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Standing in the door, I could see...
...the lights on a drop zone.
And I had to assume that was our drop zone, way ahead of us.
And... .
So we had the red light.
I had everybody standing up, ready to jump.
So when the plane started to get hit, and suddenly...
...the pilot gives me the green light, I'm out the door.
Got such an opening blast or opening shot from the prop blast...
...that it broke this chinstrap that we had on the helmet liner.
That's when I lost this famous leg bag everybody talks about.
Just from the shock of the opening. It just flew right off my foot.
We came from the sky.
We hit, and in any direction you went, there would be enemy. You knew it.
And that was all part of what you accepted.
How do you prepare yourself mentally?
Each man must do that himself.
Each man must prepare himself mentally...
...to make that jump.
In the back of your mind, you wonder what's gonna happen.
You know you've been trained and trained...
...and what your job is and what you're supposed to do.
That's what you gotta think about. We lost a lot of people that night.
But you try to put it all out of your mind.
Smith!
Give me a light.
Lip! Did Evans make it?
Yes, sir. He's in Lt. Meehan's stick, sir.
Lt. Meehan. Lt. Meehan.
Will could use some help.
Will!
Will, hey! Will! I need your help here.
Get ready!
Stand up!
Hook up!
Equipment check!
- Sound off for equipment check! - Ten okay!
- Nine okay! - Eight okay!
- Seven okay! - Six okay!
- Five okay! - Four okay!
- Three okay! - Two okay!
One okay!
Jesus Christ! Let's go, let's go!
- Does that light look green to you? - Let's go!
I'm hit!
Jesus! Tell Meehan to get them out of there!
Two o'clock!
Oh, Jesus Christ!
- Go! - He won't jump, sir!
- Don't listen! - He's staying on the plane!
He's not jumping.
- He's okay! Go, sir! Go! - All right!
Son of a bitch.
Where's the goddamn DZ?
- Maybe three minutes on this bearing! - We get lower, we won't need...
...any frigging parachutes!
- Slow down! - We gotta get some altitude!
They can't jump at this speed!
We there?
Oh, God!
Oh, no!
Let's go!
- Flash. - Shit.
That's not the correct reply, trooper.
- I say "flash," you say "thunder." - Yes, sir. Thunder, sir.
Musette bag.
Coach? Sir, it's Hall, sir. I was on the basketball team.
- Leg bag? - Prop blast got it, sir.
- And my radio and batteries with it. - Mine too.
Landed somewhere behind those trees.
Okay.
Follow me.
To hell with that!
Wait until they reload.
Go.
- Aren't you D Company? - Able, sir.
Means one of us is in the wrong zone.
Yeah, or both of us.
- Do you have a weapon, sir? - Just my knife.
Do you have any idea where we are, sir?
Some.
- So you're a radioman. - Yes, sir.
I was until I lost my radio on the jump. I'll get chewed out for that.
If you were in my platoon, I'd say you were a rifleman first, radioman second.
Maybe you could say that to my leader. When we find him. If we find him.
It's a deal.
First, I need your help. Locate some landmarks to get our bearings.
Keep your eyes peeled for buildings, farmhouses...
...bridges, roads, trees.
I wonder if the rest are as lost as we are.
We're not lost, private. We're in Normandy.
- Who's that? - Lt. Winters? Is that you?
- Sit down. Any weapon? - No, sir.
I hit the prop blast, no more leg bag. I have a knife and TNT.
- The 82nd boys got M-1s though. - 82nd?
- Where are we? - Sir, I saw a sign back there.
It said "Sainte-Mère-Église."
Flashlight?
Raincoat?
- You got a raincoat? - Yeah, yeah.
Seven kilometers from our objective. Four hours from our deadline.
So, we got a lot of walking ahead of us.
You'll stick with us until we find your unit.
Let's go.
- Where are we going? - Causeway 2, Utah Beach.
Germans in the fields. We need to clear it for our boys.
Five of us won't secure a road. That looey don't even have a weapon.
I don't recall railroads near our objective.
This is the spur line, parallel to the river.
- We'll see a road and bridge. - How do you know?
Because I studied the sand tables, all right?
Probably a frigging train or...
- Flash. - Thunder.
Lieutenant, is that you?
- Malarkey. - Sir. Sir.
- Glad to see you, sir. - Hey, fellas.
- Everybody okay? - Good to see you.
- Guarnere? - Sir.
You and Hall up front.
Who the hell is Hall?
Lipton. Go. Guarnere.
Wait for my command.
Grenade!
That's enough, Guarnere!
- Everyone okay? - Yes, sir.
Next time I say wait for my command, you wait for my command, sergeant.
Yes, sir.
Here you go, lieutenant. Kraut weapon.
Fine, Quaker.
- What's that guy's problem? - Gonorrhea.
Really?
His name, dummy. Guarnere, gonorrhea, get it?
So besides a shitty name, what's his problem?
None of your fucking business, cowboy.
- All right, let's move out. - Sir.
Quietly.
- You see him? He just sat there. - He didn't have a weapon.
- What's he gonna do, shout? - Shouts at me for killing Krauts.
He just wanted you to wait for his command.
Joe, he don't even drink.
Lipton! Wynn!
Anybody need supplies or ammo, now's the time to get it.
McDowell! You okay?
- Yes, sergeant. - Well, let's go.
I promised my brother I'd bring him a Luger. I got first dibs.
Check that one.
- The Navy! - Landings have started.
- Move it out. - Right on time.
- Yeah? Tell that to him, cowboy. - My name's Hall.
- That so? - Let's move out.
- Learn to return his fire. - It ain't about you.
- He heard his brother... - Malarkey, shut your yap.
His brother got it at Cassino. Found out before we jumped.
Morning, sir.
- Battalion will be happy to see you. - Where?
At the farm, sir.
Top of the morning to you, fellas. Enjoying the war?
Where you from, son?
Eugene, Oregon.
Eugene? You gotta be kidding me.
Popeye, did you hear this? I'm from Astoria.
- You don't say. - Yeah. Orange Street.
- Why are you in a Kraut uniform? - Volksdeutsche.
- Come again? - My family answered the call.
All true Aryans should return to the Fatherland.
- Joined up in '41. - You're shitting me.
Hey, Malarkey! Stop fraternizing with the enemy! Get over here!
- What got you to Eugene? - I was born in Eugene.
Really?
Popeye.
Hey, Popeye!
- Hey, Harry! - Carry on.
Easy Company.
- Hey, Popeye. - Good to see you.
- This here's Hall, Able Company. - Known as Cowboy.
- You from Texas? - Manhattan.
Lt. Winters!
- What's the holdup? - Not sure.
Five'll get you ten it's got something to do with that.
It's good to see you.
Yeah, you too, Buck. What's the situation?
Not good. Ninety percent of the men are unaccounted for.
- Lt. Meehan? - No one's seen him.
If he is missing...
...wouldn't that put you in line to be the next commander of Easy?
Hey, Lt. Speirs.
How many men of Dog Company got assembled?
- Maybe 20. - You the only officer that made it?
So far.
Still waiting for orders. You got some cigarettes?
Yeah.
Keep the pack.
Yeah, so I was in the plant in '39.
I was at Monarch tooling propeller shafts. What are the chances?
You and me a hundred miles apart, working at the same job.
- Hey, Malark! We're waiting on you. - Yeah, I'm coming.
I gotta run. I'll see you around.
Yeah, see you around.
Zigaretten?
Here you go.
Danke.
Thank you.
Shit.
Easy Company?
Easy?
Hey, any of you guys know where Easy Company is?
- You seen Lt. Meehan? - No, not yet.
Well, Maj. Strayer wants Easy Company's CO up front.
- That means you, Dick. - Come on.
Son of a bitch.
Hey, Malark, where's the best chow?
In Berlin.
- Let's round them up. - Okay. Get them.
- And the MGs? - I'd say around here, sir.
But I can't be sure.
There's Kraut 88s. Ahead and to the right about 300 yards.
Through the gardens. They're between us and Causeway 2.
Firing on the boys landing at Utah.
- Can Easy handle it? - Yes, sir.
My guess is, they're doing some terrible damage there.
Does the major know we only have 12 Easy Company men?
No.
The 88s we've heard have been spotted in a field...
...down the road a ways.
Major Strayer wants us to take them out.
There are two guns that we know of, firing on Utah Beach.
Plan on a third and a fourth...
...here and here. The Germans are in the trenches...
...with access to the entire battery. Machine gun covering the rear.
We establish a base of fire and move under it with two squads of three.
How many Krauts you think we're facing?
- No idea. - No idea?
We'll take some TNT along with us. Despite the guns.
- Your responsibility. - Yes, sir.
Liebgott, take the first machine gun, with Petty A-gunner.
Plesha, Hendrix, you take the other. Who does that leave?
Compton, Malarkey, Toye, Guarnere. Okay.
We'll be making the main assault. Understood?
Yes, sir.
Let's pack it up, boys.
Shouldn't you be with the Able Company guys?
See you around, Hall.
Lipton, when you see we've captured the first gun, I want your TNT fast.
Yes, sir.
Okay. Just weapons and ammo, drop everything else.
Got spare ammo in a pack or a musette bag, bring it.
Lieutenant, sir? I was wondering, you need an extra hand?
- Ain't you Sink's jeep driver? - So?
Oh, shit.
What's your name, trooper?
- Lorraine, sir. - You're with me, Lorraine.
- Compton, second squad. - Yes, sir!
All right, you heard the word. Let's move! Let's move!
Fire!
Go.
Three cannons.
Petty, we've got enfilading fire.
All right, let's go. Stay down.
MG42s. I'll draw fire to the right of the truck. Take two men and hit them...
...from the left. Go.
Right.
Take Ranney, envelop right, give covering fire. Lorraine, machine gun.
Don't give away your position early.
I want TNT as soon as we've captured the first gun.
- Go. - Yes, sir.
Go.
I can't see nothing.
Come on, Buck.
Shit!
Let's go! Let's go!
Follow me!
Come on!
Fuck! My ass!
Sorry, sir.
Jesus Christ!
Fucking jeep jockey.
Shit! I'm sorry, sir. I screwed up.
Grenade!
Joe! Toye! Roll on! Roll on!
Get off!
Shoot!
One lucky bastard, Joe.
Guarnere! Malarkey! Lorraine! Secure that gun!
- Compton, covering fire! - Yes, sir!
- Where you hit, Pop? - I fucked up my ass, sir.
Your ass?
- Shit. - How bad is it?
I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to fuck up. I don't think it's too bad.
- Can you make it back yourself? - Yes.
Let's move out.
Here we go. Drop your weapon, Pop, drop your weapon. Come on.
One, two, three!
Get down, Dick, get down!
Pop!
Popeye! Get down!
Winters! One o'clock!
Grenade!
Toye! Let's go! Get out of there! Get out of there!
Toye!
- Joe! - Jesus Christ.
Fucking twice.
Jesus Christ!
Lorraine! Move! Go!
Malark!
Ranney! Let's move! They got the first gun!
- There's the second gun. - Grenades first.
- Then keep going. Go! - Right.
Okay.
Go!
Shut up.
- No make dead. - Shut up.
- No make dead. - Shut the fuck up!
Toye, stay down. Stay down!
- Compton! - All right. Cover for me.
They're so confused, they're firing on the third gun!
Better blow this before they realize it.
- I'm gonna find Lipton. - All right. Toye! Cover the lieutenant!
- One of the dead Krauts has a Luger! - So?
Keep your head low, Petty. Move it!
- Have a little suppressing fire! - Jesus Christ!
Malarkey!
- Now you stop firing? - Stay low!
- Shit. - Christ, they must think he's a medic.
He's gonna need a damn medic.
Okay, okay, okay.
Malarkey!
- Stay low! - What the hell's he doing?
Come on!
Forgot your frigging Luger? Want I should go get it for you? Stupid mick!
- Where's Lipton with that TNT? - Don't know, sir.
- You'll be all right. - I'm sorry.
- Don't be. - Sarge?
- Yeah? - Think this is a ticket home?
- Maybe. - Shit, I just got here.
Hiya, Cowboy!
Shut your fucking guinea trap, Gonorrhea.
- He's all right. - You got a whole Kraut platoon.
- More, captain. - You need help?
I need ammo, sir! Lots of it. And TNT!
- I got TNT, sir! - Good job, private!
Jesus.
Hall! Ready?
I don't have any way to set it off, sir.
Fire in the hole!
Plesha! Covering fire. Third gun here. Lorraine, grab more potato mashers...
...and follow me! Malarkey, Hall, you two. Go!
- Running low on ammo, sir! - And you, Malarkey?
Okay.
- Got enough to take the third gun? - We'll see! Malarkey, let's go!
Toye! Cover us!
Okay, Hall.
Keep your head down.
Hall! Leave your TNT!
Fire in the hole!
Malarkey, cover the front. Go to the cannon. Go!
I'm looking for Battalion Headquarters!
Are you kidding? It's back thataway!
You mean over...?
Fire in the hole!
TNT!
- TNT! - Don't need it!
- What? - Don't need it!
- Hall! - Hall?!
Where'd he come from?
Winters! Hester said you needed ammo!
Malarkey! As much as you can for everyone.
Mind if D Company takes a shot at the next gun?
- All yours! - Let's go, Dog Company!
- Let's get them, D Company! - Compton!
- Who is that, Speirs? - Out! Get out!
What's he doing out of the trench?
- What the hell's he doing? - Too late!
Oh, Jesus.
Sir!
Had a little trouble getting through that first field.
- Oh, Christ. - We need it at the next gun.
- Once it's blown, pull out. Go! - Yes, sir.
Compton, police them both, then pull out! Lorraine! Toye! Move out!
Move out! Move out! Move it out!
MGs first.
Fall back to your original positions.
Everyone else, maintain your base of fire.
Okay! Back to battalion! Go! Go!
They were 105s. We disabled them and pulled out. There's maybe...
...40 Krauts manning three MG42s to the rear.
- Hey, Pop. - Coming through!
- Forty? - Yes, sir.
We killed maybe around 20, so...
...probably there's 40 left.
I think we need artillery or maybe mortars might do the job.
- Going my way? - Sure.
Sir.
Careful, don't hurt yourself.
- Nice ride you got here, Nix. - Straight from Utah Beach.
We should put them to work before they're missed.
2nd Battalion had secured Sainte-Marie-du-Mont.
Elements of the 4th Division began to move men and material inland.
The 101st Airborne, including Easy Company, was scattered over Normandy.
Success of the invasion was uncertain. We had an hour to rest and find food...
...before we had to move south and secure the town of Culoville.
- I don't wanna die in this truck. - You're stepping on my legs!
- Jesus, let me out of here. - Light. Light discipline.
Guarnere, close that flap.
Let the Krauts cook their own goddamn food.
- How we doing, Malark? - Good.
- Good? - Yeah.
The Irish don't know how to cook.
If you have a reservation someplace else, I'd be happy to go with you.
- Thank you. - Shit.
Jesus Christ, give me some air.
Oh, God.
- Evening. - Hello, sir.
- Something die in here? - Yeah, Malarkey's ass.
- Any word on Lieutenant Meehan, sir? - No, not yet.
Don't that make you our commanding officer, sir?
Yeah, it does.
- Sir. - Joe, the lieutenant don't drink.
It's been a day of firsts.
Don't you think, Guarnere?
Yes, sir.
Carry on.
- Night, sir. - Good night.
- Oh, sergeant? - Sir.
I'm not a Quaker.
- He's probably a Mennonite. - What's a Mennonite?
Hey!
Dick!
You know that map you found? It had every Kraut gun in Normandy.
Here.
Don't ever get a cat.
What's on your mind?
I lost a man today.
Hall.
Thanks. A John Hall. New Yorker.
Got killed today at Brecourt.
- I never knew him. - Yeah, you did.
Radio op. 506th basketball team, Able Company.
He was a good man.
Man. Not even old enough to buy a beer.
Not hungry.
Hey, Dick.
I sent that map up to Division.
I think it's gonna do some good.
That night I thanked God for seeing me through that day of days.
And prayed I would make it through D + 1.
And if somehow I managed to get home again...
...I promised God and myself...
...that I would find a quiet piece of land someplace...
...and spend the rest of my life in peace.