This reconnaissance mission was less of a reconnaissance and more of a tactical gamble. Fortunately, the Germans were caught off guard, allowing the brothers involved in the reconnaissance to pass through smoothly.
However, it was not all smooth sailing; an unforeseen incident occurred midway.
Someone was injured, and the injured person was Second Lieutenant Jones's companion—the recent graduate from West Point Military Academy.
On the way back, he was too flustered and deviated from the group's direction, unfortunately stepping on a German landmine.
With a loud boom, his body was thrown up like a sack, then fell heavily to the ground.
Blood splattered in the air, a few drops landing on Second Lieutenant Jones, who was closest to him, on his body and face.
Second Lieutenant Jones was saved from injury because Malarkey tackled him to the ground from behind.
However, this tragic scene still shocked him.
His companion, who had just been alive and joking with him, was sent flying by a landmine.
With a "thump," he fell heavily, followed by his heartbreaking screams.
"Shut up!" Malarkey roared at the guy, then turned to Cobb beside him and said, "Find a way to make him shut up, or he'll get us all killed."
"Damn bastard!" Cobb cursed, then crawled over and gave the unlucky guy some morphine.
He looked at him fiercely and said, "If you want us to die with you, then scream, Lieutenant!" As he spoke, he threw away his rifle, hoisted him onto his shoulders, and ran toward the designated location.
Bullets whizzed over their heads. Second Lieutenant Jones was filled with fear and unease, and he was also very dissatisfied with Cobb's harsh attitude towards his companion.
But now he could only run quickly with the team towards where they had placed their kayaks.
He felt his throat tighten, and breathing became increasingly difficult.
With a "thump," one of the German prisoners being guarded beside him suddenly fell forward, letting out a scream.
He was hit, just as they were about to get into the kayak.
He was struck by a stray bullet from who knows where; the bullet made a dull sound as it hit his body.
Then came his desperate cries for help.
"Leave him here.
We're going back!" Lieutenant Foley shouted at the people behind him, then blew his whistle.
The brothers all got into the kayaks; they still took two prisoners with them.
As soon as the whistle blew, the American covering artillery fire roared down from the opposite bank.
The earth trembled.
As the artillery in the rear fired, the front-line mortars and anti-tank guns also began to fire.
A flash of fire, then a red spherical object drilled into the basement of a house on the opposite bank, instantly blowing the house sky-high.
Shells exploded on German roads and strongpoints, emitting orange-red flashes of fire.
A house half a mile directly in front of the American forces began to burn.
Company D's 50mm machine guns, responsible for covering fire, were firing continuously.
Streaks of tracer bullets swept across the river and shot towards the opposite bank.
Meanwhile, the German MG42 fired a large number of tracer bullets at Company D.
Various flashes of fire intertwined in the air, with fiery streaks like meteors whizzing everywhere.
"Quick, quick!" Lieutenant Foley directed his team members, rushing towards the basement of Post 2.
Cobb and Malarkey carried the unlucky Lieutenant from West Point Military Academy inside, then placed him on a table.
"Medic, we need a medic here!" Lieutenant Foley shouted at Heffron at the door.
"Go get a medic, this guy isn't going to make it.
Hurry, fellow!" Heffron quickly ran out the door.
Then he shouted again: "Piper, take these two Germans over there and search them."
"It's okay, fellow, you'll be okay!" All the patrol members gathered around, and the men from Post 2 also came over.
The guy was screaming miserably, but everyone could only watch him anxiously and helplessly, with nothing they could do!
"Fellow, you'll be fine, you'll be fine!" Second Lieutenant Jones had already pushed through the crowd.
He squatted down beside him, holding his companion's hand, continuously comforting him.
"Connect to battalion headquarters, tell the Captain our results!" Lieutenant Foley kept shouting, then roared at the messy room, "Shut up, all of you, shut the hell up!" This Lieutenant from West Point Military Academy, who had followed without permission, was really giving him a headache; he didn't even know how to write this report.
The guy kept struggling on the table, his two legs kicking alternately, his eyes rolling upwards.
He made gurgling sounds, spitting bloody foam, and one hand kept grabbing in the air, as if trying to grasp something.
"You need to calm down, fellow, you need to calm down, or I can't help you!" Second Lieutenant Jones held his other hand, then spoke to the people beside him, "Guys, please, hold his legs down, don't let him struggle.
Hurry." Then he turned to him, "The medic is coming, you'll be fine, but you need to be quiet!"
"God, he's practically dead!" Cobb couldn't help but sigh from the side.
"Shut up, Cobb." Second Lieutenant Jones couldn't help but glare at Cobb, then turned to him and said, "Don't listen to him, you'll be fine, everything will be alright.
Don't think about going back just like this, fellow, we've just arrived on the battlefield, we came with ambition, you can't just go back like this, your companions will laugh at you! The medic will be here soon!" Then he turned back to the door and shouted: "Where the hell is the medic? Medic!"
"Move aside, move aside!" The basement door was pushed open with a "boom." Dr. Luo and Heffron rushed in quickly.
"Guys, make way!" With that, Dr. Luo rushed to the Lieutenant, then flipped open his eyelid, looked, and said, "Take him to the aid station, quickly, he's not going to make it!" Then he said to Heffron, "Lay out the stretcher we brought!"
Everyone scrambled to lift the Lieutenant onto the stretcher. Just as they were about to leave, the Lieutenant's body suddenly convulsed upwards a few times, and he abruptly coughed up two mouthfuls of blood.
Then, like a deflated ball, he slumped down.
He was motionless.
Dr. Luo pressed his finger against his neck artery, then flipped open his eyelid again, and shook his head sadly at everyone—he was dead!
"Shit!" Lieutenant Foley couldn't help but punch the wall.
Everyone fell silent, quietly placing the stretcher on the ground.
Lieutenant Foley took the blanket he had just wrapped around the Lieutenant from Maas, then covered the Lieutenant's body with it.
"God! No, no!" After a brief silence, Second Lieutenant Jones suddenly screamed, pulled out his pistol, and rushed towards the trembling German prisoner standing nearby.
"Stop him!" Lieutenant Foley shouted.
Sergeant Martin had already grabbed Second Lieutenant Jones and held his hand, yelling at him, "Damn it, we don't want to go on another mission like this because of your impulsiveness!"
At this moment, Lieutenant Foley waved to Heffron and Maas, signaling them to carry the body out.
Then he patted Second Lieutenant Jones's arm, who was sitting on the ground, still sobbing and his shoulders shaking, and said: "This isn't your fault, Lieutenant, he was a good officer.
For you West Point graduates, he was a qualified officer!"
Jones stopped sobbing, raised his head to look at Lieutenant Foley, and said with a somber expression: "Sir, he graduated from West Point Military Academy just like me, then came here by boat after parachute training.
God, he had only been here for less than 24 hours, he hadn't even done anything, I don't know what to say!"
"He did well enough! He carried out a very meaningful patrol mission, at least we completed this mission! He played a key role in it." Lieutenant Foley patted Second Lieutenant Jones's shoulder, then stood up and left!
He could only say that.
Whether this was a very meaningful patrol mission or not was no longer important, but at least the report should be written that way.
But in fact, he just lay on a stretcher in a damp basement, screaming in pain and dying helplessly, watched by his companion Second Lieutenant Jones and a group of dejected soldiers.
After the German artillery fire ceased, the prisoners were escorted to Battalion HQ and handed over to Captain Winters.
Captain Winters and Captain Parks were discussing something at Battalion HQ.
Lieutenant Welsh was also there, as was Lieutenant Lipton!
"How are things?" Captain Winters asked Lieutenant Foley as he walked in with the written report.
"A new West Point Military Academy graduate, Second Lieutenant Hacker, Second Lieutenant Jones's companion, stepped on a landmine on the way back from the opposite bank.
He succumbed to his severe injuries.
There were no other casualties!
The prisoners have been brought over; they are being guarded outside."
"Very good!" Captain Winters nodded, then turned to Compton and said, "Go get the prisoners, then send them to battalion headquarters!" Compton nodded and then walked out.
"How is Second Lieutenant Jones?" Captain Parks asked.
"He's fine, just a little down!" Lieutenant Foley nodded and said, "He's still a recruit, this is all part of the process he needs to go through, he'll adapt sooner or later!"
"Good that he's fine!" Parks nodded.
What he was thinking about now was not the unlucky Second Lieutenant Hacker, but that Jackson, who was supposed to have died from his grenade, was still alive, and that was enough.
He didn't know that Lieutenant, so he didn't want to say anything sympathetic.
It wasn't that his heart was becoming colder, but that war was enough to change a person's heart.
Afterward, Webster wrote in his diary: "Second Lieutenant Hacker was only 20 years old and hadn't even started living.
He died screaming and yelling on a stretcher.
In America, living standards are constantly rising.
In America, horse racing at the racetracks is booming, nightclubs are making unprecedented profits, Miami Beach is so crowded that you can't find a single room.
It seems few people care.
My God, this is prosperity, this is flourishing, and this is what we are fighting for.
We read in publications about black market restaurants and manufacturers demanding an immediate phased resumption of peacetime goods.
We wonder if people know that to win this war, soldiers are living in fear, bleeding, and dying in horrific agony."
The shelling that night lasted for a long time, but everyone at Outpost 2 could hear the difficult breathing and groans coming from the opposite bank.
The last prisoner, who had been targeted by the Germans themselves, had been shot in the lung and was calling for help with difficulty by the river.
However, no Germans ran to the river to rescue him, as that would also cost them their lives.
"Damn it, we should kill that guy and end his suffering.
If he's rescued by the Germans, he'll report our position to them.
Outpost 2 is right across from him, and we'll be blown to smithereens by the Germans." Webster advocated for shooting the guy dead, while Corporal Mike Lilley argued for letting him die on his own.
"Guys, throw a grenade over!" Webster sent four new recruits to the river, and each of them threw a grenade.
Three exploded, one was a dud.
But the German's groans continued.
"God!" Webster couldn't stand the torture of the intermittent groans, which made him restless.
He finally stood up and said to Corporal Mike Lilley, "I can't stand it.
I should follow that rope over there and kill that bastard!" With that, he started to walk outside.
On one hand, he was worried about his own safety, and on the other, he couldn't stand the painful sounds, which constantly reminded him of the bloody scenes of his comrades being injured, or made him imagine that he might be the next one to get hurt.
"You'd best stay here, Webster!" Corporal Mike Lilley stopped him and warned him, "This could be a German trap.
They're using that wounded man as bait and setting a trap.
If you go over, they'll discover you, and they'll keep shooting until you're dead.
Or you'll stay there and keep the German company, groaning in pain!"
Corporal Mike Lilley made a good point, and Webster had no choice but to sit down indignantly.
The groaning continued, and Webster wrote in his notebook that night: I felt great sympathy for him, alone, in a foreign land far from home, by a dirty little river, slowly leaving this world without hope, love, or help.
As dawn broke, the shelling finally stopped.
But the groaning continued, unsettling everyone.
Cobb felt he couldn't take it anymore, so he grabbed a grenade, rushed to the river, and threw it over.
Then there was a dull thud, and the German's voice finally stopped—he was dead!
"Finally, peace and quiet!" Webster grinned at Cobb.
But there was still something strange in his heart.
He used to love life so much, but now he was so indifferent to it.
Webster considered this a war effect; war had changed many things about him, including his understanding of human nature.
Because if it were before, he would never have said such a thing.
He had his own thoughts about war, and these thoughts were constantly being changed by the war.
Cobb was very proud of his accomplishment.
He even ran to other places to show off his achievement, but no one cared about it at all.
Cobb even scoffed at him, saying, "Who cares about that German? What's the point of killing him?"
Indeed, there was no point.
But Lieutenant Fuli received an even more meaningful task.
They would once again carry out this mission.
The order was conveyed by Captain Winters and Captain Parks together.
They were also accompanied by Captain Nixon, who had been transferred to battalion headquarters.
They all looked rather grim!
"Gather the men this afternoon, and I will personally brief them on the mission!" Captain Winters said to Lieutenant Fuli, then took Captain Parks and Captain Nixon to the river to observe the German situation on the opposite bank.
"Aren't they afraid of being discovered by the Germans?" Webster couldn't help but curse under his breath, "This will kill us!" Because the three of them were observing right in front of Outpost 2.
If the Germans discovered them, they would unleash a barrage of artillery fire, and Outpost 2 would also suffer, which made Webster curse uncontrollably.
"Because it's always the officers who make low-level mistakes, don't expect them to change their minds! I'd rather stay in the basement!" With that, he hurried towards the basement.
Corporal Mike Lilley followed him, and couldn't help but say, "Does that include Captain Parks?"
"He's an exception!" Webster chuckled.
Fortunately, the Germans didn't discover the three of them.
Or perhaps they were too lazy to report, as neither side had the desire to provoke, if it weren't for that idiotic mission.
"Colonel Sink is very satisfied with last night's reconnaissance mission!" Captain Nixon looked at Captain Winters, his mouth twisting into a smile, "That's why he thought of wanting another such mission.
Do you know what those prisoners are good for?"
Captain Winters looked at the German buildings opposite him and couldn't help but say, "Does Colonel Sink know we lost an officer last night? A Lieutenant from West Point Military Academy!"
"Of course, he knows, but he also knows you captured two German prisoners who can give statements!" Captain Nixon said expressionlessly, "About the German supply issues, and what Hitler's favorite color is, and so on.
But I know these things won't help us cross the river!"
"What are you trying to say?" Captain Winters looked at Captain Nixon.
"Do you want to hear the truth?" Captain Nixon moved closer to Captain Winters, then gave a bitter smile, "Colonel Sink is on the phone all day, bragging.
I think he's just showing off now.
I don't know, Dick, I don't know what to tell you.
You gave him a successful patrol, so now he wants another one!
He's expecting more gains and wishing you good luck!
And he also told me to remember to tell you how proud he is of the patrol members' performance!"
"I know what you mean, Nixon!" Captain Parks, who had been silent, suddenly laughed, "You want to tell Dick that this patrol is completely bullshit and not worth risking the men's lives for.
It's not worth it, is it, Nixon!" Captain Parks smiled and winked at Captain Nixon.
"You sly devil, I know you can guess what I mean, and I believe Dick can hear it too!
But are you still going to arrange such a mission? I mean, tonight's patrol!" Captain Nixon chuckled at Captain Parks, then said to Captain Winters, "We shouldn't risk it like this anymore, and we're about to be relieved.
If someone dies for this now, it's so not worth it!"
As the three were talking, Lieutenant Fuli walked over to them.
He looked at Captain Parks and said, "Sir, the men have assembled, and the list is the same as yesterday!" Suddenly, he seemed to remember something, "Of course, not including Lieutenant Jones.
We don't need him to take risks, so he's not involved!
Even though he asked to be!"
"Alright, I'll brief them!" Captain Parks nodded to Lieutenant Fuli and said, "You go first, we'll be right there." Then he turned to Captain Winters and said, "Want to come along? At this time, the men might need you to say something to them!"
Captain Winters nodded: "I was just thinking that.
I'll brief them personally, Reese!
Let me do it!" Then he waved at Captain Nixon, and guided by Lieutenant Fuli, the four men walked towards the temporary assembly house.
And at this moment, Captain Winters had made a decision in his heart.
Everyone who had been on the previous mission was in a large room.
Their faces were filled with frustration.
They had already been notified by Lieutenant Fuli that tonight, they would once again carry out the same mission as last night.
This made them feel like prisoners who had been treated unfairly, yet were powerless to resist.
They could only grumble in the room!
"This is a bullshit mission!" Malarkey couldn't help but curse.
No one responded to him; everyone chose to remain silent, even Sergeant Martin, whose face showed no smile.
Clearly, he was also worried about tonight's mission.
After all, last night's mission had already put the Germans on alert, and if they went again tonight, the danger would undoubtedly increase, which would greatly increase the possibility of casualties among the men.
This was precisely what he was worried about.
"Attention!" Sergeant Martin suddenly straightened up, standing ramrod straight, and then loudly gave an order, which immediately silenced Malarkey, who had been grumbling, and everyone stood up.
Captain Winters, Captain Parks, Captain Nixon, and Lieutenant Fuli walked in.
"At ease, guys!" Captain Winters walked to the table they were sitting around, took off his hat, and said to the men, "You did a great job last night, and I'm proud of you, and Captain Nixon also conveyed Colonel Sink's regards; he's also very proud.
In fact, he's so proud that you're going to cross the river again tonight for a patrol mission!"
No one spoke; all the team members lowered their heads.
They felt heavy-hearted because of such words and had no interest in speaking or answering.
To be honest, because of Lieutenant Jones's death, everyone regarded crossing the river to carry out the mission as extremely dangerous, and in fact, it would only be more dangerous!
Captain Winters looked at them, then at his watch: "Is the observation post we attacked last night ready to explode at any moment, Lieutenant Fuli?"
"Yes, Sir!" Fuli nodded.
"This means we'll have to risk going deeper into the city tonight." Captain Winters said, motioning to Lieutenant Fuli, "The map." Then he pointed to the map Lieutenant Fuli had spread on the table and said, "This will be our new target!
We've recovered all the boats, so we'll depart from the same location as last night.
The plan hasn't changed.
Only the time has been changed from 1 AM to 2 AM!
Any other questions?" He looked around.
"No, Sir!" A few people responded to his words.
Captain Winters nodded, then looked at the men and said, "Very good, because—I want all of you to get a good night's sleep tonight." As he said this, all the men looked at him in surprise, thinking he had said something wrong.
"In other words, tomorrow morning, you'll report to me that you crossed the river last night and entered the German lines, but there was no way to capture any German prisoners alive.
Understand?" He paused for a moment, then looked up at the men around him.
"Understood!" The men looked at each other in confusion.
Great surprise and disbelieving doubt surged in their chests.
"Good, look more energetic tomorrow, we're withdrawing from the front lines!" Captain Winters folded the map, then put it in his pocket, signaling Captain Nixon and Captain Parks to leave with him.
"Oh, God, they're really good people!" Behind them were the joyous voices of the men, and cheers after high-fives.
And this outcome, Captain Parks had already anticipated when Captain Nixon said those words!
This patrol was canceled, to the brothers' surprise.
Parks had known the reason for a long time, but he hadn't said anything, and Nixon, as Parks had expected, took over the task of writing the report, which made Parks happy to take it easy.
Anyway, Nixon was very clear about their operations at battalion headquarters.
The very next day, the battalion headquarters issued Second Lieutenant Jones's promotion order.
He would be promoted from Lieutenant to Lieutenant.
The appointment took place at Battalion HQ, where Captain Winters handed the Lieutenant's silver bars and the promotion order to Jones.
The reason for the promotion was: good performance in the first reconnaissance.
And the good performance was because he followed Lieutenant Foley's command, didn't step on a landmine, and was able to return safely.
In Parks's previous life, it was like going out to buy soy sauce and then getting a promotion.
At the same time, Staff Sergeant Talbert's promotion was also carried out by Captain Winters; he was promoted to Lieutenant and would be transferred from the battalion headquarters to the 502nd Regiment.
Before leaving, he specifically went to the company headquarters to see Captain Parks, because it was very important to him.
"This is the highest reward I've received in the entire war so far!"
Lieutenant Talbert, wearing a crisp Lieutenant's uniform, with the gleaming bronze star on his collar, said, "I want to say goodbye to you personally, you know, thinking about leaving my familiar brothers, I feel... how should I put it?
I don't know how to describe that feeling, so I came to say goodbye to you."
Parks smiled and shook his hand, then nodded and laughed, "I know, leaving brothers you've been with for almost three years, I know how that feels, Talbert, if it weren't for that idiotic officer promotion regulation, I would definitely try my best to keep you here.
Don't worry about what the brothers think of you, you're a good man, you've done very well!
You've always been one of the most important members of Easy Company."
Such a high evaluation, recalling Talbert's performance as Sergeant and First Sergeant, he indeed did very well, boosting morale when soldiers were frustrated, reminding the brothers to strictly follow orders during combat, and providing accurate command and cover for the brothers.
And he was a true bond connecting officers and soldiers; in the company, the only other First Sergeant like him was Lipton, both having many similarities, both able to provide the best help to the brothers.
"Thank you, Boss!"
When Talbert said goodbye to Parks, he no longer called him 'sir' or 'company commander'; he once again called Parks 'Boss'.
This address started in Normandy, but later, after Talbert became the company's First Sergeant, this address was rarely used.
It was a very affectionate and respectful address.
"Goodbye, Lieutenant!"
When Parks said goodbye to him, he used his military rank as an address, which was merely to remind him that from now on, he was an officer and had to meet an officer's standards.
Although Lieutenant Talbert left the company with some regret, his efforts finally paid off, and his promotion also served as an example for other non-commissioned officers in Easy Company.
However, Lieutenant Foley harbored deep resentment towards Second Lieutenant Jones's promotion.
After he heard that Jones was promoted to Lieutenant, he ran to the company headquarters to complain.
He pouted at Captain Parks, who was sitting nearby, and said, "He only reconnoitered once!
Jones is a West Point graduate, a member of the West Point Protection Association; they all wear the association's ring.
If you don't have a ring, you're nothing!"
"I wouldn't think like you do."
Parks looked at him and couldn't help but shake his head and smile, "If I were you, I would definitely be smarter.
Regarding this matter, I think what I know is that those West Point Military Academy graduates will become important forces in peacetime; they have privileges, they are a special group.
We don't need to envy them!"
"What does that mean?"
Lieutenant Foley looked at Parks, puzzled.
In his mind, he led the patrol mission, but the one who got promoted was that Lieutenant who ran all the way and did nothing.
It was no wonder he felt a little unbalanced.
"If you can't compare to them, then join them!"
Parks looked at Lieutenant Foley and said, "If I were you, or if I wanted to continue serving in the military after the war, I would apply to West Point Military Academy.
You have medals, and successful combat examples, why can't you become one of them?"
Although the reason was a bit far-fetched, Lieutenant Foley still looked somewhat disgruntled, but there was nothing that could be done; every army has a privileged class.
This was not something they could change.
On February 20th, Easy Company received orders that they would once again become a reserve unit.
When Parks conveyed this order, the brothers finally showed excitement.
For this, before their departure, Cobb and Wiseman even risked being hit by German snipers to collect wine hidden in house cellars along the street.
And on this very day, Captain Nixon brought Captain Winters his promotion order and handed him a box containing a golden oak leaf cluster, saluting him with a smile and saying, "Congratulations, Major!"
Winters opened the box, looked at the golden oak leaf cluster lying inside, and remained silent for a long time.
Then he said to Nixon, "Where's Reese? Has he been promoted?"
This was also what he cared about.
"Yes, just like you.
He's on his way to battalion headquarters now."
When Nixon said this, he saw Winters's pupils constrict slightly and couldn't help but smile, "Don't worry, he won't go to battalion headquarters to serve as a boring battalion staff officer like me.
That would be a waste of his talent.
Colonel Sink wants to promote him personally.
I guess maybe you don't want to see Colonel Sink's face that makes you want to punch him, so I brought your promotion order over."
"I'm proud of Reese!"
Winters couldn't help but smile, "You completely understand me.
But Reese must be the reason Sink doesn't want to let him go.
After all, Reese has contributed a lot to the 506th Regiment!"
Saying this, Nixon also started to laugh, "Then Reese is going to suffer; what I hate most is that atmosphere, facing superiors, looking at their condescending faces, it's really unbearable, poor Reese, Amen!"
Saying this, both of them chuckled.
Indeed, just as Nixon had said, when Parks was at battalion headquarters, those field-grade officers all looked at him, and although they were smiling and nodding, no matter how he looked at it, they had a condescending attitude.
And what Colonel Sink said when he issued his rank order made him feel even more depressed.
"I'm pleased to tell you, Captain Parks, your Captain's rank has been honorably relieved!"
Colonel Sink said with a straight face, playing mysterious, although everyone knew what was going on.
Then he opened a box he had been holding for a long time, and inside lay a golden oak leaf cluster, "From now on, you are promoted to Major.
Work hard!"
Saying this, he personally removed Captain Parks's silver bars and then pinned the golden oak leaf cluster to Parks's collar.
"Thank you very much!"
Major Parks nodded to Colonel Sink and then shook his hand politely.
Although he had been looking forward to this moment, when he actually wore the oak leaf cluster insignia, his heart felt much calmer.
He deserved this, and for it, he had paid a lot, and the brothers had also endured immense war trauma.
"I originally wanted you to come to battalion headquarters to advise me, but Dick wants you to be his assistant, and I think that's a very good suggestion.
You can pack up and report to Dick in a bit!"
Colonel Sink gestured for Parks to sit down; by now, the sacred promotion ceremony was over, and everyone was relaxed, chatting in the battalion command post.
Colonel Sink watched Parks sit down, then lit a cigar himself, exhaled a puff of smoke, and said to Parks, "Reese, do you have any suggestions for the Easy Company commander position?"
Originally, he could have made this decision himself without consulting anyone, but Easy Company was different from other companies; this company had achieved brilliant results under Parks's leadership.
Although the brothers in Easy Company were not yet aware of their heroic achievements, their deeds were already well-known domestically and praised by the entire nation.
So he decided to listen to Parks's opinion.
Parks thought for a moment, then, as if having made up his mind, said to Colonel Sink, "If I had to make a suggestion, I think Lieutenant Halliger would be a good choice."
Colonel Sink's face showed a smile, and he nodded, "Lieutenant Halliger is my choice too.
Very good, you can now complete the handover procedures with him."
"Yes, sir!"
Major Parks stood up and walked outside, but he was quickly called back by Colonel Sink.
"Wait, Reese!"
Colonel Sink watched Parks stop, turn to look at him, walk over, and hand him a box and an appointment order, saying, "This is Heliger's appointment; I think he'll be very happy if you present him with his Captain's rank.
Also, take the company commander's appointment papers with you!"
This was expected.
Promotion to company commander, and a rank promotion, Heliger deserved this.
Moreover, this result was several months later than when he originally received it.
This troubled Parks a bit, because all of this had changed because of him.
Heliger was very emotional when he received the two silver bar insignia and the promotion order from Parks.
Yes, Easy Company commander was another peak in his career, especially for anyone who served in this company, they knew what kind of company it was!
"Sir, I don't know what the future holds, but I will take good care of the brothers!"
Captain Heiliger spoke to Parks with emotion; he knew he couldn't achieve the same combat results as Parks, but he could, like Major Parks, protect the brothers well and prevent them from making unnecessary sacrifices.
"Very good!"
Parks patted Captain Heiliger on the shoulder and nodded.
At this moment, Nixon waved to him from not far away; Easy Company was about to withdraw from the front line.
A jeep was parked beside him, with Major Winters in the driver's seat, who also looked over at Parks.
"Do well!"
Saying this, Major Parks walked towards Major Winters and the others, then jumped into the jeep.
The car started with a roar, then slowly left the front line along the muddy road.
On February 23, 1945, the 36th Division relieved the 101st Airborne Division.
Easy Company would transfer with the Airborne Division to Savina, located in the rear, preparing to return to Momion Camp.
On February 25, Easy Company traveled across France in "40-and-8" French railway boxcars.
These boxcars were named for their capacity to hold 40 men or 8 horses.
The weather was excellent on the day of departure, and the men leaned back in the boxcars, which were covered with over a foot of straw, their calves dangling outside the car.
Some had never even ridden a train before.
This made them extremely excited, and they didn't have to worry about German shells or snipers here.
As the train rattled across France, the long-suppressed passion of the men finally erupted as they left the front lines.
They waved to the French farmers on both sides of the railway and whistled loudly at the girls who straightened up to gaze at them.
Someone started singing the paratrooper song in the car, and soon others joined in, with songs echoing along the railway throughout the journey.
"It's like the sound of bells on a joyful Christmas tree," Major Winters said, glancing sideways at Major Parks, a smile playing on his lips.
Clearly, his mood was as relaxed as the men's at that moment!
And so, they returned to Momion Camp.
They returned to their former station with light and joyful hearts.
The first task upon arrival was personal hygiene.
There were showers at the station, and although the water was lukewarm at best, it was a great pleasure for them, as they hadn't had a proper bath since leaving Momion.
They lathered up with soap, scrubbed hard, rinsed off the foam, then lathered up again, scrubbed again, and rinsed again, repeating this several times.
After showering, they were issued new clothes and new Class A uniforms.
On their second day at Momion, a new batch of recruits arrived.
To integrate them into the company, Winters formulated a strict training plan.
These were basic training exercises that angered the men of Easy Company.
Webster once complained to Li Pu Sergeant, "Do we, battle-hardened veterans, have to go back to life like at Taccoa Barracks? I hate this training!"
Lipton merely grunted without even looking at him, saying, "Fine, you can choose not to train, but I can also choose to send you to a military tribunal."
This blunt reply immediately infuriated Webster.
On the second day of training, he began feigning illness to request leave, which was approved by the new Company Captain, Captain Heiliger.
However, it was only for one day, and only one sick leave was permitted.
This was an order later added by Major Winters, but despite this, Webster set a precedent, and the number of veterans taking leave increased daily.
Even if it was only for one day, they were still willing to stay at the aid station, lounging in chairs, sunbathing, reading, chatting, or even drinking!
The new recruits brought in continued to have problems during training.
One new recruit named Patrick S. Okief even got lost during a night march training.
"God!" Okief looked around, unable to find the unit, and couldn't help but gasp.
This gave him a lonely and uneasy feeling.
He didn't find his way back to the barracks until dawn.
Of course, this inevitably led to ridicule from the veterans.
But Okief remained silent, knowing that silence was best at that moment.
Of course, there were more problems than these, which further strengthened Major Winters's resolve to continue the training.
If new recruits made fewer mistakes, they would have a greater chance of survival in the future.
Because battlefield appointments were temporary, on March 8, Colonel Sink decided to formally appoint the officers who had been serving in acting capacities for the past two months.
Major Winters became the Second Battalion Commander, Major Parks became the Second Battalion Executive Officer, and Captain Nixon, the former Intelligence Officer of the battalion headquarters, was transferred to the Second Battalion as Training Officer.
Lieutenant Welsh became the Second Battalion Intelligence Officer, and Welsh's position was also promoted, becoming a Captain wearing two silver bars.
Captain Sobel replaced Mathieson as the battalion Logistics Officer.
"You've been demoted, didn't you hear what I was saying?" Major Winters said, biting his words at Nixon, who was leisurely drinking at a table, "And it's because of drinking!"
Then he turned to Major Parks, who was sitting opposite Nixon, holding a wine glass, and said, "You're repeating the same mistake!"
Nixon chuckled, "I know, I don't care at all.
We all know Colonel Sink likes to drink too, but now everyone knows he's not as good a drinker as I am.
I have a little every day, and they all say I get drunk every day, which isn't true, Dick, you know me best, am I the kind of jerk who gets drunk every day?"
As he spoke, he looked at Parks opposite him and shook his head, "Those jerks from the battalion headquarters, they just felt I didn't fit in with them, so they conspired to kick me out."
Major Winters looked at Parks shrugging his shoulders, speechless, and said helplessly, "Look, that's him.
He only cares about alcohol, he even ignores that we are his friends!"
"Alright, alright!" Hearing this, Nixon couldn't help but yell at Major Winters, "You should know, you guys are more important than alcohol, in certain situations.
That doesn't mean I'll abandon you for alcohol!"
Colonel Sink had already spoken to Major Winters because of Nixon, meaning he wanted Major Winters to keep Captain Nixon in line, and Major Winters had also promised Colonel Sink, because he and Nixon were the best of friends.
But now it seemed the effect was not ideal.
This also made him feel somewhat helpless.
And Nixon indeed did not take the demotion seriously.
He didn't care about it; to him, returning to Battalion HQ and being with Major Winters and Major Parks might even be more comfortable, because everyone at Battalion HQ was his friend, Captain Welsh was also his friend, he didn't even defend himself!
And there was one more thing that occasionally bothered the men of Easy Company: Captain Sobel was back.
He was serving as the battalion's Logistics Officer, which meant he would constantly interact with the men.
But Captain Sobel's personality was absolutely annoying; even those whose impression of him had improved later couldn't help but start to dislike him again.
When the men went to collect supplies, his arrogant demeanor always reminded them of their days at Taccoa Barracks.
"The black swan has returned!" Cobb exclaimed this in the barracks.
When he was ordered to pick up supplies, Captain Sobel sent him back empty-handed, citing his improper attire.
This infuriated Cobb, but he had no choice but to change into clean clothes and return.
Because it was indeed not up to standard, but generally, quartermasters wouldn't bother with such things.
"I'm not worried.
He can't do anything to us, we're no longer under his command!" Guarnere said, shaking his head and laughing at Cobb, "Only a poor wretch like you would go for supplies when Sobel is there.
You know you can just pick a time when he's not around, and you'll still get what you need."
"Bullshit!" Cobb cursed.
It was true; his luck was really bad.
It wasn't just Cobb; many others also ran into obstacles with Captain Sobel for one reason or another.
But they soon found an opportunity to vent their frustration.
And it was also an opportunity for Major Winters to feel vindicated, as Major Winters's impression of Sobel had never changed.
Major Winters and Major Parks were walking along the streets of Momion, and other men were also out, passing the time.
The weather had become warmer, and strolling on the streets, sometimes going to a bar for a drink or visiting the village's only brothel to find girls (although this was forbidden, no one truly interfered with them), was an indispensable part of their lives.
"The war should be ending soon!" Major Winters looked at the men on the street, feeling a touch of emotion.
"I don't know what I'll do after the war ends.
Perhaps, as I imagine, I'll find a quiet place to spend the rest of my life."
Major Parks looked at Winters and smiled slightly, "Didn't you think about continuing to serve in the military?
The European theater is about to end, or perhaps in a little over two months, but German resistance is no longer significant; their defeat is inevitable.
But we still have the Pacific theater, didn't you think about going there?"
Winters stopped, and he looked at Parks, who also stood beside him, and smiled, "I've thought about it.
I've even considered transferring there if there's still fighting in the Pacific after the war in Europe ends.
But that's still a long way off, hard to say!
What about you?
Have you thought about going?"
Major Parks nodded firmly, "Yes, I've thought about going.
Dick, the military is my best choice, and the Pacific theater is my best battlefield."
Major Winters knew that Parks was speaking the truth.
For an officer like him, not being able to go to the battlefield would be a huge waste of valuable military resources.
He nodded, "Of course, even if the 101st Airborne Division cannot be transferred to the Pacific, I will apply for a transfer with you.
Perhaps we will even fight together again!"
As the two were talking, Major Parks suddenly lightly nudged Winters and whispered, "Look who's coming!"
Winters followed Parks's gaze and saw Captain Sobel and two sergeants walking towards them from the opposite direction.
The two sergeants saw Major Winters and Major Parks and saluted them; the two returned the salute, but Sobel walked straight past them without saluting, as if he hadn't seen them.
But just as he walked a step or two past Winters, Winters suddenly shouted sternly, "Captain Sobel!"
Sobel then had no choice but to stop.
To be honest, he really didn't want to salute this person he disliked.
He turned to Major Winters and said, "Is there something, Major Winters!"
"Captain Sobel, saluting is based on rank, not on the person!" Major Winters told him very seriously.
"Yes, sir!" Sobel said as he smartly saluted.
Then, with a grim expression, he turned to leave, but unexpectedly, another voice came from the side: "Can you ignore another Major?"
It was Parks; he didn't mind embarrassing Sobel again; frankly, he didn't like Sobel either.
Sobel's face was very grim that day; this was a scene witnessed by Webster and Martin on the side of the street.
They felt extremely happy to see the arrogant Sobel get put in his place.
Of course, there was another factor involved: soldiers were very happy to see officers compare ranks and then make the other party look bad and embarrassed!
But their joy was not comparable to Major Winters's; this was the result of a long process of accumulated resentment.
February 28th was a very ordinary day.
For the brothers of Easy Company, it was business as usual: training as usual, then shopping, drinking, and finding women as usual.
They enjoyed their days in Momion, because it was so much better than the front lines, even though Momion Camp was not as good as when they were first stationed there.
Although some people still complained daily about Major Winters's annoying basic training, they were at least gradually regaining their former vitality, and everyone's face was clean-shaven and their clothes neat, which made the entire unit look more spirited.
But this day was an important one for Major Parks.
At around four o'clock in the afternoon, Colonel Sink from battalion headquarters sent someone to call Major Parks over.
The Sergeant who delivered the order did not state the reason, only telling Major Parks to go to battalion headquarters.
This surprised Major Parks; usually, there would be at least a brief notification when an order was delivered, unless you had made a mistake.
This also surprised Major Winters at the Battalion HQ, but he didn't ask, only looked at Parks with some concern.
"It should be nothing!" Major Parks shrugged, then looked at Captain Welsh, who was stunned beside him, and chuckled, "Don't drink all the wine, remember to save some for me!"
With that, he walked out of the Battalion HQ; he knew very well that nothing would happen, because he was no longer an ordinary person.
Although he was a Major in military rank, he was now an exemplary hero established by the American military.
No one would do anything to him, even if he made a mistake.
Pushing open the door to battalion headquarters, he suddenly froze.
He saw two familiar people—or rather, women.
Virginia and Jennifer, and then he couldn't help but call out.
This was completely unexpected, totally out of his anticipation.
"Why are you two here?" Major Parks blurted out, even ignoring Colonel Sink, who had been smiling at him.
He had no preparation whatsoever for the appearance of these two women; they hadn't said they were coming.
And the fact that these two women, with whom he had entanglements, had come together caused his mind to halt, even though his thoughts were ever-changing on the battlefield.
"Completely beyond your expectation?" Colonel Sink didn't pursue Major Parks's disregard for his superior, but rather smiled at him teasingly, "A pleasant surprise!"
Parks said with a wry smile, "Yes, sir, completely unexpected!" Parks then immediately saluted Colonel Sink.
Colonel Sink waved his hand nonchalantly and said, "Alright, these two are entrusted to you.
You have your own office, go there.
This isn't a good place, because our men will be jealous of you!" With that, some of the guys at battalion headquarters burst into laughter.
Colonel Sink also had a triumphant expression on his face.
"Yes, Reese, why not listen to the Major's advice?" Virginia gave Colonel Sink a charming smile, then walked gently over, took Parks's arm, and nodded slightly to everyone.
Jennifer smiled faintly, just gazing steadily at Parks, and walked along with Virginia.
"Alright, alright!" Major Parks looked at Virginia and Jennifer with some embarrassment, then looked at Colonel Sink and the guys from battalion headquarters, nodded, saluted, and then, pulling Virginia's hand, practically fled in disarray.
As he walked out of battalion headquarters towards his office in the Battalion HQ, Parks looked at the two women following behind him with a wry smile and said, "You always give me so many unexpected things!
How did you get here?
You even went to battalion headquarters and got Colonel Sink to help you; you really have a lot of pull!"
"Have you forgotten what I do?
I'm an arms dealer; I sell weapons to the army, so do you think I can't get Colonel Sink to make an exception for me?" Virginia rolled her eyes at him.
In her heart, she actually hoped that Parks could be with her in the future and create a better situation.
"Are you talking about a surprise?" Jennifer quickened her pace from behind, caught up, then gently hooked her other arm around his, leaning her head against him with a smile.
"Surprise?
Yes, it really is a surprise!" Major Parks nodded; his heart was already starting to feel uneasy.
If there was only one woman here now, he would relax and enjoy their time together, but what about three people?
He knew Americans didn't have the Chinese tradition of having multiple wives.
Perhaps rivalry and jealousy were possible, but if so, why would these two women come together?
Was it planned or a chance encounter?
But no matter what he thought, he had to walk towards his office, his private office, which, in his eyes, now looked like his interrogation room.
The charming Virginia and the youthful and lovely Jennifer became a unique sight in this predominantly male group.
As they walked, many people stopped in the road, staring dumbfounded at the three of them.
Then this dumbfoundedness turned into wild envy and even jealousy.
Women were already a rare resource, even though Momion had women.
But such beautiful women, women of different charms, were even rarer, and for two such women to simultaneously link arms with one man was simply agonizing for all the men in the camp.
"Good heavens, did I see wrong?" Luz had a cigarette dangling from his mouth, and he stared wide-eyed, watching Parks and the two women pass by, even forgetting to salute.
Then his cigarette suddenly dropped from his mouth, landing on his palm, instantly burning him and making him jump.
He nudged Muck, who was equally stunned watching Parks and the two women disappear, and said, "Hey, hey, look, two blonde beauties, that's right, I think I even know one of them, but I'm not sure.
God, being an officer really has its perks!"
"Hey, are you an idiot?
Those two girls were hooked by the Major back in Taccoa; I just didn't expect them to come here.
That one woman is really rich!" Muck swallowed, then subtly pointed with his finger at the tall, charming woman and said, "Don't even think about such good things; do you have the Major's charm?"
Luz shook his head and said, "No!
All I have now is jealousy, yes, just jealousy.
Alright, Muck, want to go to 'Lulu's' bar?
There are some good girls there; although they can't compare to the Major's, at least they're women!"
"If you're paying, I'll go!" Muck looked at Luz and chuckled.
"Alright, for God's sake, I'll buy you beer, but don't expect me to pay for you to pick up girls!" Luz said, then walked towards the other side of the street.
Muck quickly chased after him, saying, "Wait, wait, I like beer and cider!
Luz… hey, don't walk so fast… damn it!"
Luz's happiness was simple; as long as he was willing to spend money, women would link arms with him, and even go to bed with him.
This was simple happiness.
But Parks's happiness was complex, with joy and pain coexisting, satisfaction and hesitation intertwined.
He felt immense satisfaction from the envious and jealous glances around him, yet he also felt as if he were on the edge of an abyss due to the appearance of these two women beside him.
With a "bang!" the office door was slammed shut by Virginia, and then bolted.
Jennifer leaned on a chair nearby, watching the man who was resting his backside on the desk.
Virginia's charming smile, however, had turned into an expression of concern.
"My dear, how is your injury?" Virginia looked at Parks's leg.
"It's been fine for a long time!" Parks chuckled awkwardly, then rolled up his pant leg; the wound was just a small, hidden scar, so small that if one didn't look carefully, it would even be overlooked.
"That's good!" Virginia's concerned face suddenly turned cold, and her tone became somewhat stiff; where was her charming demeanor?
She walked gracefully to the side, pulled over a chair, sat down, looked at Parks, and said calmly, "What do you plan to do?
Or do you need to make a choice?"
"A choice?" Parks was startled.
Yes, now there were two women; no need to dream of having multiple wives.
This was America, not China; women here were more independent, more individualistic, and they wouldn't compromise on love.
This made him feel tricky; he looked at Jennifer with some difficulty, and her face showed a sweet smile.
"Reese, do you remember what I told you?
If you ever forget me, I'll kill you!" She said, then playfully winked at Parks.
And these words undoubtedly made Parks break out in a cold sweat instantly.
"Then what about me?" Virginia looked at Parks, sneering repeatedly, "Do you want me to read the letters you wrote to me?
How did you write those flirtatious words?
Did you write them when you had forgotten Jennifer?"
Parks simply could not answer these questions; the more he said, the more mistakes he would make, yet he couldn't make a choice, as choosing anyone would cause problems.
So he could only look at one, then the other, with a wry smile, remaining silent.
Not answering their questions was his weapon.
"Have you thought it over?
Do you want us to give you time to consider?" Virginia's long eyelashes lifted, then she chuckled softly, "You must give us an answer!"
Parks suddenly raised his hand as if he had made up his mind and said, "Alright, Virginia, if I really have to choose, I think—" He suddenly stopped, then looked at the two women.
And the expressions of the two women immediately became somewhat tense; clearly, they were pretending to be indignant, as if they had come to settle accounts, but in reality, they genuinely cared about Parks's answer.
"I cannot give that answer!" Parks changed his tone, then raised both hands, "Jennifer, I won't give up on you, but I also won't give up on Virginia.
To be honest, what I'm saying might be a bit immoral, but that's truly how I feel, if you absolutely want the truth.
Alright, that's the answer.
If you find it unacceptable, I can only regret it.
I will lose the women I love most, but I will not regret what I said today!" Then he quietly looked at the two women, waiting for their verdict.
Hearing Parks' words, Jennifer suddenly looked at Virginia, and Virginia was also looking at her; the two shrugged at each other, with an expression that said, 'just as expected.' To be honest, this answer left both women feeling a little disappointed.
No woman wants to share her love with others, but to ask them to give up was impossible to bear; this decision had actually been made in their hearts long ago, but hearing Parks say it out loud, while slightly disappointed, both women also let out a long sigh of relief in their hearts!
However, this guy's attitude was truly hateful; he didn't have the painful deliberation or even emotional dejection they had imagined, so they were a bit indignant.
They both looked at Parks with cold eyes, neither of them speaking; rather than being sulky, it was more like they intentionally wanted to make Parks awkward, to not let him off the hook so easily.
It was very quiet, but the atmosphere was heavy; the two women occasionally glanced at each other, appearing indifferent, but Parks didn't know what they were truly thinking, which made him feel very suppressed.
Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and awkwardly stood upright, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender, and said to the two women, "Alright, I surrender.
Tell me your final verdict! No matter what, I will accept it, but I will also fight for it; don't doubt my sincerity!"
"How will you fight for it?" Jennifer looked at Parks, suddenly raising an eyebrow, her eyes filled with allure, and said with a half-smile, "To fight for one or two, don't you think you're being very greedy?"
"Yes, I am too greedy!" Parks nodded and said, "But I am very honest.
To be honest, on the battlefield, there's always a feeling of living for today with no tomorrow; no one knows if they'll be hit by a bullet or a shell in the next moment, but as long as I'm not dead, I'll think of you.
You are what I care about most after facing life and death; I pray every day, praying that I can live to the next moment, then I will tell myself to live every moment well.
If I can live until the end of the war, I will tell myself that I will find my true love and spend the rest of my life with them; I no longer ask for anything extravagant, I just want to tell you that I am willing to do everything I can for you after the war ends.
This is my thought!"
Parks spoke for a long time, but neither woman interrupted him; whether what he said was true or not, the look in this man's eyes was not something a lying playboy could express.
And this man, tested by war, was even more captivating than before; he seemed to possess an irresistible wisdom and profoundness.
The two girls fell silent again, and the atmosphere seemed to sink back into an awkward situation.
Parks rubbed his hands, feeling a bit helpless.
But the two girls secretly enjoyed themselves.
Being able to see this guy, who was respected by officers and soldiers, and was incredibly decisive on the battlefield, striking fear into the enemy, at a loss was a very good feeling.
He was now a hero to the whole world; he might not know how much influence he had outside of the United States, but Virginia and Jennifer knew that few people could overshadow him.
Virginia stood up, deciding not to pretend anymore; a smile suddenly appeared on her face, and then she stood up, walked gracefully over, gently played with Parks' hand, and leaned her head lightly on Parks' shoulder, saying, "I know, you don't need to say anything else.
It was I who invited Jennifer to come along; she wanted to come anyway, so I invited her.
We discussed it on the way here; no matter what you choose in the future, we have already made our choice for ourselves!"
At this moment, Jennifer also walked over, took Parks' arm, and stared intently at Parks, saying, "Don't think you're getting off easy; if you dare to flirt again, I'll still kill you!"
As she spoke, her slender hand reached under Parks, and suddenly she squeezed Parks' lifeblood, pinching it hard, which made Parks cry out in pain and double over.
And the two women let out unrestrained giggles.
Of course, that night, Virginia and Jennifer did not object to the three of them being together.
This had already been discussed on their way here; there was nothing to hide.
And Parks, for the first time, was able to embrace two women, enjoying the bliss of having both.
This was not a dream, but a reality, and it was happening that very night.
Virginia's gentle moans and Jennifer's fervent passion allowed Parks to experience different sensations.
And this forbidden feeling was even more stimulating, not just for Parks, but also for Virginia and Jennifer, who were somewhat hesitant at first to be so openly entwined with a man.
But as Parks' magical hands caressed their bodies, both gradually lost themselves under the torment of desire.
"God!" Virginia's full breasts shifted shape in Parks' hands; she lay prone on the bed, her long legs kneeling on the bed, while Parks lay on her back, his hands grasping the two soft, full mounds, entering deeply into her wetness.
"Oh—" Virginia could no longer hold back a trembling moan.
Jennifer knelt behind Parks, her arms gently reaching around Parks' neck from behind, her slender hands lightly caressing his chest; her entire pale, firm chest pressed against Parks' bare back, creating a full, curved shape.
Her body pressed tightly against Parks' back, and her tongue lightly teased Parks' earlobe, hot, passionate breath exhaling, making Parks' whole body tense and tingle.
This unusual stimulation made him move faster; Virginia finally couldn't help her body convulsing, she slumped forward, then lay limp on the bed.
She was done, collapsing in the lazy, exhausted, and decadent softness after the release of desire.
"Now it's my turn!" Jennifer had already adapted to the game of three, and suddenly pulled Parks' body back; Parks lay on his back on the bed, and Jennifer was already astride him, her hands propped on his chest, beginning to twist wildly.
She was tormented by desire and was already a bit impatient.
But she didn't want Parks to be dominant; instead, being on top gave her a feeling of exhilaration, like galloping across an open field.
She didn't want to be subdued by Parks like Virginia; she wanted to conquer this man, like conquering a wild horse, even if it was just in bed.
She couldn't compare to Virginia, so a sense of crisis lurked deep in her heart; although she and Virginia had temporarily reached a compromise, it wasn't enough.
She first had to conquer this man in bed, and then achieve great success in her career, at least to be on equal footing with Virginia, only then could she escape her crisis.
This seemingly absurd and decadent night allowed Parks to experience the different charms of the two women; although he had had such experiences before, comparing the two made it impossible to judge who captivated him more.
Perhaps the two women had never been ranked in his heart.
His hands gently glided over the skin of the sleeping women.
Their tired sleep meant they were unaware of Parks' caresses; smiles played at the corners of their eyes, filled with endless spring warmth.
Such a life couldn't be had every day, and he knew that these two women would leave after daybreak; they couldn't stay in the military camp for a long time, but after this night, he would usher in a brand new relationship with three people.
He didn't know how long this relationship could last.
Perhaps one day they would grow tired and separate, but as long as they were together, he would cherish the beautiful moments with them.
One night, two women, three times of lovemaking—although Parks hadn't touched any woman during the war and had been pent up for too long, it still left him a bit overwhelmed.
A slight smile played on his lips, he shook his head, and then kissed each of them.
Then, nestled between the two women, he fell into a peaceful and contented sleep.
The next morning, after lunch, Virginia and Jennifer were to leave.
Major Winters specifically had Parks drive them in a jeep to a nearby military airfield; they would fly from there to England, and then take a ship back to the United States.
And this meeting changed the mood of all three, and also made their relationship more transparent.
The jeep sped along the French road, surrounded by villages, trees, and endless fields.
Everything here was similar to Taccoa, yet different.
Jennifer stood in the front of the jeep, right beside Parks, spreading her arms and closing her eyes; her hair flew in the wind.
She wasn't wearing a dress, but the cape-like garment she wore billowed, and the clothes on her body were tightly wrapped around her by the wind from behind, clinging to her body, revealing her graceful figure in an incredibly alluring beauty.
"Too beautiful!" Virginia, in the back seat of the jeep, looked at Jennifer and the surrounding fields, and couldn't help but exclaim.
It was unclear whether she was referring to Jennifer or the scenery around them.
The jeep stopped at the airfield.
A transport plane was parked there, its propellers already turning; this was a plane specifically arranged for them by General Taylor of the 101st Airborne Division, because of Virginia, and even more so because of Parks.
Because of Parks, the 101st Airborne Division became even more famous than in his previous life; many countries around the world knew the deeds of Parks and the 101st Airborne Division, not to mention in the United States.
All of this was related to Major Parks.
He was now the representative figure of the 101st Airborne Division, its signboard!
He was very happy to provide a plane for an arms dealer and a combat hero.
"Goodbye!" Virginia gently hugged Parks, then kissed his cheek, caressing it with her hand, a bit reluctant to part.
Jennifer squeezed Parks' hand hard, looking at Parks' grimacing face, as if she had won.
Virginia looked at Parks from the cabin door, then abruptly lowered her head and ducked inside.
And Jennifer, behind her, glared at Parks, then waved her clenched fist, as if in defiance.
"Remember, don't be reluctant to move your feet when you see a woman!" Then she winked at Parks, smiled charmingly, and ducked into the cabin.
With a "whoosh," the cabin door closed, separating the three into two worlds.
The plane trembled, then began to speed down the runway; at the end of the runway, its nose lifted, and it soared into the sky.
Parks stood quietly there.
Behind him was an old jeep covered in dust from the campaign, in front of him was a vast open field, and above his head was a clear blue sky; a plane flew further and further away in the sky, like a bird, flying towards the place he cared about.
Parks saw Virginia and Jennifer off, but he had to think about the future of his relationship with these two women.
Now was free time, but he found that the more he thought, the more confused he became.
This was far more difficult than fighting the Germans!
Training continued.
From squad to platoon, then to company, and finally expanding to battalion level.
The brothers still complained, but even company-level commanders knew they were preparing for an Airborne operation, and in this operation, the brothers would parachute into the area around Berlin—this was "Operation University."
And shortly after the officers received the notification, this order was issued to every soldier in the entire Division.
"This means this will be our last battle, guys!" Landeman stood in the sunlight, a cigar between his fingers, a smile on his face, which was flushed.
But there was also a small scar on his face, a souvenir of the war.
Landeman was one of Easy Company's bravest NCOs; he was never afraid and always looked after his brothers.
Some brothers sat or lay on the grass around him, all expressing their opinions on this operation, and for them, if this was the last battle, they would be happy to carry it out.
Anyway, after this, they would leave this damned European battlefield.
They just didn't know that the military headquarters had already started to scheme about the 101st Airborne Division.
The fighting on the Pacific battlefield was cruel and intense; compared to the European battlefield, it was simply a hellish battlefield.
"It'd be best if they dropped me directly into Hitler's residence so I can cut his throat and let that madman die by my hand!" Toy played with his dagger, flipping it in the air, "Maybe I can even get a 10,000 yuan annual bonus from the government for it.
Then I can do nothing and live a comfortable life!"
"I hope they drop you into Hitler's bedroom, and then you descend from the sky and land directly on Hitler to stab his ass.
Maybe Hitler will reward you with 100,000 marks for it."
Malarkey grinned at him, pulled a handful of grass, and threw it at Toy, who was flipping him off, then nodded, "I'm really interested, because this will get us home quickly.
I can't wait!"
Yes, every brother was a bit impatient, but this couldn't hide the tension in their hearts, after all, they were attacking the heartland of the German army, and they might encounter fierce German resistance, and perhaps they might be the last unlucky one.
So, they waited for the mission to arrive with a mixture of tension and anticipation.
Days passed in training and anticipation.
The brothers of Easy Company no longer complained about the usual basic training.
They felt this would help them parachute better into Berlin.
They even discussed the differences between German, French, Dutch, and Belgian girls, and whether German beer tasted better than American beer.
They also participated in joint training with the 17th Airborne Division and the 82nd Airborne Division to improve their interoperability.
On March 22nd, the operation order was issued, but unexpectedly, the 101st Airborne Division was not part of this Airborne operation.
The 82nd Airborne Division and the 101st Airborne Division would remain to prepare for the final assault on Berlin.
The 17th Airborne Division was sent to participate in what was then the largest Airborne operation of the Allied, and for this, the brothers of Easy Company had trained with them for over 20 days.
On March 24th, the brothers of Easy Company were near the airport, watching the brothers of the 17th Airborne Division in long lines, entering the densely packed C-47 transport planes lined up on the airfield.
Then the transport planes accelerated on the runway, took off, and after circling at low altitude, formed multiple "V" shapes and flew northeast.
"Actually, I wanted to be on those planes!" Guarnere, standing far away watching the planes take off, said to Muck, who was also watching the airport, "Actually, I found that these are all things I can't give up.
I only have two stars, one for the Normandy jump and one for the Netherlands.
But I still hope to have a third one!"
Muck nodded, and Pankala, next to him, also nodded; these were all their thoughts.
Even if they had only jumped once, it would become an eternal memory for these veterans.
They had realized that they were closely linked to this Airborne unit and to those transport planes.
Seeing them in the sky or at the airport brought a feeling of closeness from the bottom of their hearts.
But now, the brothers of the 17th Airborne Division, who had trained with them, flew away in C-47 transport planes, leaving them behind, gazing at them.
Webster, not far from Guarnere, suddenly cheered loudly, raising his arms in a "V" for victory, and shouted: "Brothers, get the enemy, and let them go to hell!"
Webster's emotions came entirely from within; it wasn't that he had deep feelings for the 17th Division, but rather deep feelings for the Airborne unit that could board transport planes and jump from the sky.
His words resonated with everyone, and then people continuously shouted loudly, at the planes in the sky.
"Let the Germans go to hell!"
"Let them die!"
That day, Webster wrote in his diary: I watched them disappear into the distance with a dull roar, and suddenly, I had a feeling of loneliness and being abandoned, as if I had been left behind.
But there was one person in the 506th Regiment who was not left behind.
This was Captain Nixon.
General Taylor selected him as an observer for the 101st Division to parachute with the 17th Division, and Nixon was fortunately assigned to be the jumpmaster of his aircraft.
However, this operation met with stubborn German resistance, and the Airborne unit was surrounded by German anti-aircraft fire.
The plane Nixon was on was hit, but he was the jumpmaster and jumped out first, then he heard a violent explosion.
The plane was blown up in mid-air by German anti-aircraft fire, and only Nixon and 3 others managed to jump out before the plane crashed.
Nixon was only attached to the 17th Division for this one night; on March 25th, he was sent back across the Rhine River, then took a special small plane back to the 2nd Battalion stationed in Momyon.
In conjunction with this operation, the US 1st Army's infantry and armored divisions crossed the Rhine River, then moved north to encircle the German forces defending Germany's industrial heartland in the Ruhr.
The Allied had already formed an encirclement around the Ruhr.
But this was not enough; Eisenhower needed to strengthen these encirclements, and he thought of the 101st Airborne Division and the 82nd Airborne Division.
At the end of March, Easy Company set off, returning to the Rhine River front.
Many brothers were frustrated and disheartened because the mission was not to parachute into Berlin, meaning the war would continue.
Although this time they would enter German territory as conquerors, they imagined this would only provoke strong resistance from the German army, increasing the difficulty of the war.
Parks knew that an Airborne operation in Berlin was unrealistic and would not succeed.
The Battle of Berlin involved a total of 3.5 million troops from both sides.
The German army deployed 1 million Wehrmacht, Home Guard, and SS troops with a firm resolve to defend their homeland, approximately 10,000 artillery pieces, 3,000 tanks, and over 4,500 aircraft.
In the Soviet assault on Berlin, 300,000 Red Army soldiers were killed, and 600,000 German soldiers were annihilated.
If the US army were to really parachute into Berlin, it could only be described as a tragedy; the Airborne unit might suffer a devastating blow, which would undoubtedly cripple all Airborne units and make them unable to recover.
Clearly, this was one of the wisest decisions made by the US military after considering many factors.
The soldiers of Easy Company wore brand new steel helmets, carried rifles or submachine guns, their trousers tucked outside their combat boots, a double-edged short knife for digging trenches strapped to their right leg, and their field packs stuffed with military canteens, first aid kits, and k rations.
The old cartridge belts for magazines were replaced with cloth ones.
The field pack contained the minimum amount of shorts, socks, razors, sewing kits, cigarettes, etc., connected to the field pack, along with a phosphorus grenade and a regular grenade, all tied to the parachute harness across their chests.
The chaplain, John Maloney, held mass and recited absolution for all officers and soldiers.
Before departure, Nixon was giving a news briefing to some of the brothers.
Some brothers sat there listening, while Luz, Liebgott, and a few others played poker while listening.
News about political groups asking the brothers to write home advocating for donations made many people yawn.
Nixon couldn't help but shake his head, then smiled: "I'm sure this news will be to your liking.
Oklahoma is still playing on Broadway."
"Oh, yeah!" Immediately, some people became interested, and Luz even proudly sang a classic part from it: "Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plain, and the waving wheat can sure smell sweet, when the wind comes right behind the rain…"
"When the wind comes right behind the rain!" This was a high note, drowning out the voices of all the brothers; it was the new recruit Okief, sitting in front, singing at the top of his lungs with a triumphant smile.
This immediately made the brothers behind him laugh, and Gordon even shouted at him: "Hey, Okief, are you sitting on a bayonet?
You'd better let Luz sing!"
Almost all the brothers burst into laughter, and Luz smiled at Okief: "Unless you want to perform a song and dance, Okief, choose one, singing or dancing?"
"Frontline News," Nixon shook his head and laughed at these guys, then continued, "The Airborne operation in the Ruhr area suffered setbacks, but we turned the tide of the battle, and the German defenses began to crumble.
I think the 17th Airborne Division and the 1st Army's infantry and armored divisions achieved good results."
"If it were us, we might have liberated Berlin already!" Luz chuckled.
This immediately received cheers and agreement from a group of guys behind him.
But no matter what, the situation was now very favorable for Easy Company.
The trucks drove out of Momion Camp, and only then did the brothers remember to look at this place where they had stayed for over a month again, but they all instinctively felt that this departure might be their last time stationed here as soldiers.
They would say goodbye to this place that had given them many happy times.
Momion Camp, under the sunlight, appeared exceptionally old.
This historic camp, from ancient times to modern, had experienced the stationing of different armies, and its appearance showed the vicissitudes of time and mottled rust.
Goodbye, Momyon, goodbye, France!
As the jeep sped down the road, Parks, sitting in the back seat, looked at Major Winters in the front seat, then looked at the surrounding fields, and these words couldn't help but emerge in his heart!