I woke up to the sounds of planes flying over my head, I sat up from my sleep in a cot that did not satisfy my needs, but I am used to it. I have slept in cots like these for two years and now I don't need much sleep. In the line of work I am in you don't get much sleep, if you do, it is a luxury that should not be wasted. Many things are luxuries that we can't have or get like a comfy bed, hot shower, and delicious food. All we get is stiff cots, cold showers which were sometimes, if we are lucky, luke warm, lumpy mash, cold vegetables and slightly warm broth when we are off the line, however, when we are staring death straight in the face on the front lines all we get is K-rations and foxhole and your fellow brothers to keep you warm. Well that's what you get if you join the paratroopers!
I changed into my full field kit, and slung my gun over my shoulder. I could remember the first time I held my gun……we were stationed at camp Taccoa, Georgia, one of the exercises we had to do there was that we had to lift the gun above our heads and hold it there for an hour and a half, those who could last that long had to run Currahea, three miles up, three miles down and start the exercise all over again, I was one of those. The gun was so heavy, I thought I was doing well but when the lieutenant called the forty minute marker I couldn't help it, my arms just gave way, the strain on my arms was unbearable.
"You, you worthless piece of shit" threatened the lieutenant as he loomed over me.
"Get the fuck out of my sight and do Currahea, NOW!!! Move! Move! Move!" I scrambled to my feet and started the tiresome punishment. All I can say is that night was the only time I did enjoy my sleep. We were the only company that every week ran Currahea twice, full kit and gun, and a full canteen which was not to be drunk. The motto of Currahea which we hear in our sleep is 'Three miles up, three miles down, who are we? Easy company!! What are we gonna conquer? Currahea!' We were doing a night march, most of the platoon was restless. I heard Pvt. Denver 'Bull' Randleman talking to George Luz who was marching next to me.
"I'm gonna say something."
"To who?"
"Lieutenant Winters!" Bull shouted.
"What is it?" replied Winters.
"Permission to speak, sir."
"Granted"
"Sir, we got 9 companies, sir."
"We do."
"Well how come we're the only one marching every Friday night 12 miles full pack in the pitch dark."
"Why do you think, Private Randleman?"
"Lieutenant Sobel hates us, sir."
"Lieutenant Sobel does not hate Easy Company, Private Randleman. He just hates you."
"Thank you, sir." Said Bull smirking. Behind me I could hear Pvt. Donald Malarkey hit Pvt. Warren 'Skip' Muck over the head.
"Yeah and he hates you to Skip"
We had finished the first weekly Currahea run as normal, but this time the lieutenant ordered us to assemble in front of him. He turned to our company leader Lieutenant Winters, a well respected leader.
"Captain I want their canteens out".
"Easy Company, take out your canteens" Winters responded in return, I fumbled quickly in my pouch for my canteen, afraid to disobey an order.
"Tell them on my command I want them to tip out its contents" ordered the higher ranked officer.
"On Lieutenant Sobels command I want you to up end your canteens". We waited for the order to empty our canteens onto the ground, silence that's all we heard, bitter silence, it was agonizing. Then the vicious voice of Sobels stung the air
"Now". We tipped the contents of what we longed to have just mere hours ago on the tiresome exercise that was Currahea. I watched Lieutenant Sobels walk back and forth in front of us waiting, waiting like a predator stalking its prey ready to pounce, then he did.
"Private! Why is your canteen empty?!" I looked up to see Sobels staring at me I quickly glanced down to my canteen to still see water pouring out.
"Well?" I was about to respond in protest. When I heard the private behind me answer
"No excuse Sir!"…… We were thankful to get rid of him before we jumped no one wanted to be under the command of Sobels and be taken into war. He was a poor leader and got lost on several occasions of practise field tactics. We have been staying at England for two weeks now, just doing drills. However last week we were supposed to jump at Sante Marie du Mont, to help the French forces to get the Germans back behind their lines. But the leader of Easy Company Lt. Meehan called it off saying.
"Channel coast is socked in with rain and fog!. No jump tonight, the invasion has been postponed. We're on a 24-hour stand-down". Everyone was annoyed, we were ready to face the enemy. This happened for two weeks, finally on the third week we were ready, we were prepared, we knew the consequences, and we knew one wrong move could cost you your life. We had our harness on and stood with Easy Company, all together there was three other companies which would jump, Fox, Dog and I company. I stood above my equipment, cleaning them so there wasn't one smudge or finger print on them to effect my firing or the use of it. Joe Toye another private was next to me walking to his gear on the floor.
"Three day supply of K-rations, chocolate bars, charms candy, powdered coffee, sugar, matches, compass, bayonet, entrenching tool, ammunition, gas mask, musette bag with ammo, my weapon, my .45, canteen, two cartons of smokes, Hawkins mine, two grenades, smoke grenade, Gammon grenade, t-n-t, this bullshit, and a pair of nasty skivvies!".
"What's your point?" I replied.
"This stuff weighs as much as I do, I still got my chute, my reserve chute, my Mae West and my M1."
"Where you keeping the brass knuckles?" I said sarcastically.
"I could use some brass knuckles." He said thoughtfully.
We were sat talking to other privates in our company, when an officer came around handing out a sheet of paper.
"From Colonel Sink" he handed the out to several people in our group "From Colonel Sink"
Luz, who was good at coping others peoples voices, started reading it out in Colonel Sink's voice.
"Soldiers of the regiment, tonight is the night of" he trailed off to his own voice realising that it was a serious matter" nights. As you read this you are en route to the great adventure to which you have trained for over two years" Luz then handed it over to another soldiers so they could then read it for them selves.
Pvt Guarnere was eating ice cream, which was handed out before they received the letter, while he was listening to Luz read out the letter.
"That's why they gave us ice cream" he said sarcastically.