23.976
When we left for Bastogne, we were short of equipment.
We didn't have enough ammunition or warm clothes.
But we had confidence...
...that our higher military authorities would get to us whatever we needed.
There was a ridge with a tree line. We were dug in there.
The Germans knew where we were and they gave us a shellacking.
In Bastogne we were down to one round per man there for a while.
The fog was in. They couldn't resupply us.
When they tried to drop supplies in...
...they'd miss and drop them to the Germans.
One guy got hit by shrapnel. Took his arm off above the elbow.
They were taking him out and he said, "Get my watch off my arm."
A medic came along and he really saved my life.
He stuck a Syrette in a key position. Morphine.
Even today on a real cold night, when we go to bed...
...the first thing I'll say is, "I'm glad I'm not in Bastogne."
Doc, doc, doc.
Doc, bandage. Take him back to Regiment.
- Gen. McAuliffe, division commander. - Give it to me straight.
We've been taking ground in one position, losing it in another.
Now we're digging in on the edge of the forest.
We're under sporadic artillery fire. We're taking hits with no aid station.
We have no food or winter clothes, and little ammo.
The line's spread so thin the enemy wanders into our CP.
We just can't cover the line.
Morning, Captain Nixon. You got anything for Gen. McAuliffe?
Yes, sir.
General, I took a walk on our line about 0300 last night.
I couldn't find the 501st on our right flank.
We've got considerable gaps in our perimeter.
I don't have enough people, sir. We're spread too thin.
Hold the line, colonel. Close the gaps.
This fog won't lift anytime soon, so you can forget about air cover.
1st Battalion just left Foy, Krauts on their tail.
Tanks. Artillery. Got no backup. There's a lot of shit headed this way.
Doc?
Can I scrounge a bandage from your aid kit, sir?
How are you fixed?
No plasma, couple of bandages, practically no morphine.
I tried to find my way up to 3rd Battalion for supplies...
...but I lost my way.
If you can't get over to 3rd...
...Doc Ryan will fix you up with what he can spare.
Thanks, captain.
Eugene? Get everything you can. You're gonna need it.
- Spina. - Doc.
- What's happening? - We're digging in along the line.
Yeah, this is it. So, what'd you get?
I got this, and I got myself a Kraut bandage.
- What? This is it? - Yeah, that's it. That's all we got.
1st Battalion's pulled out of Foy. Heavy casualties.
- Then why are we sitting here? - We need morphine. This is all I got.
- You got extra scissors? - No. Just the one.
- First Sergeant Lipton? - Sir.
- What's this? Two medics in one hole? - Yes, sir.
What's gonna happen to us if you take a hit, huh?
Sir?
- First Sergeant, where's my foxhole? - It's back here, sir.
Maybe you missed it, huh? I'll walk you back.
- You're a bit close to the line here. - Goddamn it.
Sgt. Guarnere, did you keep any morphine?
- No. Doc, I gotta talk to you. - How's that leg?
- Forget the leg, I'm pissing needles. - Later.
- You seen them? - No.
But they're out there. Depend on it.
- Cup of Joe, doc? - Gordon, I need sharp scissors.
Scissors? Well, let's see, I'll have to check the sewing room.
Might be upstairs in the study, the desk drawer.
All right. What about an extra Syrette in your aid kit?
Hide your morphine, guys...
- Muck, you okay? - I'm good.
- Malarkey! Penkala! - We're okay!
Will you look at this shit? They peppered my helmet.
Hey, doc! Morphine!
- Here, take it. - Where's Penkala?
Christ knows.
Medic!
Doc!
- Medic! - You guys hit?
- Easy, doc. How you doing? - Hey, are you crazy?
Watch the goddamn line!
- You got a Syrette? - What?
Medic!
Go.
Medic!
- Doc! - Penkala!
- It's the artery. - Penkala, let go.
- It's a damn artery! - Loosen your fingers, damn it!
Relax your arm. It's not the artery.
I ain't going back. I ain't going, not in this shit.
- And you're yelling "medic"? - I don't need no aid station.
You're in luck, Penkala.
We don't got no aid station.
- You got scissors? - What do I need scissors for?
Got your aid kit?
Right, well, you don't need this. Not yet. I do.
- Who got hit? - Penkala.
Here. I want you to take someone and find the 3rd Battalion, okay?
Bandages, plasma, whatever you can beg, you beg.
And get me some damn scissors. I can't get any.
You get yourself a hot meal too, huh? Go.
- He told me he's a goddamn virgin. - Who?
The replacement in my foxhole, Julian.
Goddamn virgin. Just a kid.
The only virgin I know is the Virgin Mary.
Hey, Babe. Where the hell are we?
This way.
- I don't like it. - Where the hell is 3rd Battalion?
- Shit. - Come on.
Give me a hand.
Go. Go.
- Come on, Spina. Move. - I'm moving. I'm moving.
We can spare a few bandages, but that's it. No morphine.
- Go back to Bastogne for plasma. - Bastogne?
- Doesn't your surgeon have plasma? - We don't have one.
- Just me and my buddy. - Sorry, but we can't help you.
Take cover!
Get your butts out of here!
- Let's go. - Go! Move!
- Should have shot Hinkle in the ass. - Hinkle nearly shot him.
God bless you.
- These smell like my armpit. - At least your armpit's warm.
- You want syrup with that? - What's in these?
- Nothing you won't eat, Malarkey. - I won't eat Malarkey.
- Maybe Hinkle would like your share. - I should have shot him.
- Anybody seen Lieutenant Dike? - Try Battalion CP, sir.
- Try Paris. - Try Hinkle.
Hinkle, I'm home.
Eugene, Lt. Dike's got a full aid kit.
- He's not using his. - Maybe Hinkle's got a Syrette.
- Eat your strudel. - Hinkle Vinkle, eat ze armpit, huh?
Lieutenant Dike. Lieutenant.
Can you spare some Syrettes from your aid kit?
- What, morphine? - Yes, sir.
- What happens if I get hit? - I'll be there, sir.
- Syrette's in here, right? - Yes.
- Here. I don't plan on getting hit. - Thank you, sir.
Heffron, you okay?
Gene, what's with the Heffron shit? You know my name. Use it.
It's Edward, right?
Are you serious? Only the goddamn nuns call me "Edward."
- You have any morphine from Holland? - No. You asked already, remember?
No. I don't recall.
Gordon, you want me?
Yeah, morphine. 3rd Platoon ponied up the contraband.
- Still looking for scissors? - Yes.
Perconte.
- Doc. - Thank you.
You'd better check on Joe Toye out on the OP. He's missing something.
Thanks.
- You guys okay? - They got hot food. Smell it?
- You missing something? - Home.
Ask him to dance, doc.
- Toye, show me your feet. - You watch the goddamn line, McClung.
- Where are your boots? - In Washington, up Gen. Taylor's ass.
- I can move better in bare feet. - What happened?
Took them off to dry my socks and they got blown to hell.
- Well, what's your size? - Nine, just like everybody else.
You keep cleaning those teeth, the Germans will see you.
That's right, Pee Wee. You keep laughing.
Hey, doc.
Doc, my stuff. Come on, doc.
- You got a drug store in here? - No, just my stuff.
- What are you looking for? - Scissors. Thank you, Perconte.
My goddamn scissors.
- Sgt. Guarnere. - Marlene, is that you?
- Hey, doc, come here. - USO, picking up Syrettes.
- Alley, Liebgott, you got any? - No.
You ain't using this stuff are you? I mean personal, like.
Doc, I still got the itching. When I pee, it's murder.
I don't have any penicillin for your biroute.
- Lieutenant, move around a bit. - I can't feel my feet.
That's why you gotta move around.
- Should I take my boots off? - No, just loosen them up and move.
Sergeant, I know it must be hell but I can't help you. Drink lots of water.
- Water? It's pissing that hurts. - Shut it. Shut the hell up.
- Who the hell's singing, Bill? - I'll find out, lieutenant.
- Stop them from singing. - I'll shut them up.
Lord, grant that I shall never seek to be consoled as to console...
...to be understood as to understand, or to be loved...
...as to love with all my heart.
With all my heart.
Medic!
Medic! Medic!
- Perconte, get a jeep. - I'm on it.
- Look at my leg. - Easy CP, this is Perconte.
- Bear with me. Bear with me. - Sisk has been hit. I need a jeep.
They're moving, goddamn it! We need it now!
You'll be all right, Sisk.
- Okay, Sisk. It ain't that bad. - It ain't that bad?
Okay, one pull.
No, save the morphine. I can make it. Save it.
All right, let's get him out of here.
- Where's the jeep? - I don't know, but I hear it.
- Jesus Christ! - You got blood on my trousers.
- I'm real sorry, Frank. - Get him up.
Damn it, Skinny.
Tell Spina I went in for plasma.
All the tanks and artillery pulled back to here.
We got no backup beyond Bastogne. This is it.
The Krauts captured the 326th Medical.
They took doctors, medics, the whole shebang. We got nothing.
The boys get hooch for the pain.
- He took a mortar hit. Watch the leg. - Yeah.
Get him in.
- Move it. - Coming through.
Move it, fellas.
- No, no. Here. Put him here. - Yes, ma'am.
- Is he bad? - No, lower-leg wound. No morphine.
- Nurse, have you got plasma I can...? - Wait. Please.
- Why ain't these men evacuated? - We can't. We're cut off.
This is as far as it goes.
I'm in heaven, doc.
- Nurse. - This way.
I need morphine. I need bandages. Whatever you got. We got nothing.
Okay, I can give you a little, but not a lot.
- You can have this today. - You got plasma?
- A little. Are you a surgeon? - No. We have no surgeon.
- What's this? - From the bed.
- What, sheets? - Yes, for bandages.
- My name is Renée. - I'm Gene. Eugene Roe.
- Where are you from? - Louisiana. Half-Cajun.
- Et toi, tu viens d'où? - Bastogne.
Can you get me back to the line?
Sure.
Eugene.
Chocolat.
Pour vous.
- Amen. - Amen.
Fight well for God and your country. God bless you all. Stay safe.
That's it. Nothing to worry about.
We die now, we die in a state of grace. Isn't that right, Babe?
Battalion want a reconnaissance patrol.
I'll go. Take these. Give the boots to Joe Toye. Tell him they're a nine.
- We go until we make contact. - Peacock's leading.
That asshole couldn't find a snowball in a blizzard.
- That's the order. - Sarge?
- Julian. - Let me be the lead scout.
- Back in line, private. - Move out.
Tactical columns, men.
Doc, it's a combat patrol. Why don't you stay back and keep out of trouble?
- Yes, sergeant. - Yeah.
Come on, Hoobler, pick it up.
Right. Move out.
Go.
- Fire! - Get down! Get down!
Shit.
Bull! Christenson! Up on line!
- Johnny! - We got a man down!
- What have we got? - Kid's down.
- We gotta make a move. - I can get him, sarge.
- Suppressing fire! - Suppressing fire.
- One man down. Easy. - Covering fire.
Hold them down!
Easy CP, I have one man down.
Stay there. Don't move. Stop moving or they'll keep shooting.
- What's happening, sir? - We're pulling back. We made contact.
I gotta get to the CP.
Don't move. Don't move or they'll keep firing. Stop moving!
Fuck. Sarge, what...?
Pull back! We gotta pull back!
- Let's get the hell out of here! - Let's go!
- Move! - Go!
Come on, stay with us. Hold on!
Stay with us! Look at me. Stay with us! Hold on.
- Heffron, move! - Don't move, we're coming back.
- We'll get you out of here. Hold on. - Go. Let's go!
- On me, move! - Come on, let's go.
- Where the hell are we? - Straight ahead. Straight ahead.
Doc! Doc!
- Okay! - Set it up on the rock.
Easy CP. Easy CP. Lightning, over.
- I need a jeep at the CP. - Eyes sharp!
Okay, I got your jeep, doc.
- Martin? Martin! - Sir?
- What's going on? - They got Julian.
- He's alive. We gotta get him. - We don't know that.
- Did you hit an OP or their line? - Their line.
- We gotta get Julian! - No, fall back.
- Where's Peacock? - At the CP.
- Fall back! - You okay, doc?
- Get him out of here! - We gotta go.
Let's up and go!
- We gotta move. Let's go! - Get him up.
Doc, now! Let's go!
Move!
- Let's go. - Back, fall back!
We couldn't get to him, captain. Babe tried. We couldn't get to him.
Hey, Bull. Let me sit in here with you guys.
Heffron.
Toye.
What you doing out here?
Thanks for the boots, doc. Doing fine.
Are you still having trouble with your feet?
Show me. Let me see it.
It's trench foot. If it turns gangrene, you could lose it.
I ain't coming off the line, doc.
Well, you gotta stay dry. Massage your feet.
Change socks every day and dry the wet ones.
- Trying. - Do it.
I'm working on it.
- You seen Heffron? - No. Why?
He ain't in his hole.
Fuck.
Got you.
Heffron.
Edward.
Eat it.
Good.
All right.
I promised him if he got hit, I'd get his stuff and bring it to his mom.
- Now the fucking Krauts'll strip him. - It's okay.
It's not. It's not okay.
I should have got to him.
What do you call those people again? Those Cajun healers?
Traiteurs.
- You know, my grandma was a traiteuse. - Your grandmother? No shit?
She was. Laid her hands on people and cured them.
Took away sickness, cancer, you name it.
Your grandma did that? You're shitting me.
- I remember she used to pray a lot. - Yeah, I guess she had to.
Talked to God about the pain she pulled out.
Asked him to carry it away.
That's what she did.
I'm still trying to figure why they picked me for a medic. God knows.
Snap of a finger and just like that, you're a medic.
I've had enough playing doctor.
Hey, how about you?
Take cover!
Cease fire! Cease fire, goddamn it!
I don't understand. It was our own planes.
C-47s. They're bringing supplies. It's a drop. It's a drop. Come on!
All right, you help the doc. The rest of you, come with me.
- Medic! - Someone give us a hand here.
- Help! - Coming through.
This one through here. Now!
The artery, we gotta find the artery.
Anna!
Where does she come from?
The black girl.
The Congo.
How'd she get here?
Just like me. She came to help.
What?
Your hands.
My hands?
You're a good nurse.
No. I never want to treat another wounded man again.
I'd rather work in a butcher's shop.
But your touch calms people.
- That's a gift from God. - No, it's not a gift.
God would never give such a painful thing.
Nurse! Nurse!
We need some help over here.
- Got shrapnel though the stomach. - How bad is it?
Okay, get this one in first.
- Now we know how they felt. - What? Who?
The legionnaires. When they watched the Huns. Goths, the Visigoths.
Visigoths? Jesus Christ.
Barbarians. They came right through here.
Right through these trees. Sweeping down to burn the shit out of Rome.
That's a hell of a long ride.
So, what's college like, Buck?
You can study with cheerleaders running fingers through your hair?
Hell, Babe, I can't even remember.
- Hey, it's doc. - Sergeant. Heffron. Lieutenant.
Wrap up.
Never calls anybody by their nickname.
- He once called me Edward. - Is that right?
- Edward? That's your name? - Yeah.
Funny, you... . You don't look like an Edward.
Hey, doc. It's gonna get busy, pal.
Hold your fire. Don't let them draw you out.
- Stay ready, boys. - What do we hit those things with?
Hold your fire. Get ready, Walter.
Stay in your holes, guys.
All you 3rd Platoon, you stay ready!
- Smokey's hit. - Medic!
Hey, Gene, let's go. Come on, let's go!
Okay, go!
Medic!
- Doc! - Smokey?
- Hi, Mo. - I'm keeping it for you.
- Smoke! - I can't feel my legs.
- My foxhole. Get the plasma, now! - Here they come!
- Yeah, I got it. Go! - Machine guns, open fire!
Sergeant Lipton!
Doc, we gotta get the hell out of here.
Hey, come on. Stay with us, Smokey. Stay with us!
Doc, we gotta get the hell out of here!
You ready? All right, go!
- Stop. We gotta stop. - All right.
- Take the plasma. - All right.
Come on, Walter. Come on, buddy.
- Hurry. I gotta get back to the line. - Okay, okay.
- Lip. - Yeah, buddy?
- You're standing on my hand. - Sorry, pal.
Look, I'll get you another Purple Heart for it.
Hey, give us a hand! I got you a ride, doc.
Jones.
Give it here. Okay, put him here.
Where's his tag? Where's his tag? What's wrong with him?
- Paralyzed. - What?
He's paralyzed. Can't feel a thing.
In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Eugene?
- Eugene. - Renée!
- Are you...? - Renée, I need some help here.
Are you all right?
Here you go, man.
One for the doc.
They're having a Christmas dinner of turkey and hooch at Division CP.
Damned if I don't like Joe Domingus' rancid-ass beans better.
- Hello, Easy Company. - Hello, sir.
General McAuliffe sent a message. Thought your people'd like to hear it.
That's your prerogative, sir.
Men...
...General McAuliffe wishes us all a "Merry Christmas."
"What's merry about all this, you ask? Just this:
We've stopped cold everything that's been thrown at us...
...from the North, East, South and West.
Two days ago, the German commander demanded our honorable surrender...
...to save the U.S.A. encircled troops from total annihilation.
He received the following reply.
'To the German commander: Nuts!'
We're giving our country and loved ones a worthy Christmas present...
...and taking part in this gallant feat of arms...
...we are truly making for ourselves a Merry Christmas."
- Merry Christmas and God bless you. - Nuts, sir!
- Nuts! - Nuts!
Bill.
Picture of my girl.
Good-looking broad, Buck.
She's... .
She's finished with me.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
Yeah. She's... .
Just in time for Christmas, huh?
Just in time for Christmas.
Shit, I almost forgot.
- "Lucky Strikes means fine tobacco." - Where'd you get those?
Merry Christmas, fellas. You gotta thank jolly old "Saint Luz."
- Beautiful. - Here.
Here you go, Penk.
I am shaking so goddamn much, I feel like I'm dancing.
Here you go, buddy. There you go.
- Frank, what are you doing? - It's Christmas, Pee Wee.
- Yo, Frank. - What is it?
- Lemon powder snow cone. - Pass.
Merry fucking Christmas.
Harry.
- Fire's not a good idea. - Just a couple of minutes.
- We're in a dell. - A dell?
Like where fairies and gnomes live?
I swear I thought I could smell a fire.
I did smell a fire. Are you out of your mind?
No, we're in a dell.
- Down! - Put out the fire.
Medic!
I need an A-jeep to 2nd Battalion CP.
- Stay still, Harry. - Peacock, put that out!
Medic! Roe!
Doc!
Gene.
- Come on, doc. - Is he hurt?
- I don't know. - Move.
We gotta go.
- Get up. The captain's yelling. - Okay.
Okay, get up. Not okay, lie down.
Come on, move. Jesus Christ. My hand. My goddamn hand!
Roe!
Roe.
Stay still, Harry.
- It's just a scratch, Harry. - Jeep's on its way. Hang tough.
Towel.
- Give him some morphine. - Where?
- Opposite thigh. - Okay.
Elevate his head.
Get him up.
There you go, soldier, take that.
Eugene, get yourself into town. Get a hot meal.
Get out quick!
Clear the road!
Get out quick!
- Stay out of there! - Are you nuts?
Medic! Get your ass out here!
Come on!
Report, every hour, on the hour, on the radio...
...or I don't know where the hell you are.
Everything okay?
Babe?
- Yeah. - Hey, how'd you do that?
You did that.
I'll fix it up.
Hey, Gene, you called me "Babe."
I did? When?
Just now.
Babe.
I guess I did.
Babe.
Heffron, watch the goddamn line.