A Fight for Survival

Sainte-Mere-Eglise

June 7th, 1944 - Normandy, France 

The sun peeked over the horizon as the makeshift platoon trudged onward. Beside him, Joe Toye tried to lighten the mood. "Hey LB, how are ya doin'? How was your jump?" David forced a smile. "Well, as soon as I landed, I found Lip and Drew." Joe nodded. "Yeah, when I landed it only took me a few to find, fucking Malarky. You could probably hear the guy from like a mile away." "Heard that!" Malarky's voice boomed from the back of the group, eliciting a wave of chuckles.

David continued walking, flanked by Bill and Joe. "Did you see him? He just sat there," Bill said, his voice low. David knew he was talking about the paratrooper who had frozen during the jump, refusing to engage the enemy. "He didn't have a weapon," Joe replied. "What's he gonna do, shout at 'em?" "Shouts at me for killing Krauts," Bill muttered, swatting at a fly. "He just wanted you to wait for his command," Joe reasoned gently. "Joe, he don't even drink," Bill shot back, his voice laced with a mixture of frustration and concern.

They soon came upon a scene of utter devastation: a once-proud farmhouse reduced to rubble, surrounded by the bodies of fallen soldiers from both sides, and even a few lifeless cows. Dick and Lip stopped the group's advance. David crouched low, clutching his rifle. A plume of smoke ahead marked their destination: a small barn and truck engulfed in flames. As they drew closer, a chilling sight stopped them in their tracks. One of their own, a paratrooper from Easy Company, lay dead, still entangled in his parachute. David felt a shiver run down his spine as he thought of his other comrades.

"Lipton, Wynn," Molly's voice rang out. She gestured for the two men to scout ahead. They moved with practiced stealth, their eyes scanning for any sign of danger. "Anybody need supplies or ammo, now's the time to get it," Lip called back to the group. "Hey, I promised my kid brother I'd fetch him back a Luger," Malarkey's voice drifted over. David watched as he rummaged through the gear of a dead German soldier. "So I got first dibs, ok?" Malarkey continued, tossing aside his helmet and continuing his search. "Check that one," he directed Hall towards another fallen soldier.

David joined the others, scavenging for anything he might have lost during the chaotic jump. Suddenly, the ground vibrated beneath their feet, and the roar of aircraft filled the air. Instinctively, everyone hit the dirt. David looked up, shielding his eyes from the sun, as wave after wave of planes thundered overhead. "It's the Navy," Lip shouted, scrambling to his feet and jamming his helmet back on. The others followed suit. To David's right, Molly and Winters synchronized their watches. "The landings have started, let's go," Molly commanded. They set off at a brisk pace. "Let's move it out!" Lip urged. "Right on time," Hall commented, glancing at his watch as David fell into step beside Joe. "Yeah, tell that to him, cowboy," Bill retorted, gesturing towards a dead German soldier. "My name's Hall," Hall replied, his voice flat. "That so?" Bill grunted, rising to his feet. "Let's move out," Dick's voice cut through the rising tension. "You just gotta learn to return his fire, is all," Malarkey advised Hall, as Winters observed the exchange silently. "He just heard his brother–" "Malarkey, shut your yap," Bill snapped, pushing past the two men and hurrying after Lip and Molly.

Private Hall approached David, Joe, and Bill. "Say, did you guys hear that Lieutenant Nelson wrestled a Kraut down and killed him with her knife?" Joe raised his eyebrows. "No shit, really?" David shrugged. "Well, if she had to kill a Kraut, it was probably for a good reason." Bill stared forward, "Yeah, a good reason."

The sky darkened as clouds rolled in, obscuring the sun once more. A cool breeze blew in from the sea, offering a brief respite from the heat. Molly welcomed the change in weather. As they were walking Dick and Molly began to talk as Dick nudged Molly playfully with his elbow, his usual carefree grin softening as he glanced at her. "So, Molly, what's the first thing you're gonna do when we get back home? Assuming apple pie and a hot bath aren't options right now."