to the German positions on the other side of our defensive line and capture a few prisoners.
I know the mission is difficult, Reese!"
Captain Parks was startled, not expecting this mission to arrive as scheduled.
His only concern now was Eugene Jackson, a new recruit who had joined in Noville and had no combat experience.
So he decided that once he had the list, he would remove that name from it.
This was his authority.
"Don't look at me, Reese.
It's Colonel Sink's order! But you don't have to take risks; it doesn't matter even if you don't capture any Germans.
You know we no longer need to do that!" Captain Nixon shook his head, looking at Captain Parks who had turned to him.
"I know!" Captain Parks nodded to him, then turned to Lipton and said, "Captain Nixon is right, we don't need to take risks.
Lipton, after dinner, finalize the soldier selections.
I will decide the officers involved in the command!
Just give me the list of selected personnel to review!" Captain Parks decided that this mission must not result in unnecessary casualties.
The order Captain Winters brought was indeed not good news.
Given the current state of Easy Company, normal patrols were fine, but truly infiltrating deep into German territory and ensuring the capture of German prisoners undoubtedly increased the difficulty and danger of the mission.
Casualties could occur at any time.
After Captain Winters left, Captain Parks, Lieutenant Welsh, and Lipton began discussing the personnel for the mission.
They needed to select experienced individuals to lead this patrol, and try their best to keep the rookies from participating, otherwise it was highly likely to get the other brothers on the mission killed.
"To be honest, all the non-commissioned officers need a rest right now, sir!" Lipton truthfully told Parks, "They are all very tired, but if I had to choose, I would pick Martin, Malarkey, or Grant.
Of course, officers are not for me to decide; it's best to have experienced officers.
From my personal perspective, non-commissioned officers like Martin can completely accomplish this mission."
"I understand, the selection of soldiers is up to you.
I need 14 soldiers, including non-commissioned officers.
Hand me the list tomorrow!" Parks nodded, then he said to Lieutenant Welsh, "Harry, call Lieutenant Foley over.
I want him to be in charge of this command; he is experienced and a good choice."
"I thought so too!" Lipton nodded.
The next day, Lipton drew up a list, personally went to each platoon to inform them, and then the Sergeants in the platoons were responsible for relaying the mission and gathering the selected individuals for Lipton.
This news also made many people in Easy Company constantly pray in their hearts, hoping not to be chosen this time.
"Brothers, we have a mission!" Sergeant Malarkey gathered the brothers inside a large house, then said to them, "We have a mission to capture German prisoners on the other side of the river.
So, some of us were lucky enough to be chosen."
"God, please don't pick me!" Heffron silently prayed in his heart, nervously looking at Malarkey.
But Malarkey's gaze shifted to him; their eyes met, and then he nodded to Heffron and said, "Heffron, yes, you're in!"
"Damn it!" Heffron couldn't help but curse, then looked dejected, annoyedly running his hands through his hair and burying his face in his hands, clearly very disappointed.
At this moment, McClung sat beside him, reached out and put his arm around his shoulder, then patted him twice, trying to comfort him.
"And Lambrez, McClung, of course we need a translator, Webster will serve as our translator!
And Liebgott, Liebgott speaks German, come along!" Malarkey nodded to the brothers and said, "That's it.
Don't look at me like that; I'm also included.
This isn't my list, guys, go find Lipton or Captain Parks and tell them your grievances!"
McClung had just been patting Heffron's shoulder, but he immediately heard his own name, couldn't help but gape in surprise, then sheepishly pulled his hand back, muttering, "Why don't they let those replacements go?
Heavens, we've fought for so long, and they still won't let us off, this is hell!"
Malarkey clapped his hands and said, "Alright, no more complaining.
We still have time; the mission will take place in three days, and we still need to learn how to use kayaks.
Get ready, guys!" With that, Malarkey walked out alone; he didn't want to stay there listening to their complaints.
"Why two translators?" Liebgott watched Malarkey walk out and couldn't help but yell, but Malarkey ignored him and walked straight away.
Liebgott could only grumble unsatisfactorily to Webster, "Is your German not good enough? Or do you still need someone to translate your terrible German?"
"Hey, what kind of talk is that?
This wasn't my decision, why are you getting angry at me?
Damn it, if you don't want to go yourself, go talk to Lipton or Captain Parks, you coward!" Webster was not one to suffer a loss; he didn't particularly like this guy either, and when he heard Liebgott's complaint, he unceremoniously chose to retaliate, which was quite uncharacteristic of his usual good temper.
"Kid, looking for a lesson?" Liebgott suddenly stood up from his chair, reaching out to grab Webster's collar, "Don't expect to act high and mighty in front of me just because you're a college student, buddy, I won't buy into that!"
"Enough, Liebgott!" Heffron suddenly stood up, standing between the two.
He looked at Liebgott, frowning, and said, "Damn it, we've all been chosen to go to our deaths, and you two are still fighting among yourselves, you two bastards!" With that, Heffron didn't even look at them again and walked out of the room.
"Look what you've done!" Webster glared at Liebgott, then also walked outside, "I still need to go to Observation Post Number Two, I don't have time to mess around with you here."
Webster slowly walked out of the room, then slammed the door shut with a heavy "bang," making all sounds inside the room vanish.
Only a group of people sat there blankly, no one had the mind to speak anymore.
Lipton handed the list to Parks.
Among the fourteen names—Jackson, Mosier, Maas, McClung, Cobb, Piper, Roy, Heffron, Lambrez, Shifty, Cobb, Garcia, Skinny, and Lyle—Parks immediately spotted Jackson, the unlucky fellow who would be killed by his own grenade.
He was a new recruit, inexperienced, and thus became the only person injured and killed in the operation.
Parks couldn't help but shake his head and smile, pointing at Jackson's name and laughing to Lipton, "This is a new recruit, no experience, replace him.
Let Ellie go; he's experienced and cautious."
Lipton nodded and said, "Alright, I originally wanted to let the new guys adapt sooner, but for safety's sake, we can definitely replace this guy.
He's lucky!" With that, he picked up the list and walked out.
Just as he reached the door, he encountered a young Lieutenant officer.
He was wearing a neat uniform, his face clean-shaven, and a large package on his back.
Evidently, this officer also noticed Lipton's presence.
"Sir!" Lipton saluted him, preparing to leave.
The officer nodded to Lipton, his eyes filled with pride.
As Lipton later described him, he was like a proud Gallic rooster surveying a flock of adoring chicks around him.
"Sergeant, is this Easy Company's headquarters?" The officer stopped Lipton, who was about to leave, "What's your name?"
Lipton couldn't help but frown; he could tell this officer was a greenhorn, too young, and arrogant.
He nodded and said, "Yes, sir, my name is Carwood Lipton, Easy Company's First Sergeant.
This is Easy Company's headquarters, may I help you?"
The young officer looked at him and nodded slightly, "I can tell, Sergeant.
That's why I asked you.
I am an officer reporting here, a graduate of West Point Military Academy, and the operations department sent me here to gain experience.
I want to find Captain Parks!" When he said this, his expression was somewhat solemn.
It was as if he was speaking of the Virgin Mary.
"The Captain is inside, you can find him in the living room, and also the Executive Officer, Lieutenant Welsh!" Lipton said, "Sir, I still have to arrange the mission, so—"
The young officer got the answer he wanted and didn't press further, nodding to Lipton, "Alright, Sergeant, you may go.
I can go in myself!" With that, he almost impatiently walked into the hotel.
As he stood at the door, he saw two officers chatting on the sofa in the hotel's living room.
One of them he already knew; he had seen his picture in newspapers and heard his voice on the radio.
He had seen clips of his combat in military documentaries.
That's right, it was Captain Parks, an idolized officer highly respected by all cadets and instructors at West Point Military Academy.
Moreover, some of Captain Parks's classic combat examples were even used as models in military academy textbooks.
"Reporting! Sir!" The young officer's expression was somewhat excited; he spoke loudly, hoping to attract the attention of the two officers in the living room, especially the one he recognized.
Captain Parks and Captain Welsh turned their heads in confusion, looking at the officer standing at the door.
"Who are you?" Lieutenant Welsh looked at the young officer at the door, and couldn't help but grumble to himself, "God, this is an inexperienced officer, how can he be assigned to the front lines?
He'd be better off in administrative departments."
"Second Lieutenant Hank Jones reports to Captain Parks of Easy Company as ordered." The young officer appeared very respectful, which Parks found amusing.
New officers were all like this; they regarded the battlefield as sacred, wanting to personally participate and experience it, so they could apply what they had learned in school.
"Very good, find a seat for yourself; we'll discuss your position later!" Parks nodded to him, then said to Lieutenant Welsh, "It seems our mission can only rely on these veterans.
Tomorrow we will have the entire company's firepower provide support for them.
Of course, I will suggest to Captain Winters that battalion-wide firepower support would not be excessive!"
Second Lieutenant Jones knew what this mission was; he had heard about it when he was at the battalion headquarters.
Now Captain Parks was discussing this patrol mission, and this was also a great opportunity for him to show his capabilities!
"Sir, I request to participate in the patrol mission!" Second Lieutenant Jones stood rigidly to the side, speaking to Parks.
"No, you are inexperienced!" Lieutenant Welsh, of course, knew what Jones was thinking.
Parks frowned, looked at him, pondered for a moment, then said to Lieutenant Welsh, "Harry, it's not bad to let him gain some experience!" With that, he nodded and said, "Alright, Second Lieutenant Jones, I Grant your request!"
Easy Company was now a legendary unit in the American airborne forces, and Second Lieutenant Jones was ecstatic to be involved in an important mission on his very first day with Easy Company.
His rigid posture at battalion headquarters and his eager eyes for battle reminded many of how their brothers looked when they first left Taccoa.
"Report to Second Platoon, then—then tell Lieutenant Foley, the Platoon Leader, that you'll be his second-in-command.
And instruct him to gather all participating team members for kayak training." Captain Parks thought for a moment, then waved his hand and said, "That's all.
Go on, young man, you're truly lucky.
Remember not to get hurt during the operation; you are only an observer, and everything is subject to Lieutenant Foley's arrangements.
This is not a mission for heroics, understand, Lieutenant?"
"Yes, sir! I will strictly follow orders!" Second Lieutenant Jones nodded excitedly, then excused himself and went straight to find Second Platoon's location.
This was an excellent opportunity to gain combat experience; he could hardly wait.
However, the brothers currently in training did not have a good impression of this rookie officer.
There was even a rumor among them, which made them all feel uneasy.
This was because Lieutenant Foley had introduced this officer during the team's training and emphasized that this officer was here to participate in this patrol mission.
"God, this guy isn't going to lead us on the mission, is he?" Malarkey wasn't as dejected as before; at least he still had the energy to participate in the operation, and he didn't back down.
But he seriously doubted this rookie officer's capabilities.
"He'll get us killed! Heavens, he's just a rookie!" Ellie, who had joined later, couldn't help but complain.
Of course, almost every member complained with them.
"I can't believe it.
I think Captain Parks definitely wouldn't need a rookie officer to lead us, because this is a mistake.
The Captain wouldn't make such a basic error."
"Mistake? What mistake do you know?" Heffron, who was already full of resentment, said grumpily, "Only fifteen people are participating in this mission, and there's only one officer as the leader.
Look, how many people are there now? How many officers?
This is obvious, yet you're still arguing here.
You should be thinking about how we're going to save our lives during the mission."
"Damn it, there are still two translators in a team like this.
Are we going to split into companies for the operation?" Liebgott was still fixated on this matter; he seemed very annoyed, and his voice was loud enough to reach Webster, who was some distance away, causing him to frown.
Clearly, he was somewhat annoyed with Liebgott.
Meanwhile, Cobb, while kayaking, incessantly recounted how he had experienced numerous battles, big and small, and suffered so much hardship, yet he still had to go on this mission, a typical soldier subjected to discrimination and unfair treatment.
He even threatened to complain to Division HQ, gritting his teeth as he said, "I'm going to complain about those damned bastards.
Colonel Sink should go himself.
You know that's inside German territory; aren't our lives worth anything?"
Such words, of course, fell into Second Lieutenant Jones's ears without a single omission.
He found it incredible that these men so brazenly criticized their superiors, even high-ranking officers at battalion headquarters.
Of course, he was still a rookie, and on these matters, he couldn't offer any authoritative opinions, only listen in silence.
Though he didn't understand why at all.
On February 15th, the team members participating in the patrol mission finished their training and gathered in a large house, where special personnel brought them delicious lunch and dinner.
They had beer, coffee, and sandwiches.
The treatment was quite good, and they were also supplied with rifle grenades and other items essential for the patrol.
Second Lieutenant Jones stood at the doorway, silently watching the somewhat listless brothers.
He knew that they were surely still cursing him in their hearts.
Just as he felt a bit uneasy, Captain Winters, Captain Parks, and Lieutenant Foley walked in.
He immediately snapped to attention and loudly called out, "Attention!" This single cry startled all the brothers in the room; his voice was very loud, and then they slowly stood up.
"At ease!" Captain Winters nodded at them, then took off his helmet and said, "I'm very glad that everyone can finally go on this patrol mission.
As you can see, we have gathered 15 men for tonight's 1 AM mission.
It's important to note that Lieutenant Foley will lead this operation, and Second Lieutenant Jones will participate as an observer.
The entire battalion will provide cover for your withdrawal."
Captain Parks nodded and continued, "We have identified the target and planned our fire attack on it." Captain Parks said, pulling two whistles from his pocket and holding them up, "The moment we hear this whistle, we will order the entire battalion to open fire.
So, it's best not to blow it before you get the prisoners onto the boat!" He then handed the whistles to Lieutenant Foley beside him.
At this point, Sergeant Martin said from the side, "What if the house is empty, sir?"
"It won't be.
But if it is empty, we'll know it's an observation post and it needs to be destroyed.
So you must set timed explosives.
Your actions must be careful and swift; surround the house, and after deployment, fire rifle grenades into the first-floor windows.
Then the team members will quickly enter." Captain Winters kept speaking, then nodded at Lieutenant Foley and said, "Do you understand all this?"
"Yes, sir!" Lieutenant Foley nodded, with his arms crossed over his chest.
"We don't want to know how many Germans you captured; we want you to return safely and blow up that observation post.
There's no need for us to penetrate deep into German territory again; that's too dangerous." Parks added, "So your target is the building, understand?
Don't rush into dangerous places without a plan just for the sake of taking prisoners."
"Any questions?" Captain Winters said to the brothers present.
"No, sir!" The brothers' replies were scattered and sounded very dejected.
But everyone's expressions had improved slightly; after all, Second Lieutenant Jones's issue was resolved.
He was just an observer, and the officer in charge of command was still Lieutenant Foley, an experienced officer.
At least the brothers trusted that he wouldn't make mistakes.
"Very good! Good luck!" Captain Winters said, nodding to Captain Parks and Lieutenant Foley, and then the three walked out.
Clearly, the structure of this team suited Captain Parks's wishes; he wanted to do his utmost to avoid casualties, and he didn't want others to be injured due to some factors after Jackson was replaced.
Lieutenant Foley was the best choice.
Of course, Captain Winters still had some specific details to discuss with him.
Webster followed them out, then saw Captain Winters and the others talking by the roadside, so he walked over and said to Captain Parks, "Company Commander, request to speak.
I know this is presumptuous, but I still want to say something!"
Captain Parks looked at him and suddenly thought of an issue: the matter between him and Liebgott.
He couldn't help but be amused; it seemed their dispute was still unavoidable.
So he nodded and said, "Speak, Webster."
"The patrol only needs 15 people, and now there are 16.
Plus, there are two translators in the team, Liebgott and I.
I wonder if—" Webster shrugged, "I think one should stay behind; two translators are unnecessary!"
Parks nodded and said, "I understand." Then he turned to Lieutenant Foley and said, "You'll have Liebgott stay behind later; he won't participate in the operation.
Having Webster as a translator is enough."
This matter was resolved according to its original trajectory; although the reason for the conflict was different, the outcome was the same.
When Lieutenant Foley told Liebgott the news, a smile finally appeared on the guy's face, and he winked at Webster to show his gratitude.
The sky gradually darkened.
There was no moon, no stars, and even the American searchlights were turned off.
The German forces occasionally fired a flare, but the American forces did not respond with flares of their own.
Occasionally, the sporadic firing and explosions of one or two German 88mm cannons could be heard.
Such a night didn't even have light weapon fire.
And the American artillerymen were all waiting for the sound of the whistle; as soon as the whistle blew, the cannons would bombard the German forces.
Four kayaks carrying 15 men crossed the river smoothly.
However, there was an unexpected development: a supplementary officer from F Company, who had come from West Point, also requested to participate.
He and Second Lieutenant Jones had graduated together and knew each other.
And like Jones, he was ambitious, wanting to make a name for himself on the front lines.
More importantly, he didn't want to gain combat experience later than Second Lieutenant Jones, as this was related to promotion.
Lieutenant Foley had no choice but to temporarily decide on his participation.
After crossing the river, Lieutenant Foley and Second Lieutenant Jones counted the men by the river.
Lieutenant Foley led everyone toward the target.
Upon approaching the German outpost, he said to Jones, "You and your companion stay here, observe the German movements, keep the whistle safe, and blow it only when I give the order." Then he beckoned to Martin.
"Martin, you take Mosier, Maas, McClung, Cobb, Piper, and Shifty to guard around the house and provide cover.
The rest of you follow me into the house.
Lambrez, rifle grenade ready, fire!" Lieutenant Foley gave the order decisively.
As his voice fell, Lambrez straightened up and fired a rifle grenade towards the house's window.
Then a loud "boom" was heard, shattering the house's windowpanes.
"Go!" Lieutenant Foley took the lead and charged forward, shouting, "Grenades!" as he rushed up the house steps.
The remaining men all threw their grenades inside.
The sound of explosions came from within.
He kicked open the house door, raised his rifle, and roared, "Put down your guns, you damned bastards.
Put down your guns!" With that, he kicked away a German submachine gun at his feet.
The living Germans in the house were dazed by the grenades.
They raised their hands in terror.
Webster also raised his rifle and shouted loudly at them in German, telling them to be quiet.
"Webster, timed bomb!" Lieutenant Foley called out.
Then he shouted again to those who had rushed in, "Malarkey, take these guys away.
Quick, quick."
Malarkey and the others who had rushed in had already brought out three lightly wounded German soldiers who were still alive, dragging them all the way to the designated location.
Lieutenant Foley roared at the others, "Let's go, quickly, Webster, set the explosives, and let's go quickly!"
The group rushed out swiftly, by which time the German forces had already been alerted.
Various weapons and shells whistled towards them.