A Fight for Survival

The War has Only just Begun

June 11th, 1944 - France

The retreat from Coup-de-Ville that morning had been a grim affair, but the march towards Carentan held a different kind of tension. The promise of battle hung in the air, heavier than the humid Normandy air that clung to Drew and David. The two Colorado boys, their boots sinking into the marshy ground, found solace in the cool mud, a stark contrast to the scorching sun that beat down on them. Around them, the men and women of Easy Company joked and told stories, their laughter a fragile shield against the fear and exhaustion. "Reminds you of Ginger's farm, don't it?" David asked, his voice barely a murmur. Andrew chuckled dryly. "A little. Just swap the humidity for dust and add a whole mess of Krauts."

Time blurred as they marched. Daylight faded, replaced by a moonlit darkness punctuated by the chilling crackle of gunfire. The smell of smoke drifted from a burning swamp, a grim prelude to the scene that greeted them at a flooded field. Twisted metal and lifeless bodies lay scattered in the moonlight, a testament to the battle that had raged there.

Hoobler, leading the way, stopped beside a dead German soldier, his hand reaching out as if in supplication. "Don't wake Jerry," he whispered to Blithe, who carefully stepped over the corpse. At the front of the column, Welsh peered into the darkness. "Lost F Company," he muttered, frustration lacing his voice. "Again?" Hoobler and Perconte echoed in unison. It had become a frustratingly common occurrence. "Perconte, go back and tell the others to hold up," Welsh ordered. "Hoobler, take Blithe and find F Company."

As they waited, Andrew watched the lieutenants gather, their faces etched with fatigue. Molly and Dick looked the worst, which was understandable. In many battalions across the army, Hunters and men shared leadership roles among the ranks. Molly and Alex's presence alone boosted morale and soothed the men's homesickness. They were like mothers or sisters to them. Even if they technically outranked them, the men would protect the Hunters, no the women, at all costs.

The men's booming laughter, spurred by Luz's crazy antics, drew Andrew from his thoughts. Luz had a knack for cutting through tension as he recounted tales from Toccoa, their grueling training under Sobel now a source of grim humor. Even in the midst of war, some things remained constant – Easy Company's ability to find humor in the darkest of times, and their unwavering reliance on the training that had brought them to this point.

David noticed Blithe, his face pale and drawn with fear. "Hey, Blithe you doin' okay?" Andrew greeted, approaching the nervous soldier. Blithe turned, startled. "Oh, hey, LB. Yeah, it's fine. How was your jump?" David smiled, clapping Blithe on the back. "Eh, not that bad. Ran into Drew and Malark. We had a small skirmish at a nearby farm, killing krauts and takin' out 88s, I think. Lieutenants McMahon and Nixon are finding and digging around for some crazy info 'round command. Then Lieutenants Winter and Nelson are getting used to being in command of a whole unit. While the other day, Lieutenant Nelson took a shot to the calf." Blithe's eyes widened. "Lieutenant Nelson? She's the one with Lieutenant Winters?" "Yup," David confirmed with a smile. Noticing Blithe's continued anxiety, he asked, "You know, you're looking kind of nervous, Blithe. You okay?" Blithe nodded, but his silence spoke volumes. Andrew, sensing his reluctance to talk, decided not to push.

A sudden clap of thunder echoed across the sky, and Easy Company moved like a single organism, taking cover along a hedgerow with the other lieutenants. "F Company has got no respect for night maneuvers," Welsh grumbled, swatting at a mosquito. "Got Hoobler and Blithe out there now," Welsh replied, checking his watch. "Be light soon." Molly, her voice firm despite the fatigue evident in her eyes, rallied the men. "Let's get this show on the road."

Hoobler and Blithe, their nerves on high alert, crept through the darkness. A sudden challenge rang out, "Flash!" Blithe spun, rifle raised, but Hoobler held up a hand. "Thunder!" A figure emerged from the darkness. "Could hear y'all all the way across the field," the soldier said. "F Company. Where y'all been?" "Blithe, go tell the Lieutenants we found them," Hoobler said. "I'll figure out where these yokels are going and meet you back here."