July-Nov. 1942: Camp Toccoa

Rose was the only girl at Camp Toccoa, she was the girl chosen to see what girls could do on the front line, and she knew her stuff and didn't let Sobel get her down. Sobel looked down on Rose for being a woman in a man's war but she always shot him down when he picked on her.

The men in easy company, to which she was assigned, loved her, her nickname was little girl, standing at only 5"5 where her male counterparts were for the most part much taller. She was described as the sweetheart of the 506th she laughed with the boys and was always there when they didn't think they could do it. She had short wavy brown hair and bright blue eyes, she didn't stand out because most thought of her as pretty but plain, she just had a good personality.

Her best friends in the company were Skip Muck and Donald Malarkey, they laughed together and never went anywhere without them, growing up in Georgia but coming from an English family she had a very strange accent.

"You people are at the position of attention!" He then turned to Perconte, "Private Perconte, have you been blousing your trousers over your boots like a Paratrooper?" Rose had had enough but she had to seethe in silence her hard glare was broken by Perconte replying:

"No sir."

"Then explain the creases at the bottom?"

"No excuse, sir." Perconte says.

"Volunteering for the Airborne is one thing Perconte, but you got a long way, before you can prove you belong here. Your weekend pass is revoked."

"Name" Shouted Sobel in Rose's face, he was trying to find a fault Christ I hate that man, thought Rose "Marshall Rosemary. E Sir" She replied in a strong voice she never had her weekend pass because he always managed to revoke it! "Why do you want to be in the Airborne's?" Sobel practically screamed in her face, to which she replied "Because I want to be in the best sir!" she replied tightly"I don't believe you" countered Sobel.

Sobel turned to his men "Due to the infractions and non-committal remarks of these men you are running Currahee, fall out!" Shouted Sobel, then gave the order to fall out. She went to the barracks and changed in to her PT gear she didn't understand why the man had to be a pain in the bum but she was getting pushed out by Lipton "Oi! Little Girl you coming or not" called Skip who was stood with Malarkey! "Yeah give me a second" she replied and ran out of the door.

They were running to the start point where members of Dog Company were hanging and shouted to Easy "While you are gone we will take your girl to the pictures!" to which Leibgott replied "Yeah she could use some female company" to which Rose laughed and looked to see Webster, his eyes flashing with anger and Bill looking pissed off. Rose was very confused she looked to Webster and said "What has got your knickers in a twist?" to which Webster replied "I don't wear knickers and they shouldn't talk like that." Rose was flushed by his concern but replied "It doesn't matter they are just bored, but thanks anyway." Webster smiled at her answer. Rose looked around and remembered the first day she was introduced to Easy Company.

She was taken by Colonel Sink, when she walked into the barracks most of the men were wondering what a female was doing there so Sink shouted "Listen up boys, this here is Corporal Rosemary Marshall, she will be the first female Airborne in the world and she will do us damn proud, now I am gonna leave her in your care, good day gentlemen" Rose looked round and nervously made her way over to the empty bed. The man on the bed to her left stood up and said "Well little girl, I am Bill Guarnere, South Philadelphia" she replied promptly "Pleasure meeting you, Rosemary Marshall" he was taken back her accent "Whoa! They never told us a pretty, British Princess was joining us, where you from?" she was taken aback by his brashness "Oh sorry how rude of me, I am from Aldbourne in England but I moved when I was ten to Georgia so here I am, sorry for saying sorry! Ugh! I am so stupid!" Bill just laughed at her "Where did ya get ya manners?" Rose blushed slightly, it would be an understatement to say she wasn't a privileged child, her parents were very posh Edward and Elaine thought that their oldest daughter would be the definition of a lady but it seemed that she just wasn't going to comply. She replied to Bill, "Oh I don't know in a milk carton!"

After her quick meeting with Bill she met Malarkey who she thought was very funny and Webster, she liked Webster a lot because of her love of books and his love of literature. She was yet to meet a man in the company she couldn't get along with. She changed into her PT gear along with the boys but instead of hiding away like most thought she would she just took her clothes off and got changed, she got a few wolf whistles mainly from Perconte, Hoobler, Bill and Smokey. She was changed first so she just sat there and couldn't help but feel smug, most of the boys had toned muscles but Rose, she could happily say she had the best 6 pack although, Webster of all people could rival it, the man was surely was very good looking!

She ran outside with the rest of the men and somehow she managed to be at the front with most people looking at her arse so she just stopped, so did the men and she strutted away leaving them gobsmacked! If her mother saw her now she would be on wood duty for a year, yeah she wasn't cut out to be a lady. She was making her way over to the assault course when she heard an insult being thrown her way by a member of Dog Company, who she had no idea, but she was going to show him what she was made of.

They started the assault course she was behind Bill and he was doing well until he tripped at the end causing Rose to go flying, she landed with her arse in his face, she laughed at the predicament when Bill said "If you like me tell me, don't put your ass in my face, although I can't say I mind!" she got to the wall and since most men couldn't actually get over the wall she gave shoulder lifts to the smaller men so they could get better times and twice she had to try before throwing herself up the wall.

Rose was

They reached the bottom of Currahee and started their run, 10 minutes in Sobel was getting on everyone's nerves by making remarks to Rose saying "Who did you sleep with to get here" or "You have legs that rival Rita Heyworth's use them for something apart from after dark activities" but when he grabbed her arm the boys had enough and she could see their anger so to calm them down she started singing to herself then the rest just joined in:

"We pull upon the risers

We fall upon the grass

We never land upon our feet

We always hit our ass

Hide tidee, Christ almighty

Who the hell are we?

Zim zam, goddamn!

We're Airborne Infantry"

Sobel didn't know what to do with the company and just stared on in an astonished silence. Skip kept along with Rose; they continued running and could break apart for a good time, Rose having done track right up until she was 18 was already fit so she just sprinted ahead leaving the boys looking as shocked as when the first time she did it.

She was on 20 minutes when she reached the top she could see the men behind her and running down she encouraged them and they tried just as hard. When she got to camp she took a cold shower and went to go spend her down time with Malarkey and Muck, they were gambling, drinking and smoking all of which she was against so she wandered out side and found Webster they sat talking and they got on to the subject of marriage. Webster looked Rose in the face and asked "Have you ever loved someone?" Rose thought for a moment and said "No, you?" Rose knew that this was a complete lie she had loved someone back at home but he abused her and she snapped and decided to join the army, Webster looked away and said "I did once, I try not to get attached anymore, she turned out to be sleeping with my best friend my experience isn't great." Rose looked shocked, she wouldn't expect anyone to cheat on Webster, and he was good looking, kind, intelligent and had a sense of humour what wasn't there to love.

It was getting late so Rose walked back to the barracks only to see Bill stretched out on her bed, Webster and Malarkey sat on the end of it and Skip sitting on the bed next to hers. When she walked in they could see she had a very confused expression as to why they were there. Bill motioned her over "Lil' girl, come here!" Rose raised her eyebrows sceptically but sat on the floor next to the bed none the less and asked "What are you all doing on my bed and slightly under the influence?" They all looked sheepishly around but Malarkey answered first "We don't like how Sobel taunts you for being a girl" to which Webster chimed in "Sure he makes nasty remarks to us boys but he has never touched us before-"Bill cut him off saying "And we are angry about it". Rose just raised her head defiantly "There is nothing we can do, if he touches me in anyway, I'll drop his arse so off to bed!"

The next morning they had PT so Rose changed into them once again, it seemed yesterday the boys were too busy being preoccupied with running Currahee and teasing dog company to make the usual remarks about her larger assets. Luz, being the cheeky git he is commented "Well well Lil' girl, for someone so short you sure have a nice arse!" to which Malarkey chimed in "And tits" she just groaned when Bill came up beside her and said "Do you reckon that if you had no tits you would fall over backwards or the other way round?" Rose replied I don't think I am at a liberty to comment.

Fort Benning

To say Rose was nervous was an under estimate, she was shitting a house never mind bricks according to Malarkey but since the other boys were nervous she just kept a brave face. Now just across from her she could see Sobel breaking a sweat with nerves, she nudged Sergeant Grant who was next to her and both had stifle their laughter with a cough, they both reddened at Sobel's glare their way.

The man shouted above the noise of the engine "Hook Up, Equipment check. She was tapped on the shoulder by Sobel and shouted "6 okay" and tapped Bill on the shoulder then he did to Grant and so on. She saw that it was her turn at the door and to her surprises all of her fear was taken over by excitement and when it was her turn she launched herself out of the plane, she counted to four and her parachute was up. Bill happened to land near her so when they both packed their gear away she ran up and hugged him he laughed with her and she asked "When can we do it again?"