BAND OF BROTHERS
Part 8: "The Patrol"
by Erik Bork
Based on the book by Stephen E. Ambrose
Revisions by Bruce C. McKenna
1 EXT. ROAD - LATE WINTER AFTERNOON
A cleanly dressed TROOPER carries his MUSSETTE BAG along the side of a COLUMN of battered trucks on a muddy road. The mud splatters against his crisp jump pants. It's SLEETING.
He passes hundreds of exhausted Troopers who stare at him with hollow eyes. All of them miserable, pinched with cold.
DAVID WEBSTER
late of EASY CO, searches'the trucks to his right. He hears "MOUNT UP..." Engines ROAR to life. He sees something and breaks into a trot -
WEBSTER
Hey! Easy! Luz!
2 ANGLE ON TRUCK that houses the Easy Co. HQ Personnel.
LUZ and a shivering LIPTON, who is wrapped in a blanket and looks ill, sit by CAPTAIN SPEIRS. They all look exhausted. The truck has no TOP. They huddle in the freezing rain.
The men look up at him. Luz half-heartedly jokes...
LUZ
Hey Webster...How's the Dictionary?
WEBSTER
(happy to be razzed) Haven't heard that one in a while ...Where's Captain Winters?
LUZ
Battalion. Captain Speirs runs Easy now.
Webster nods at Speirs, who simply stares at him, then hands LIPTON a SCHNAPPS bottle. Lipton takes a small SWIG.
WEBSTER First platoon up ahead?
Luz jerks his thumb up toward the head of the column.
WEBSTER
gives Luz a smiling THUMBS UP and walks up to the next truck. As he bows against the sleet we hear him in VOICE OVER.
WEBSTER (V.O.)
As soon as I saw those white spades and those ragged faces, I thought I was home.
3 EXT. ROAD - FOLLOWING
He reaches the back of the next truck. It's filled with the THIRD PLATOON: ALLEY, MCCLUNG, POWERS and BILL KIEHN huddle around a small stove they've pilfered. The truck starts to move. A spinning wheel sprays Webster with dirty snow.
WEBSTER
Hey! Whaddya know?
But the men don't even respond. Webster's a bit taken aback.
WEBSTER (cont'd) It's me. Webster.
(a coupla NODS, that's all) Hoobler up front?
Nobody answers. Webster walks up past the slowly moving truck. He pulls his collar up against a sudden cold WIND.
WEBSTER (V.O.) (CONT'D) After two months of Red Cross nurses fussing over wounds that wouldn't heal fast enough, drifting through a sea of replacements, I couldn't wait to see the guys. I thought they'd be glad to see me.
4 EXT. ROAD (FOLLOWING)
He reaches the next truck. He sees HEFFRON, LESNIEWSKI and others. This time Webster's greeting is more subdued.
WEBSTER
Guys...
HEFFRON (elbows Lesniewski) Hey, look, ain't that Harvard?
Webster is expecting more, but that's it. He smiles uncertainly at MALARKEY, who doesn't even acknowledge him.
WEBSTER
nonplussed at his reception, moves up past the truck.
WEBSTER (V.O.)
It never dawned on me I'd become a replacement myself.
5 INT. DEUCE AND A HALF - SAME
Webster calls out to the next slowly moving truck.
WEBSTER (CONT'D) Hey, it's me. Webster.
Ten men sit in the back of the open truck. EUGENE JACKSON, JOHNNY MARTIN, BULL RANDELMAN, BOB MARSH, KEN MERCIER and a few others, including LIEUTENANT FOLEY.
One of the men, ROY COBB, a handsome, but grizzled Toccoa man calls out to Webster. He's caustic.
COBB
Whaddya know, it's the professor. Where ya been? Screwing all our women?
WEBSTER
has to jog as the truck picks up speed. He THROWS his duffel bag over the tailgate and clambers up into the truck.
6 INT. TRUCK - 1ST PLATOON
WEBSTER
It's been hard to find you guys.
COBB (bitter)
How hard could that be? Just head for the goddamn front.
Webster settles down and glances over the men. He counts TEN Troopers. There should be forty. Cobb turns to Foley.
COBB (CONT'D)
This here's Webster, Lieutenant. Wounded in Holland. He's a Harvard boy. Ain't that right Professor?
Webster offers his hand. After a BEAT, Foley shakes it.
WEBSTER
So the rest of the platoon up front?
FOLEY This is it.
WEBSTER
(surprised) Where's Julian?
There's a pause. Johnny Martin leans forward.
MARTIN
He's dead.
WEBSTER
Sawosko?
MARTIN
Dead.
WEBSTER
Jesus.
(afraid to ask now) Where's Hoobler?
Martin just shakes his head.
COBB
(off-handed) Bled to death.
MARTIN
Shot himself in the leg. Toye, Guarnere hit bad. Muck, Penkala dead. Mellet's gone. Carson, Gordon wounded. Bunch of others. Bastogne was...
COBB
Bastogne was a lot of fun, Webster. You shoulda been there.
EUGENE JACKSON, a baby-faced Trooper turns to Webster.
JACKSON
You see any of them replacements we've been hearing about?
WEBSTER (shakes his head) Where we headed?
COBB
Germany, Webster. Where else?
MARTIN
Krauts broke through near Bitschoffen. (wry)
Sort of a "Bitch Bulge."
FOLEY
We're headed to a German town. Haguenau.
WEBSTER
Haguenau? That's not in Germany. It's Alsace-Lorraine. France and Germany trade it every war
COBB
(explodes)
Haguenau?...Fuck Haguenau! And fuck you too, Webster for being so goddamn happy to see us.
The others go silent.
WEBSTER
is hurt by this. We MOVE IN on his face. He stares out the back of the truck at the immense column of moving trucks.
7 WEBSTER'S POV OF COLUMN
WEBSTER (V.O.)
Yeah. Fuck me. I'd done my job. Jumped in Normandy, Holland. Wounded twice. But it didn't matter. I missed Bastogne. (BEAT)
I might as well have missed the war...
DISSOLVE TO: 8 INT. O.P. 2 - NIGHT
WEBSTER
inside a house, his back against a pile of broken plaster. His eyes rimmed with exhaustion. His face covered in stubble. A still smoking .30 MACHINE GUN sits next to him.
This room is the locale from which Webster recalls everything that happened. This is the source of his narrative.
As his V.O. continues, he writes in a small notebook. His right arm is smeared with wet BLOOD. Even his hand.
WEBSTER (V.O.)
We'd been ordered to replace the 313th Infantry of the 79th Division. They'd been fighting the 25th Panzer Grenadiers to a standstill for a month. Now it was our turn.
Webster stops writing. He looks up.
ANGLE ON ROOM - WEBSTER'S P.O.V.
The rest of the First Platoon sits apart from him. All staring vacantly at the floor. Stunned. Mute. Clearly something drastic has affected them all.
Cobb sits by himself staring into the distance.
WEBSTER (V.O.) (CONT'D) We were met in town by a jeepload of replacement officers, as eager as I had been to join the company....
9 EXT. HAGUENAU - NIGHT
The trucks carrying the Battalion roll to a stop in a SQUARE. The town is severely BOMBED OUT. Dark. And empty.
INSERT TITLE: D DAY PLUS 214: H _AGUENAU, ALSACE
WEBSTER
gets out of the truck with the rest of the First Platoon. Stiff-legged. Sergeants bellow at the men.
WEBSTER (V.O.)
But I don't think any were so eager as Lieutenant Henry Sweet Jones. West Point. Class of `44.
Webster looks over at a JEEP nearby. Several CLEAN CUT officers stand and watch the men unload. We MOVE IN on one in particular. A tall, thin, handsome Lieutenant, who stares at the trucks eagerly. This is HENRY JONES, 22-ish.
Jones walks up to Cobb.
JONES
Soldier. Is this second battalion? (no answer)
Soldier, I'm talking to you.
Cobb leans down and RE-BLOUSES his pants into his JUMP BOOTS. Jones leans over and puts his head on Cobb's level.
JONES (cont'd) Are you deaf, Private?
Cobb looks startled.
COBB
Oh, sorry, Sir. I didn't realize you were talking to me.
(straightens up)
You see, I'm a Paratrooper and no one calls me soldier.
Jones just stares at him. Webster pipes up.
WEBSTER
What can I do for you Lieutenant?
JONES
Is this Second Battalion?
(Webster NODS)
Where would I find your commanding officer.
Webster points toward the center of the square where DICK WINTERS
talks to LEWIS NIXON as they pore over a map. WEBSTER
watches as Jones
moves through a crowd of deploying Troopers and approaches Winters. He SNAPS a salute.
JONES
Sir. Lieutenant Henry Sweet Jones reporting for duty.
Winters stares at the stiff salute. Winters turns to Nixon.
WINTERS
What's he doing?
NIXON
I think he's saluting.
WINTERS
What am I supposed to do?
NIXON
You'd better return it or we'll be here all night.
Winters returns the salute. As Jones drops his arm, winters notices the WEST POINT RING on Jones' hand.
WINTERS West Point?
JONES (proud) Graduated June 6th, 1944, Sir.
NIXON Is that so...
Winters smiles. He regards Jones for a BEAT. Then looks up at the masses of men. Sees something.
WINTERS
Lieutenant. Report to Easy Company. Captain Speirs commanding.
Winters points to SPEIRS in the distance. Jones SALUTES, and heads off. Winters and Nixon go back to their map.
JONES pushes through the men again. He approaches Speirs who is helping CARWOOD LIPTON down out of the truck. Lipton's dead drunk and SINGING. The men around him laugh at him.
LIPTON
I'm a Beaver ...an EAGER BEAVER...
Jones doesn't know what to say. He turns to Speirs.
JONES
Captain Speirs?
SPEIRS Help me get him down.
Jones goes to help.
12
WEBSTER
watches. Cobb suddenly grabs him by his collar.
COBB
Quit daydreamin'.
Webster follows the rest of First Platoon out of the rubble filled square when suddenly they all hear a faint thwock, thwock. It gets louder ...THWOCK THWOCK. The men crouch down as a huge German SHELL cuts through the air toward town.
Webster throws himself flat. THWOCK THWOCK!!! BLAM! A huge explosion rocks Haguenau about a quarter of mile away.
As Webster gets up, Martin grins at him.
MARTIN
What's the matter, Web? Nervous in the service?
We MOVE IN on Webster. And we are:
13 INT. O.P. TWO - 1ST PLATOON - DAY
IN CLOSE on Webster as he COOKS food on a stove. PULLING BACK reveals First Platoon taking it easy in the basement of a bombed house. A moldy mattress lies on the floor. Broken glass and plaster everywhere. Empty ration cans strewn about. In short, a cesspool.
Martin, Cobb, Randleman and SERGEANT MERCIER play POKER, using food as currency.
MARTIN
I'll see your measly deuces, Cobb. And raise ya...
He takes two cans of SPAM and slams them down.
Some of the men clear their throats. Martin looks up.
JONES
walks down into the basement. Martin gets up.
JONES
I'm Lieutenant Jones. Your new Assistant Platoon leader.
MARTIN
Pee Wee Martin. I'd be your platoon Sergeant.
As Martin goes to shake hands, he notices the WEST POINT RING on Jones' right hand.
COBB
mutters to Webster.
COBB
Fifteen.
WEBSTER Fifteen what?
COBB
Looies since D-Day.
BACK TO JONES
JONES
Would you be the Sergeant getting the Commission?
Martin looks around the room.
JONES (cont'd)
The battlefield Commission...
MARTIN
Not this week. You're thinking of the Company First Sergeant. Lipton. He's the one.
JONES (feeling awkward) Oh...So what's the situation?
MARTIN
Upstairs.
(as they walk upstairs) Lieutenant Foley's back at Company...
When they're gone, the men look at each other.
COBB
You see the ring?
(off the men's shrugs)
West Point. 'If you don't have the ring, it don't mean a thing...'
14 INT. O.P. 2 - 1ST FLOOR
MARTIN
and Jones walk up to the first floor hallway. A .30 caliber machine gun lies on top of a marble table. It's aimed at a piece of PLYWOOD jammed into a window frame. Two Troopers stand aside as Martin removes a RAG from a large hole.
The two of them peer through the hole at.
15 THE GERMAN LINES
We see the swollen MODER about thirty yards away. The river is about twenty yards wide, very swift and cuts through town.
Several ISOLATED HOUSES lie across the river. Beyond the houses, a FIELD stretches off for about half a mile and ends in a FOREST. GERMANS move around the distant trees. A TRUCK flits amid the shadows.
MARTIN (O.S.)
Krauts lay low across the river. We do the same. Mostly just flares and a few mortars. But watch out during the day. They got us pretty well zeroed. Some .88s. Snipers, too. Plus they got some kinda railroad gun back there. Big motherfucker. Maybe a Two-Oh-Five. Shells 'bout the size of a Deuce and half. Mostly random but it keeps us honest.
(BEAT)
We're supposed to watch for infiltration. But it's not gonna happen.
JONES (o.s.) No? Why not?
MARTIN (O.S.)
Krauts have had it. That's why.
Suddenly a GERMAN runs in a crouch much closer. In full view. He moves across the big field toward a house with GREEN SHUTTERS. Only about a hundred yards away.
JONES (O.S.)
Hey!
16 INT. O.P. 2 - 1ST FLOOR
JONES
reaches for his SIDEARM. Excited. Martin looks out at the German then back at Jones' .45. He PLUGS up the hole.
Jones feels foolish and reholsters his side-arm.
As they walk downstairs, Jones tries to change the subject.
JONES
So, what did this Lipton do? I mean it must have been something special to get a battlefield commission.
MARTIN
Special? Everything we do is special...
17 BACK IN THE BASEMENT
Jones and Martin walk in again. Jones looks at the SEVEN or EIGHT men there. Turns to Martin.
JONES
So, where's the rest of the platoon?
MARTIN
Oh. Jackson? He's in the can.
JACKSON comes down the stairs, buttoning his JUMP PANTS.
JACKSON
Right here, Sarge. Got me a bad case of the Sobels.
JONES
(realizing) This is it?
WEBSTER
We're expecting replacements.
Before Martin can answer the OUTSIDE DOOR opens and LUZ walks into the basement as he lets out a SPOOL of wire.
JACKSON
Hey, Portugee. What's new?
LUZ
(looks over the squalid room) Damn boys, this is four star. 'Course rear echelon types is sleepin' on sheets.
He sees JONES. Smiles slightly as he begins to HOOK UP a telephone to the new wire.
LUZ (cont'd)
HQ is buzzin'. New Looey went AWOL. (really enjoys this)
Get this, the guy comes in, gets his orders and gets lost his first day. Can you believe that? Any you guys seen him?
He finishes the wiring and casts a quick glance at Jones. Martin looks over at Jones, who starts to realize.
JONES
This Lieutenant have a name, private?
LUZ
Why let me see.... I think it was...Jones. Yeah. Lieutenant Jones. Got lost on his way to OP One. You know. Second Platoon.
The men start to laugh.
JONES
(not asking)
This isn't Second Platoon.
The men GUFFAW. Jones smiles. He rolls with it.
MARTIN
This here's First Platoon, Lieutenant.
LUZ
(grinning; to Jones) Come on, I'll take ya there.
Luz leads him out. As Jones EXITS, he turns back to Cobb.
JONES
Good luck with number sixteen.
Webster LAUGHS. And then he tapers off. And we are:
18 INT. O.P. TWO - NIGHT
Webster sits next to a REPLACEMENT Trooper, NORM NIETZKE, a fresh-faced skinny nineteen year old.
WEBSTER (V.O.)
We finally got our replacements. Ninety day wonders they rushed through jump school....
Webster watches as Nietzke finishes CLEANING his M-1.
WEBSTER (CONT'D)
And remember. Stay in the shadows. Watch for Krauts sneaking across the river.
(Nietzke nods)
What you say your name was?
NIETZKE
Nietzke. Norm.
MARTIN (O.S)
NITZER!
NIETZKE
Yes sir!
Sgt. Martin points at him from the stairs.
MARTIN
You. Webster. On the North perimeter.
They gather up their M-1s and head for the door. As they do, they pass by another spirited POKER GAME.
WEBSTER
Just keep your head low, watch the older fellas and keep your mouth shut.
WEBSTER (V.O.) (CONT'D) Keep your head low, watch the older fellas and keep your mouth shut. It was good advice for all of us. Especially replacement officers....
DISSOLVE TO: 19 INT. O.P. TWO - NIGHT
We're back on the exhausted Webster as he writes in his notebook. He stops and rubs his eyes. He notices the BLOOD smeared on his hand. -
Cobb takes a PULL from a SCHNAPPS BOTTLE, and offers it to Webster. Webster shakes his head and continues to write.
WEBSTER (V.O)
I thought I knew how they felt. Coming into the Company. Trying to fit in.
If you paid attention, then maybe the men just might accept you. Maybe. Lieutenant Jones knew that.
20 EXT. OP TWO - NIGHT
Webster and Nietzke stand guard outside the house.
WEBSTER (V.O.)
Sure he wanted glory. But not on our backs. Too bad for Jones there didn't seem any way for him to make his mark. There didn't seem much left for us to do. (BEAT)
Until February 12th.
Nietzke looks over at Webster.
NIETZKE
You believe all that stuff about the Krauts. You know death camps for Jews and things like that?
WEBSTER
Nah. Expect it's all propaganda to make us hate them more than we already do.
Suddenly they hear the distinctive Thwock THWOCK of the heavy shell. Both men crouch down. The shell screams in and
BOOM ...several hundred yards to the rear.
NIETZKE What the hell is that?
Webster doesn't answer. He turns away from the town and stares into the dark, straining to hear something...
21 ANGLE ON HAGUENAU - WEBSTER'S P.O.V.
Searchlights beam up into the clouds. A few TRACERS burp up over the church steeple to the south. A FIRE burns somewhere, casting an eerie orange glow to the night.
They hear a SCUFFLE nearby.
BACK TO WEBSTER AND NIETZKE
Nietzke GRIPS his M-1 tightly. Slowly brings it up...when SPEIRS AND LIPTON
emerge from the gloom with
JONES
tagging on their heals. Speirs turns to Jones.
SPEIRS
What?
JONES
Sir. I was just wondering...
Jones tails off. Speirs turns to Webster and Nietzke.
SPEIRS Both of you. Inside.
Webster leads them to the door to the basement. After the three officers enter, Webster and Nietzke follow.
22 INT. OP TWO - FOLLOWING
The men put down their cards, food, books as Speirs, Lipton and Jones come in. Lieutenant Foley and Sergeant Mercier look up.
Webster and Nietzke sidle in and-watch.
SPEIRS
Regiment wants a patrol for prisoners. Lieutenant Foley, pick four men. No replacements. Sergeant Mercier will be in command. We'll meet at the CP 1700 hours tomorrow for a briefing. We're going out in a coupla nights.
The men stare back. Incredulous. Speirs turns to Jones.
SPEIRS (cont'd)
Are you lost again, Jones? This is First Platoon. OP Two. You're with Second. OP One. Remember?
Speirs turns on his heals and EXITS with Lipton. Jones stands and looks at the ground for a BEAT.
WEBSTER
watches him as he EXITS. THE MEN
try to look busy. No one looks Foley in the eye.
FOLEY
Okay. I don't like it either... (looks; then BEAT)
Jackson. McCreary. Winn. (BEAT)
And Cobb.
COBB
(explodes)
I knew it. I fuckin' knew it. How come you don't volunteer, Foley?
MARTIN
Stow it, Cobb.' You heard Captain Speirs. He's putting a Noncom in charge.
COBB
It's all bullshit. It's too late in the war for this crap. Prisoners? What the fuck are they gonna tell us we don't know.
(shakes his head) Aw...fuck me.
Cobb throws a Ration can and storms upstairs. After a BEAT.
MARTIN
Webster, Nietzke. Back outside.
23 EXT. O.P. TWO - FOLLOWING
Speirs finishes taking a leak against the wall as Webster and Nietzke come out. Jones is lobbying.
JONES
I'd like to volunteer for the patrol, Sir.
Speirs finishes buttoning up his pants. Regards the young Lieutenant. Then takes out a cigarette and ignoring BLACK OUT rules, he fires up his zippo.
Suddenly a SNIPER SHOT RINGS out ...and a bullet-smacks into the wall behind them. They all duck except Speirs.
Nietzke looks up at Speirs like he's insane.
SPEIRS
I'll think about it. (to Lipton)
Come on. Let's hit second platoon.
He moves on. After a BEAT, Jones and Lipton follow.
WEBSTER
watches them disappear into the dark.
WEBSTER (V.O.)
Lieutenant Jones wanted it so bad, he could taste it. But news of the patrol didn't make any of the men happy. Nobody wanted to go.
24 INT. O.P. ONE - 2ND PLATOON - NIGHT - FOLLOWING
Speirs stands by MALARKEY, who looks up from a CARD GAME. He reacts to something Speirs says and throws his cards down.
SPEIRS
points at Lesniewski, who puts down a book. He stares at Speirs as he ITCHES his leg. Shrugs.
WEBSTER (V.O.)
Malarkey and Lesniewski got tagged from Second Platoon...
Jones watches Spiers EXIT. After a BEAT, he follows.
25 EXT. O.P. ONE - 2ND PLATOON
Jones comes out as Speirs is about to walk away.
SPEIRS
Stay with your Platoon, Lieutenant.
JONES
If you don't mind, Sir. I'd like to tag along. See how it's done.
Speirs looks at Lipton. Shrugs. Then moves on. Jones turns to Lipton and puts his hand out. Lipton shakes it.
LIPTON
Carwood Lipton. Company First Sergeant.
JONES
Henry Sweet Jones.
26 INT. O.P. THREE - 3RD PLATOON - NIGHT - FOLLOWING
Speirs, Lipton and Jones enter. The men of THIRD PLATOON sit around a large table eating a FEAST of scrounged food. WINE BOTTLES line the table. Speirs points to MCCLUNG.
WEBSTER (V.O.)
One Lung McClung from Third Platoon drew lead scout.
McClung stops eating for a BEAT. He stares at Speirs with enmity. Then goes back to his can of PEACHES.
We suddenly HEAR the thwock.... Thwock.. THWOCK...of the sixteen inch shell. The men stop eating and listen.
THWOCK. . . THWOCK! ! ! They've never heard it so
loud ...Suddenly the shell SCREAMS in. The men hit the dirt.
BOOM! The building reverberates. But nothing more than DUST falls. The men breathe. A few JOKES. ALLEY checks the wine bottles ...when suddenly Alley realizes -
ALLEY
Anybody next door?
MCCLUNG
Kiehn!
All of them rush out of the basement.
27 EXT. BUILDING - BY O.P. THREE - NIGHT - FOLLOWING
They all move toward the adjacent building, which is SMOKING badly. One of the WALLS has been blown in.
ALLEY
BILL!
They reach the side of the building. Several troopers start digging in the rubble. Pulling pieces of cement out. McClung, Alley and others pull a heavy piece off of
BILL KEIHN
dead in his sleeping bag. Everything below his chest is crushed FLAT beneath the rest of the falling wall.
JONES
stares down at the dead body. His first real taste of war
ALLEY
walks away and sits down. His eyes tear up. McClung puts a hand on his shoulder.
WEBSTER (V.O.)
They'd seen it a ten thousand times before, but Kiehn's death...
DISSOLVE TO: 28 INT. BY O.P. THREE - DAY
THE NEXT MORNING
WEBSTER AND LIPTON
stare down at Kiehn's body as GRAVES REGISTRATION tries to dig him out. Other Easy Co. stand near them.
WEBSTER (V.O.)
...Bill Kiehn was a Toccoa man and it hit the company hard. Most of the guys went to see his body the next day. They'd never done that before. We usually didn't have time to pay respects.
(BEAT)
More than a few of us thought his death was a bad omen.
JONES
walks up. He stares at Kiehn. He turns to Lipton.
JONES
Did you know him?
Lipton looks up at him. Then starts to walk away from Kiehn's body. Jones follows.
LIPTON
You went to West Point, didn't you?
JONES
Graduated on D-Day.
They stop. Behind them the company crowds around to pay their last respects to Kiehn. Jones glances over at the MODER, glistening in the morning light. Lipton follows his gaze.
JONES (cont'd)
You think you could talk to Speirs? (off Lipton's look)
What about the Battalion Commander?
LIPTON
Captain Winters?
JONES
Battalion Commander's only a Captain?
LIPTON
(nod)
For now.
JONES (after a BEAT) I can't be in this war and never see combat.
Lipton looks at him. Then back at the small crowd of men around Kiehn's grave. Jones realizes he's overstepped.
JONES (cont'd) Congratulations on the Commission. You must be quite honored.
LIPTON
Won't be official `til I get the paper. (Glances back toward Kiehn)
Who knows? I could get nailed by a sniper any minute.
He walks away.
29 A RIFLE SHOT -- CRACK!
SMASH CUT TO:
A GERMAN SOLDIER
drops onto one knee in the field across the Moder from OP Two. He's hit.
WEBSTER (V.O.) Everyone was spooked.
CRACK! Another shot hits the German in the arm.
The German staggers. And begins to limp toward the house with the green shutters across the Moder.
WEBSTER (V.O.) (cont'd)
Cobb didn't help matters.
30 REVERSE ANGLE - INT. O.P. TWO
Cobb draws another bead on the German with his M-1.
COBB
Look at that cheeky sonofabitch go.
Martin, Jackson, Nietzke and Webster come over to look at
31 THE GERMAN
about fifty yards from the house.
32 COBB
pulls up his rifle. Nietzke watches as he sights in again.
COBB
(for Nietzke's benefit)
Now watch. You gotta lead'em a bit.
MARTIN
Aw, Cobb, let him go.
Cobb focuses... And then FIRES.
33 THE GERMAN
falls... ...and starts to CRAWL to the house. It's a pathetic sight.
COBB (o.s.)
That's three!
34 REVERSE ANGLE
Nietzke walks away. Cobb turns to Martin and grins.
COBB
Okay, Sarge. I'll let him go.
MARTIN
You're a real hero, you know that Cobb?
JACKSON aims his own M-1 through the window and fires.
35 THE GERMAN
collapses. Finally dead. We see this from a slightly different P.O.V. PULLING BACK to reveal -
at the window of OP One. Watching the German go down.
WEBSTER (V.O.)
But Henry Sweet Jones was insensitive to superstition. He hadn't been around long enough...
We MOVE IN on Jones' flushed face.
MATCH CUT T0:
37 EXT. HAGUENAU - DAY
In CLOSE on JONES. We PULL back to reveal he's standing to the side of most of the COMPANY, as they wait in line in front of SHOWER TRAILERS in the main square of Haguenau.
Quartermaster Company Personnel collect the men's stifffilthy uniforms and sleeping bags and dump them into large cauldrons.
The men banter, call out to each other.
WEBSTER
stands close to the front of one of the LINES, waiting to take a shower. He turns and sees
JONES
as he searches the square. He sees something and begins to weave his way across the square.
WEBSTER (V.O.)
He had only one thing on his mind. Thecloser the patrol loomed, the more Jones realized it was the last chance he'd have to burnish that West Point Ring...
(BEAT)
Lieutenant Jones was just dying to get on that Patrol...
We follow Jones as he makes a bee line toward
WINTERS AND SPEIRS
who watch the men.
SPEIRS
Tomorrow night looks good. Moon'll be dark until about two am.
WINTERS
I want every field of fire nailed down on this one. Every gun in the Battalion zeroed in. I don't want anything left to chance.
JONES
arrives. He SALUTES. Eyes Speirs. Neither winters or Speirs return the salute this time. Jones lowers his hand.
JONES
Captain Winters.
WINTERS
What can we do for you, Lieutenant?
JONES
Sir. I'd like to volunteer for the patrol. Pick up some experience.
WINTERS
Of course you would...
Before he can go on, he's interrupted.
VOICE (O.S.)
Captain Winters...
He turns. It's the mild-mannered Easy Co. clerk, ALLEN VEST.
VEST
Captain ...I'd...I'd really like to be on that patrol. Sir.
Jones watches intently.
VEST (CONT'D)
I've been fightin' with paper clips since Toccoa. Please, sir.
Winters GRINS.
WINTERS Absolutely.
VEST
Thanks, Captain.
Vest smiles and practically skips back to the showers.
JONES
looks at Winters expectantly. Winters stares back at him.
WINTERS
I'll think about it, Lieutenant.
Jones starts to say something, but stops himself. He nods. Disappointed. He walks back.
WEBSTER
watches Jones. COBB suddenly cuts in front of him.
WEBSTER
Hey!
LUZ and JACKSON cut in front of Webster, as well.
JACKSON (smells his armpit) Add some bay leaves and we'd have soup...
WEBSTER Hey, what's the deal?
Jackson, his face and clothes caked with weeks of GRIME turns to Webster. He glances down at Webster's mostly clean ODs.
WEBSTER'S GLANCE
goes down to his clean uniform. Looks back up. Without a word he leaves the line and goes over to JONES.
Suddenly the faint sounds of an ORGAN waft across the Square. It's a BACH FUGUE coming from behind German lines.
The Square goes quiet for a BEAT, listening. And although the music continues through this and subsequent scenes, the men shrug it off. They go back to their showers.
LESNIEWSKI hobbles past Jones and Webster. They watch as EUGENE ROE comes up to him.
ROE
Joe ...Let me check you.
LESNIEWSKI (fierce; shrugs him off) I'm fine.
He tries to limp away, but Roe stops him.
Lesniewski glares at Roe. But Roe doesn't back down. Lesniewski looks over where the men are stripping to take showers. Sighs and nods to Roe.
The Medic pulls up his jump pants leg and sucks air in through his teeth. Lesniewski's leg is covered in OPEN RED SORES that ooze puss.
ROE
(looks up sharply) How long you had this?
LESNIEWSKI (resigned)
A coupla weeks. Shrapnel. I thought I could treat it myself.
Roe pulls up the other leg. The infection is there, as well.
ROE
You don't get back to a hospital, this'll kill you. You understand?
Lesniewski looks toward the men. He nods. Then walks away.
BACK TO WEBSTER AND JONES
watching this. The MUSIC still plays under the scene.
WEBSTER (confidentially) You really want to get your ODs dirty? Talk to Sergeant Malarkey. Your Platoon. Rumor has it he's not feeling well.
Jones turns to look at Webster.
WEBSTER (V.O.) (CONT'D)
The Patrol was finally set for the next evening...
The FUGUE continues to play under
38 SERIES OF SCENES
of the men getting preparing
WEBSTER (V.O.)
Everybody got ready in their own way. Made their peace with whatever god they still believed in. Gave buddies letters to send home, just in case...
COBB (LATE AFTERNOON)
walks along a rubble filled street with four scrounged BOTTLES of SCHNAPPS. He stops to listen to the MUSIC.
WEBSTER and NIETZKE, both carrying an armload of POTATOES, join him. They all hear something. Cobb, Webster, and Nietzke walk up to a small courtyard where
A DYING HORSE
with a broken leg wheezes in agony. Eyes rolling in terror.
COBB
stares down at it. Upset. He takes out his .45 and SHOOTS the horse between the eyes. He sits down, opens a BOTTLE and takes a swig of Schnapps. The MUSIC rolls over him.
39 JACKSON (DUSK)
sits inside OP TWO as he clips several GRENADES onto his jacket. He stops and listens to the MUSIC.
40 SPEIRS (NIGHT)
chops up a Louis XIV sideboard and THROWS it into the fire inside Company HQ. Behind him, a TROOPER packs Composition C into a SATCHEL CHARGE. The music is faint.
ALLEN VEST (NIGHT)
sharpens his never-used KNIFE. We PAN DOWN to his foot. It bobs up and down with nervous energy.
41 MALARKEY (NIGHT)
stares into a stove fire. Jones walks up to him.
JONES
Sergeant ...About the patrol. (Malarkey looks up; then away) How `bout I take your place?
Malarkey looks up again. His eyes not so dull anymore.
42 MCCLUNG AND ALLEY (NIGHT)
sit by an open window inside OP THREE. Alley has a bottle of WINE. The MUSIC is louder here.
Alley looks down, puts down his WINE, brings up his rifle. McClung looks down at
43 THE GERMAN LINES BEYOND THE MODER
where several Germans move out of a barn into a corral. They relieve themselves.
44 MCCLUNG
carefully swings his M-1 up to the opening. He aims at the Germans for a BEAT, and then pulls his gun back.
45 Alley looks at him. McClung SHRUGS. Grinning, he picks up a FLARE GUN, aims it and FIRES.
They watch as the FLARE pops over the Germans, who scurry back into the barn.
They listen to the BACH as a LONE PLANE drones overhead.
46 THE CAMERA MOVES UP
to search for the plane. Over the haggard city as the resonant FUGUE floats through the surreal, illuminated landscape. Mortar shells burst in the distance. FIRES burn on the horizon. Magnesium flares POP over the Moder, illuminating everything in a harsh dead light. Tracers SPIT across no man's land. German anti-aircraft shells BLOSSOM at 26,000 ft., where SEARCHLIGHTS PROBE.
The CAMERA follows the lazy arc of some flak ...All of it indescribably beautiful. And then we CRANE DOWN to:
47 JONES (NIGHT)
as he stands in the shadows looking over the Moder. We MOVE in on his eyes as they stare across the river. He TAKES OFF his WEST POINT RING and attaches it to his DOG TAG chain.
The music begins to die down ...A lull. And we are:
48 EXT. OP TWO - SUNSET OF FOLLOWING DAY
Jones walks behind a WALL in a crouch toward the field that surrounds the tattered building of OP 2. He's careful to keep in the shadows and down low. The MUSIC still plays. But faintly, an interlude. He looks up over the wall at
49 WINTERS AND SPEIRS
standing in the COURTYARD of OP TWO. In full view of the German lines they study the far banks. Winters holds a map.
50 JONES
moves in a low crouch toward them.
51 EXT. COURTYARD - O.P. TWO - FOLLOWING
when Jones gets close, Winters glances at him. The light is failing now. Jones is still crouched down.
WINTERS
Hold on, Lieutenant.
He goes back to the map, marking it with a GREASE PENCIL.
WINTERS (cont'd)
We get that anti-tank Fifty Seven?
SPEIRS
Lipton and Mann lifted it from Division.
WINTERS
(marking with the pencil) Put it on this house here. I want Lipton on the Mortars. Zero in on this house here. These two. Get the .30 at OP Two to cover the men going out...then move down to the river and target the upper floors of the German OP.
Winters turns to Jones.
JONES
Sir. I talked to Sergeant Malarkey. And he agreed to-
WINTERS (interrupting) You can go, Lieutenant. Just follow your Noncom. You're no use to me dead. Is that clear?
JONES
Yes, Sir!
Winters turns back to Speirs.
WINTERS
Put Malarkey on the .50 here with you....
THE CAMERA PULLS BACK AND CRANES UP
to reveal WEBSTER, who leans over his .30 caliber machine Gun in the window of OP TWO, staring down at the officers below him. The BACH FUGUE becomes stronger now.
53 WEBSTER - IN WINDOW, O.P. TWO
turns to face the German lines. He searches for the source of the music as the FUGUE reaches its FINALE, floating mournfully over the town.
54 THE GERMAN SIDE OF TOWN
The last rays of light strike the upper stories of burned out buildings. His gaze comes to rest on a CATHEDRAL STEEPLE.
WEBSTER (V.O.)
Bach and Hitler. What a country. (BEAT)
He played from his heart, whoever it was in that Cathedral. A German officer, probably. A man of culture. Pounding out a requiem for the war...
(BEAT)
I wondered if he believed in divine intervention...
DISSOLVE TO: 55 INT. OP TWO - NIGHT
The exhausted, blood-soaked Webster writes in his NOTEBOOK. Some of the men are now asleep on the floor behind him. COBB is now a THIRD of the way through his bottle of Schnapps.
WEBSTER (V.O.)
What if we make our own destiny? (BEAT)
Jones got his patrol. And I helped him.
56 EXT. RIVER BANK - NIGHT
The men who are going on the Patrol sit or crouch around WINTERS and SPEIRS. COBB, MCCREARY, WINN, JACKSON AND MERCIER. MCCLUNG, SISK, VEST, and a few HQ and S-2 types. They eat sandwiches and drink hot coffee.
LT. JONES stands to the side. All their faces have been painted black with grease-paint. They bristle with armament.
It's a cloudy moonless night. No searchlights, and oddly, no mortar fire. Dead quiet. Speirs talks softly.
SPEIRS
You'll target the house with the green shutters directly across from OP Two. After the river, you'll split up into two groups....
JONES
is ramped up, excited to go. As Speirs continues his briefing o.s. He glances at
THE MEN
McClung calmly TAPES his dog tags so they won't jingle.
SPEIRS (O.S.) (cont'd) ...Mercier, your squad will hit the house from the riverside. McClung, take your half into town and see if you can't flush some out, then arc back to the rear of the house.
Vest CLIPS more hand grenades than he could ever use to his jacket. He's visibly NERVOUS.
Sisk fiddles with a long TUBE that contains a RED FLASHLIGHT
McClung hands Jones the TAPE and gestures to his dog tags.
SPEIRS (cont'd)
When you nab a prisoner, come straight back to the boats. Blow your whistles. We'll cover you as you cross back over.
WINTERS
Lieutenant Jones.
Jones looks up. Eager.
JONES
Yes, Sir!
WINTERS
Keep a head count. I don't want to leave anybody over there.
JONES
Yes, Sir!
WINTERS
(to Mercier) Satchel charge?
Mercier holds up a bag.
WINTERS (cont'd) Use a ten hour fuse. (to the men) Any questions?
JONES
finishes COUNTING the men and tapes up his dog tags. As he does we see his WEST POINT RING on the chain. He finishes, passes the tape to SISK.
MCCLUNG
silently reaches over and pulls out Jones' CANTEEN. He shakes his head. Points to his own empty holder.
Jones nods and puts his canteen down on the ground.
The rope that leads across the river suddenly rises up and twitches. MERCIER and a TROOPER scramble down to the water where FOUR RUBBER BOATS are tied. They take the rope and RE-TIGHTEN IT around a tree.
Mercier looks at Speirs who NODS and taps his watch.
WINTERS
Good luck.
THE MEN
start to get into the RUBBER BOATS in the water by the rope.
JONES is the first to get into the lead boat. MCCLUNG gets in behind him with VEST and another Trooper.
JACKSON, MERCIER and SISK and one other trooper climb into the next one. Four others into the THIRD-BOAT:
COBB, WINN, MCCREARY, and an S-2 get in the last one.
JONES
stares ahead into the gloom, his hand on the rope. He turns to see McClung looking at Vest. Six or seven HAND GRENADES clink together on Vest's jacket. McClung shakes his head, takes half of them off and drops them in the water.
A TROOPER
emerges from the water, pulling himself across on the rope: MALLEY from Dog Co., who swam the rope across. He grins at JONES and pulls himself out. Gives Speirs a THUMBS up.
MCCLUNG
(to Jones; whispering) Let's go.
McClung and Jones begin pulling themselves across the MODER.
58 EXT. RIVER - FOLLOWING
The lead boats begin to move out into the water, the men pulling on the rope.
As the other three boats begin to move out, the FOURTH BOAT with Cobb and the others, bobs and bounces in the swift current as they wait for the other boats to move.
Cobb lets go of the rope to adjust his helmet, and the BOAT suddenly swings out. The others panic and pull them in too fast. Suddenly the boat FLIPS.
WINN
starts to sink, laden down with his BAR. Cobb grabs him and the two of them flounder downstream. Cobb CURSING.
JONES AND MCCLUNG
hear GURGLING and SPLUTTERING behind them.
JONES
(whispering) What do we do?
MCCLUNG
(whispering) Keep going.
Jones looks back at the two remaining boats behind them.
JONES
(whispers to himself) Twelve...
They start pulling again.
59 INT. OP TWO - SAME
Webster and Nietzke hear sputtering below them. Then silence. Webster leans over the Machine Gun. Strains to hear something.
JOHNNY MARTIN taps Nietzke on the shoulder.
MARTIN
Downstairs and set up outside. Keep your eyes peeled.
Nietzke nods and leaves Webster by the Machine Gun.
60 EXT. MODER RIVER
COBB pulls Winn out of the water about a hundred yards down stream. As he drags him up on shore, Cobb falls backward into the mud. Turns his face to sky and begins to LAUGH quietly. His prayers answered. He slaps Winn on the back.
61 EXT. GERMAN SHORE
JONES
watches the German shore of the Moder loom closer. His eyes
gleam brightly.Next to him, Vest stares ahead. Blinking more than usual.
62 SERIES OF SHOTS
Malarkey leans over a .50 Caliber Machine Gun. Speirs is
behind him. Both staring toward the German lines.
63
Lipton and two others crouch by the MORTARS. Listening.
64
Winters PACES quietly outside Company HQ . Nixon is with
him. He turns and watches Winters.
65
Alley looks down his sights at the GERMAN LINES
66
All waiting. Listening. Praying.
67 EXT. ENEMY RIVERBANK - FOLLOWING
McClung silently gets out in a crouch and moves up the bank to the road that parallels the River. He carefully places one foot after the other into the mud. Very carefully.
JONES watches McClung move up the bank. McClung looks up and down. Sees nothing. He moves up to a BARBED WIRE FENCE that runs by the side of the road. It has CANS attached to it.He motions back for the rest to come up to the fence.JONES is about to go first, when Mercier grabs him.MERCIERFollow his footsteps. Mines.Jones NODS. Moves up the slope. The rest follow behind him.MERCIERbrings up the rear. He moves quietly up toward McClung. He POINTS at McClung and then to a lane that leads into the German line. McClung NODS.Mercier gestures to JACKSON, SISK, a few others to follow him down the line of the fence toward the target house with the GREEN SHUTTERS, which is about forty yards downstream.McClung turns to the fence. He studies it.JONES moves up to the FENCE and lays his BODY DOWN over the fence, making a bridge so the men can climb over him, avoiding the BARBS. As he does, the CANS rattle.Jones freezes, gripping the CANS. The men crouch.A GERMAN MACHINE GUN BURPS about fifty yards up stream. The men all hit the dirt.
WINTERS AND NIXON listen to the machine gun. Faces tight with concern. But the firing soon stops. -BACK TO PATROL McClung gestures for the others to get over the fence. Vest crawls up and over Jones's BACK. Three or four others follow. He GRIPS the cans nearby to stop them rattling.
McClung and Jones pull the boat up to the German side of the
river. The next boat arrives. Then the last. The men
gather in a group and crouch down. The men all WHISPER.
MERCIER
Who'd we lose?
MCCLUNG
Cobb, McCreary, two others.
Mercier nods. Then motions McClung to move out.
McClung silently gets out in a crouch and moves up the bank to the road that parallels the River. He carefully places one foot after the other into the mud. Very carefully.
JONES
watches McClung move up the bank. McClung looks up and down. Sees nothing. He moves up to a BARBED WIRE FENCE that runs by the side of the road. It has CANS attached to it.
He motions back for the rest to come up to the fence.
JONES is about to go first, when Mercier grabs him.
MERCIER
Follow his footsteps. Mines.
Jones NODS. Moves up the slope. The rest follow behind him.
MERCIER
brings up the rear. He moves quietly up toward McClung. He POINTS at McClung and then to a lane that leads into the German line. McClung NODS.
Mercier gestures to JACKSON, SISK, a few others to follow him down the line of the fence toward the target house with the GREEN SHUTTERS, which is about forty yards downstream.
McClung turns to the fence. He studies it.
JONES
moves up to the FENCE and lays his BODY DOWN over the fence, making a bridge so the men can climb over him, avoiding the BARBS. As he does, the CANS rattle.
Jones freezes, gripping the CANS. The men crouch.
A GERMAN MACHINE GUN BURPS about fifty yards up stream. The men all hit the dirt.
68 WINTERS AND NIXON
listen to the machine gun. Faces tight with concern. But the firing soon stops.
69 BACK TO PATROL
McClung gestures for the others to get over the fence. Vest crawls up and over Jones's BACK. Three or four others follow. He GRIPS the cans nearby to stop them rattling.
MCCLUNG
takes a clear bead on his departing back. But then he lowers his rifle and watches him run.
VEST
raises his tightly gripped M-1. We hear his shallow rapid breathing as he sights in on the departing German's back-when
JONES
smacks up his rifle. Vest looks at him. Jones whispers.
JONES You'll tip them off...
Wild-eyed, on edge, Vest nods. Lowers his rifle.
McClung joins them. The rest of the men come up silently. MClung MOTIONS for them to turn back to the German OP.
The men NOD. They move out again. Back to the river.
70 EXT. GERMAN LINES - SAME
Mercier, Jackson, Sisk, and the others stand arced around the silent German OP building. Mercier looks up at the thin moon that now shines through grey CLOUDS. He waves Sisk and a few of the others around to the other side of the building. They move out, leap frog fashion to encircle the house.
MERCIER
nods to Jackson, who takes out a couple of GRENADES.
71 EXT. STREET - SAME
McClung walks back toward the river. Silently. He stops. Jones joins him and looks toward
THE BACK OF THE GERMAN OP
about fifty yards away. SISK and the others silently surround the house. Sisk turns and sees McClung's squad. He raises his long tube and FLASHES a RED LIGHT directly at them.
MCCLUNG
Jones and the others move toward the house, deployed on either side of the small lane. When they get to the house
JONES
moves around it toward the front. He stops when he sees
MERCIER
who aims his rifle grenade at a window to the cellar. He fires-and BLOWS out the window. JACKSON rushes forward and tosses TWO GRENADES into the blasted opening. He WAITS a beat ...BOOM! And then KICKS open the doorway.
Jackson disappears into the doorway. Half a second later...
BOOM! His body is blown back outside.
Mercier and another Trooper rush past Jackson inside the OP, out of Jones' sight.
JONES
rushes forward to Jackson, who-holds his HEAD in his hands.
JACKSON
I'm okay. I'm okay.
His head is bleeding badly, but he SITS up. Stunned. Jones STARES down at him, his eyes WIDE at all the blood. He turns and moves into the OP.
72 INT. GERMAN OP - FOLLOWING
Jones bursts in. He can barely see through the dust. A few Germans lie dead near him.
TROOPER
Hande Hoch! Hande Hoch! SCHNELL!
Jones hears a SHOT. Then another. He takes two steps to his right and stops in SHOCK when he sees
A GERMAN SOLDIER
pull up his rifle and aims it directly at JONES
who is framed by the open window. Jones FREEZES.
THE GERMAN
starts to fire when
CRACK!
A rifle shot. He crumples, shot through the chest.
MERCIER
lowers his rifle and glances at Jones to move forward. We hear a German SCREAMING (o.s.)
GERMAN ( O . S . )
NO MAKE DEAD. COMRADE! COMRADE!
JONES
snaps out of it. Mercier yells.
MERCIER
Hande Hoch! Hande Hoch!
A WIDE-EYED Jones watches the chaos.
One of the remaining Germans, a FELDWEBEL (Staff sergeant) raises his hands in terror. He was the one screaming before.
GERMAN STAFF SGT Comrade ...Please! Comrade! (hysterical)
NO SHOOT! NO MAKE DEAD!
Mercier hits him with his rifle butt. One of the S-2 types drags him out.
A PIECE OF WALL
suddenly collapses near Jones. He's startled and brings his gun up.
The dust finally settles. Jones looks around the room. It's in a SHAMBLES. Four or five DEAD GERMANS strewn about. A couple of other TROOPERS point their carbines at the staircase that leads upstairs.
Jones sees the German who almost shot him, moaning in a corner.
MERCIER
takes out the Composition C charge, sets the TEN HOUR FUSE into the bar of plastique and places it behind a stove.
Then he sees the lone remaining GERMAN still alive in a corner. Moaning. Mercier KICKS him.
MERCIER
SCHNELL !
The man staggers up, holding his chest. MERCIER (CONT'D)
OUT!
The German stumbles out. Mercier motions to Jones and the other TROOPERS to follow the German.
JONES
nods and runs back outside.
73 EXT. OP - SAME
Jones comes out to see Sisk as he helps the wounded German toward the river. German MACHINE GUN FIRE SMACKS into the wall above Jones' head. He crouches and looks at
MCCLUNG, VEST AND THE OTHERS
rushing back toward the river. They have a German NONCOM who dashed out the back of the building.
Vest KICKS the German down toward the boats.
JONES
looks down to his right to see Mercier trying to help the wounded Jackson up.
MERCIER
Come on, Jackson...
Jones rushes forward to help. He grabs one of Jackson's arms, as the wounded Trooper stands up. Jackson promptly VOMITS. They start to half run down toward the water.
More German Machine Gun FIRE opens up nearby. Blind firing.
MERCIER (CONT'D) Come on! Let's MOVE!
They reach the river. Sisk and the others push the two healthy German prisoners into the lead boat. Sisk gets in with his PISTOL drawn on them. The other men pile into the second boat. Others jump into the water.
MERCIER AND JONES
lift Jackson into the last boat. Jones gets in next to Jackson and holds him up. Jackson's still conscious. Jones looks up and tries frantically to count the number of men.
JONES' P.O.V.
We see men in the water, some in the boats.
Mercier looks at the wounded GERMAN, bleeding badly from his chest. He nods at Sisk who's been half carrying the man.
MERCIER (cont'd) Leave him. He'll die.
Sink simply lets go. The man falls. As he does
VEST
moves forward and takes out his .45. He aims it at the dying German. His eyes are wide. Almost hysterical.
VEST
Let me kill him. I wanna kill him.
MERCIER Take it easy.
Mercier GUIDES Vest to the water where he gets into the BOAT with Jackson and Jones. Jones looks around again. He doesn't see anyone on shore, but Mercier.
JONES
We're all here!
MERCIER
puts his whistle to his lips and BLOWS. The shrill sound is almost immediately blotted out by
74 AN ENORMOUS EXPLOSION OF SOUND
JONES
involuntarily FLINCHES as every gun in the Battalion opens up on selected targets. He looks at
THE RIVER
STREAMS of red tracers arc across and HOSE DOWN the German side of the river.
The ANTI-TANK gun screams a round into a building. Larger shells THUMP into the rear of the German lines. The sound is immense.
THE MEN
start pulling the boats, or themselves across the river.
75 QUICK SERIES OF SHOTS
Webster and Martin drag the .30 MG down toward the river. As they do, they pass a tense NIETZKE who waits by the corner of OP Two. He thinks he's listening to Armageddon.
76 Malarkey aims the .50 and FIRES continuously.
77 Shifty Powers and Jim Alley fire at the DISTANT BARN.
78 An .88 shell screams past Webster and SLAMS into the house behind OP TWO. He drops down and starts to FIRE his Machine gun into the GERMAN OP across the river. MARTIN feeding the belts through for him.
79 Mercier continues to hold Jackson, who slumps down, smearing blood all over the Lieutenant's ODs. Jones listens, STUNNED by the deafening cacophony of explosions all around him.
80 WEBSTER
turns to see Lipton running toward OP Two. Suddenly a MORTAR ROUND whispers toward them. Lipton hits the ground and it EXPLODES about five feet away from him.
81 Lipton's neck and ear are PEPPERED with shrapnel,-but he doesn't really know it yet. He's stunned. Then gets up again and goes down to the water in a crouch.
looks up toward the sound of thousands of bullets TEARING through the air a few feet above his head.
A FLARE bursts above them as they reach the south bank. The light of it illuminates Jackson's BLOODY head.
82 WEBSTER looks toward the river bank where.
83 SISK AND THE TWO PRISONERS
scramble out and run past Webster, Sisk YELLING at them. The others scramble past Webster on their way to OP Two.
Jones helps Jackson out of the last boat.
WEBSTER
gets up and helps Jones drag Jackson across the field. As they reach OP TWO, NIETZKE helps drag Jackson inside.
84 MERCIER AND MCCLUNG
make sure all the men pile inside. As they do, an .88 shell screams in and SLAMS into the upper stories of the building. They quickly duck into the cellar.
85 INT. O.P. TWO - FOLLOWING
The Germans are pushed into the cellar. COBB, WINN, and MCCREARY, still wet, sit by the stove. They stand up as the Germans move to the center of the room. The Patrol CROWDS in behind them.
The men are all breathing heavily. Dripping wet. Some close to hyperventilating on adrenaline. The room is-packed, with the men on top of each other. Their blood is up.
All of them look as Webster, Jones and Nietzke lay the MOANING JACKSON down by the wall. Still conscious, but blood flowing down his face.
MERCIER
(To Webster) Get a medic up here!
JONES
watches Jackson. His face is as white as a sheet.
THE MEN
face the Germans. The staff Sergeant is terrified. The other NONCOM PRISONER remains stoic. Webster picks up the PHONE, his ODs soaked in Jackson's blood.
WEBSTER
We need a Medic. A MEDIC!
Jackson begins to BABBLE.' It's unsettling.
MERCIER
Hang in there, Jackson.
The mood suddenly becomes ugly. Several of the men move closer to the prisoners.
VEST pushes the calmer of the Germans.
VEST (re: Jackson) You do that? Huh?
Some of the other men crowd the prisoners. Cobb KICKS the frightened Staff Sergeant.
GERMAN STAFF SGT (blubbering)
Please ...Comrades...No make dead...
JONES
glances over at
WEBSTER
who looks back, locking eyes with Jones.
VEST
punches the panicky Staff Sergeant. Martin grabs him.
MARTIN
Lay off, Vest.
Vest shakes Martin off; tries to HIT the soldier again when
ANOTHER .88
slams into the top of the house. The room SHAKES. Plaster falls.
JONES
visibly FLINCHES. More GERMAN SHELLS scream overhead.
And suddenly we hear a SCREAM. It's high pitched. Agonizing. It tears at the men. Jones turns to look at
JACKSON
clawing at his head. His screams reverberate under the scene.
JACKSON
It hurts! IT HURTS! OH GOD, IT HURTS!
The mood in the room threatens to spin out of control Vest turns to the two prisoners. He pulls out his .45.
VEST
I'M GONNA KILL YOU!
He puts the gun up to the calmer German's head. The German doesn't flinch. He stares at Vest.
MARTIN
Battalion needs these prisoners!
Mercier and Martin pull Vest away.
COBB Let him shoot one, Sarge.
Martin shoots Cobb a look. Jackson's horrible cries grow louder.
JACKSON
OH GOD. PLEASE KILL ME. SOMEBODY RILL ME! MERCIER? MERCIER? PLEASE SOMEBODY KILL ME ...OH GODDD...KILL ME!
Mercier goes to comfort Jackson. But he's unnerved, doesn't know what to say or do. He tries to restrain Jackson, who THRASHES on the ground. -
Jackson starts to WRITHE in agony, his back arched. He continues to scream as his heals begin to DRUM on the ground.
MERCIER (almost pleading ) It'll be okay, kid. Roe's coming. You'll be okay.
JONES
watches Jackson. He unconsciously grips his TAGS and WEST POINT RING. He can't look away.
WE MOVE UP above Jones. Above the men. Above the Germans as they watch the horrifying tableau of the last Toccoa man to die in the War.
Jackson's screaming becomes fainter as -
WEBSTER (V.O.)
I knew he was going to die. (BEAT)
We all did.
From ABOVE, we see Lipton rush in. He's bleeding from his neck and ear. He goes to Jackson first. Then turns to the prisoners. We can hear him faintly.
LIPTON
Sisk! Martin! Get the prisoners back to battalion.
ROE and RALPH SPINA rush into the room. Roe pushes Mercier aside and begins examining the silently SCREAMING Jackson.
Sisk and Martin escort the prisoners out. The men make an aisle for them. Cobb KICKS the stoic German one last time.
Spina and another Trooper pick up Jackson and put him on a stretcher. All we hear now is WEBSTER'S V.O.
WEBSTER (V.O.) And what for?
Jones, soaked in Jackson's blood watches the stretcher with the now completely silent SCREAMING JACKSON leave the cellar.
WEBSTER (V.O.) (CONT'D) Twenty years old. Back in America the standard of living continues to rise, the racetracks are booming, the night clubs are making their greatest profits in history....
We MOVE DOWN to Webster. Shaken. His ODs covered in Jackson's blood.
He SLIDES DOWN with one arm on the .30 caliber he carried in. It's barrel still smoking hot. We MOVE IN on his pinched face.
DISSOLVE TO:
86 INT. OP TWO - PRE DAWN
We're back on the exhausted Webster. Writing in his NOTEBOOK, his hand still wet with Jackson's blood. The .30 machine gun next to him no longer smokes.
We know that Webster's narration has been leading up to now.
WEBSTER (V.O.) ...Hell, this is a boom, this is prosperity, this is the way to win a war...
The other men either sleep fitfully, or stare dully at the glowing stove. Despondent. Webster looks over at
COBB
who sits behind him. Head in his hands. The SCHNAPPS BOTTLE set between his Corcorans is now less than HALF FULL. He rocks himself slightly.
WEBSTER (V.O.) (cont'd) ...Jackson was twenty years old and he hadn't begun to live, and he gave up his life shrieking and moaning on a stretcher. Killed by his own grenade.
A LONG BEAT of silence-The German bombardment has ended. Suddenly we hear a horrible WHEEZING GURGLE from outside.
Cobb looks up.
WEBSTER
puts his notebook down. A couple of other men still awake hear it as well. Cobb sits up groggily.
WEBSTER (cont'd) What is that?
MARTIN It's coming from the river.
Mercier sits up. Listens to another wheezing GURGLE.
MERCIER
Jesus ...'the Kraut I shot.
They listen to more gasping sounds. It sounds horrible.
WEBSTER
We'd better kill him. He'll pinpoint us.
MERCIER
Forget it. He'll die anyway.
WEBSTER I'll do it.
COBB
You? You don't got the balls.
Webster stands. Hurt by the cut because it's true. He walks out. Cobb CURSES again and staggers to his feet. Half drunk. He follows Webster, still gripping his bottle.
87 EXT. OP TWO - FOLLOWING
It's just before dawn. A soft SNOW falls on the town. Webster sneaks down to the river just across from the wheezing, dying German, only forty yards away. Cobb comes up, still carrying his Schnapps bottle. They listen ...hear the WHEEZING again.
Webster takes a GRENADE, pulls the pin and throws it toward the sound of the dying German.
They wait .... BOOM. A BEAT of silence ...two BEATS, and then the gasping starts again. Cobb shuts his eyes.
Webster takes out another hand grenade. Throws it further... BOOM ...Silence ...And then the horrible wheezing starts again.
COBB
can't stand it any longer. He puts his bottle down. Takes out his own hand grenade and pushes past Webster.
COBB
You never was no good, Webster...
He PULLS the pin, throws the grenade as far as he can. BOOM.
They wait for several BEATS in the silent falling snow. The German's dead. Cobb gives Webster a penetrating look. Snatches up his BOTTLE and takes a long pull. We MOVE IN CLOSE on the bottle as he lowers it. And we are:
88 INT. OP TWO - FOLLOWING DAY
Cobb's empty SCHNAPPS BOTTLE slams down on the makeshift table. Cobb is stewed. He eyes NIETZKE who looks at him.
COBB What're'you lookinat?
Nietzke looks away. Webster stares at Cobb. Afraid of him.
The door opens and Lieutenant FOLEY walks in. He sees Cobb and the bottle.
FOLEY
The hell you doing, Cobb?
COBB
Th'hell you doing, yourself? Gonna send us on'nother patrol? Get mor'v'us killed?
FOLEY
STAND UP!
COBB
Awww...fuck you.
MARTIN
Cobb...
COBB
An' you too, Johnny "Pee Wee..."
Cobb throws the empty BOTTLE at Martin. Foley and Martin advance on him. Cobb staggers up and CHARGES at Foley. Takes a swing at him. Martin steps back and pulls out his .45 He CLUBS Cobb once on the head.
COBB (cont'd) I'LL KILL YA!
Cobb CHARGES at Martin, who sidesteps him. Cobb slams into the STOVE and collapses.
Martin points his gun down at Cobb. Foley puts his hand on Martin's arm.
FOLEY
Enough.
Martin holsters it. Still fuming. Foley leans over Cobb, who slowly curls up into a ball, grabbing his knees.
The other men pile into the room to see what the commotion is about. RANDELMAN, MERCIER and others. WEBSTER watches as Foley pushes Cobb up. Cobb's now placid. Mute. Broken.
WEBSTER (V.O.)
...I wonder if people back home will ever know what it cost the soldiers in terror, bloodshed, and hideous agonizing deaths to win this war....
The men watch as Foley and Martin escort Cobb outside.
CUT TO:
89 GERMAN O.P.
BOOM!
an explosion in the distance. Just far enough away to take the sting out of it.
90 INT. BATTALION HQ - DAY
Winters stands at window staring at the German OP with the green shutters. He watches the dust settle from the satchel charge placed by the patrol. He looks at his watch.
WINTERS Right on time.
He turns to face the room.
JONES AND LIPTON
stand in front of him at attention. Lipton has a bandage over his ear and neck. MOVING BACK reveals Speirs and Nixon who stand to one side.
WINTERS (CONT'D) At ease gentlemen.
(to Lipton) Sergeant Lipton...
Winters hands Lipton some PAPERS.
WINTERS (cont'd)
Your honorable discharge as an enlisted man. And a copy of your battlefield commission to second lieutenant. (smiling)
Congratulations Carwood.
Lipton slowly reaches out for the papers. It's simply the proudest moment of his life.
Speirs and Nixon CONGRATULATE him.
JONES
is very envious, but happy for Lipton. Jones shakes the dazed new Second Lieutenant's hand. Then turns as -
WINTERS (CONT'D)
Lieutenant Jones. Regiment has seen fit to promote you to First Lieutenant. They want you over there.
(hands him papers)
Here are your transfer orders out of Easy Company.
(neutral)
Congratulations and good luck.
He hands Jones his papers. Jones smiles, but doesn't know what to say. He knows he hasn't earned it.
JONES
Thank you, Sir.
Lipton and Jones SALUTE again, and walk out.
WINTERS AND NIXON
watch them leave. Lost in thought. After a BEAT, Nixon reaches into his pocket and pulls out a BOX.
NIXON
Before I forget. My mother sent'em to me. I don't have any use for them.
Winters opens the BOX. Inside lies a set of GOLD OAK LEAVES. Winters stares at them. He looks up at Nixon, who GRINS. Nixon reaches into his pocket and pulls out a set of PAPERS.
NIXON (cont'd) Regiment's been pretty busy, so... (hands Winters the papers) Congratulations.
(BEAT)
You finally outrank me. Major Winters.
Winters stares at the papers. Then the OAK LEAF CLUSTERS. He looks up at Nixon.
SPEIRS
Congratulations, Sir.
Nixon reaches out and SHAKES Winters hand. Nixon SIGHS.
NIXON
Sink wants another patrol (BEAT)
He was bragging Easy up to Colonel Harper of the 327th last night. And he wants another one. He wants you to do it again.
Winters and Speirs are stunned. After a long BEAT Winters looks down at the OAK LEAF CLUSTERS. He CLOSES the box and puts it into his pocket.
NIXON (cont'd) What are you going to say?
Winters looks up at his friend.
WINTERS
"Yes Sir."
91 EXT. OP THREE - NIGHT
Webster and about ten other men wait in the cold. All griping. A crisp frozen snow covers the ground. MARTIN is there, as is NIETZKE, HEFFRON, STEIN, ALLEY, MCCLUNG, and WEBSTER. A couple of REPLACEMENTS we don't know. They're all armed to the teeth.
MCCLUNG
Where's that gung-ho Looey?
MARTIN
WPPA
MCCLUNG
Huh?
MARTIN
West Point Protective Association. Got himself promoted, kicked up to Regiment. Word is he's gettin' a purple heart for cutting himself. You know, barbed wire.
MCCLUNG
Shee-it.
Winters, Speirs and Nixon arrive, their FOOTSTEPS crunching noisily in the frozen slush. The men quiet down and arc around them.
WINTERS
looks over the faces of the expectant men.
WINTERS
Word is, we'll be heading into Germany. Soon.
(BEAT)
So tomorrow morning you will report that you made it across the river and penetrated two hundred yards behind the German line, but were unable to secure any live prisoners.
WEBSTER
is stunned. He looks around at the other men. Afraid maybe he didn't hear the Major right.
THE MEN
stare at their commanding officer, who holds their gaze.
WINTERS (CONT'D)
Is that understood?
They start to realize what he's just done for them. A chorus of "Yessirs" begin to move around the circle. The Chorus soon changes to "Thank you, sir..thank you..." which echoes around Winters. When it's quiet again-
WINTERS (cont'd)
I don't have to add that I'm putting my butt on the line here.
They stare at their commanding officer with respect and great affection. Some with grins they can't suppress.
WINTERS (cont'd) Any questions?
(there are none) Dismissed.
WEBSTER
watches Winters, Speirs and Nixon leave. He turns to the men.
They stay arced in a circle for a couple of BEATS. Together. Slapping each other on the backs. They begin to gleefully tromp back toward their respective OPS in small groups. Finally, the only left is Webster.
He takes a deep breath and looks up at the sky. And we are:
92 EXT. HAGUENAU -- DAY
Webster walks with FIRST PLATOON toward a long line of trucks. He lugs a .30 machine gun, and his MUSSETTE BAG. The sun is SHINING and it's warmer now.
The men josh with each other. OP TWO is visible in the b.g. toward the river behind Webster. Floyd TALBERT, the new Company Sergeant calls out.
TALBERT
Let's move it. HUP HUP. We gotta roll!
WEBSTER (V.O.)
So the second patrol never happened. Word was Captain Nixon wrote up a bogus report that said it did. Regiment never got wise.
(BEAT)
We were heading into Germany now, and that's all they cared about.
Webster walks closer to the truck. He draws abreast of -
WINTERS and NIXON. Just as he's about to move on ...we hear the distinctive Thwock Thwock...
The men all FREEZE. They listen to the shell whistle through the air. THWOCK THWOCK. It tumbles closer and closer. Some duck down, but most just stand and stare toward the River, including WEBSTER.
KABLAM!
The German .205 slams directly into OP TWO. The entire building COLLAPSES in a heap of dust and rubble.
WINTERS
gazes at the demolished building.
WINTERS
You know what?
(he looks at Nixon)
I think we're gonna make it.
THE TRUCKS
start up with an tremendous heartening ROAR. Webster moves past winters and Nixon and JUMPS up onto the tailgate of a Deuce and Half.
NIETZKE grabs hoists up Webster's Mussette bag. Webster sits down next to him and puts his machine gun across his lap. The rest of the platoon follows. The tailgate is CLOSED.
WEBSTER
looks out the back of the truck toward the RUBBLE of Haguenau. The truck begins to MOVE.
Suddenly his attention is caught by something o.s.
THE CAMERA PULLS BACK
away from the convoy, and across the now nearly deserted town -square to find -
LIEUTENANT JONESstanding alone, dressed in new, crisp, clean ODs. Watching.