July 6, 1942
Camp Toccoa, Georgia
Lipton, Perconte, and Randleman watched from afar as a new jeep of soldiers arrived at the Easy company barracks. They had been some of the first to be assigned to Easy, and as such, felt like veterans as daily newbies arrived joining their platoons.
"Well hell," Randleman muttered, chewing on a piece of grass, pretending it was a cigar. "These ones look even smaller than the last ones."
Lipton nodded, squinting against the sun. "They do seem awful young."
Luz walked up to their side, scratching the back of his neck from mosquitos before chuckling. "Look, one's even shorter than you, Frank." He pointed to the slight frame of a private, whose pack looked almost bigger than him.
Perconte rolled his eyes, but grinned. "Hey, I'll take what I can get."
Luz's eyes widened. "Sobel sighting." The four of them quickly dispersed towards the barracks, afraid to be a second late for the afternoon line up. Lieutenant Sobel came rushing quickly behind them, sneer already in place.
"On your feet, at attention," Lipton muttered to the small private as he passed to his bunk.
Private Reilly immediately snapped to attention, quickly pushing hair back with a hand, just in time as Sobel entered the barracks hall. Currently the bunks were half occupied with soldiers. The rest of Easy company was due to arrive within the next day. Perconte and Luz stood on either side of Reilly, ready for the mayhem to begin.
Sobel reared towards the soldier across from Reilly. "Why are you not at attention, private," he shouted into the thin face of the man, who straightened from his crouch next to his pack.
"No excuse, sir," replied Liebgott, his eyes straight ahead, staring at Reilly.
Sobel sneered, disgusted. "You'll learn quickly…" he peered at the nametag on his chest, "Private Liebgott, that in order to stay in my company, I won't indulge in any sort of laziness. Slack off again, and you'll pay the price."
Reilly stared straight ahead as Sobel moved to the next soldier. Liebgott rolled his eyes, but he didn't slacken his stance.
After pointing out various infractions from some men in the back, Sobel returned to the entrance, where 2nd Lieutenants Winters and Nixon stood. "Lieutenants," he murmured to them. "Be sure to welcome our newest arrivals in true Easy company fashion." He turned towards the bunks and the soldiers standing there. "Time to run Currahee. Those who have done it before, you know the drill." He smirked before leaving the barracks.
Winters stepped forward. "Easy company, PT gear now. You have two minutes." He and Nixon left to change in the officers' barracks.
Reilly let out a breath before stripping off the OD shirt and pants to reveal a tshirt and shorts underneath. Feeling eyes, Reilly turned and saw Liebgott staring, a strange look on his face. Reilly chucked a chin towards the private, defiance oozing from the stare back. A moment passed before Liebgott smirked, then nodded.
Reilly followed the others outside, looking up at the huge mountain of Currahee. Three miles up, three miles down.
Lipton ran up, smacking a soft hand on a shoulder. "Come on, Reilly. Let's see what you got."
Reilly started to jog behind him. "Yes, sarge."
After dinner with Randleman and Lipton, Reilly walked back to the barracks to hit the hay. Luz and Perconte were already there, talking over the bunk in between them. Reilly flopped down on the bed, considering sleeping in full uniform, burrowing into the bedding happily.
Luz smiled at the exhausted private. "Tough first day, kid?"
Reilly huffed into the pillow, short brown hair covering green eyes. "I'm sure it's no different than anyone else."
Perconte chuckled with Luz. "We've been here for about a week. Even after a few days, it's gotten easier." Reilly gave him a small smile in thanks.
Luz grimaced. "Me thinks that Sobel hasn't really started our real training yet. I've heard stories about him from other companies. The man can nitpick a nun."
Reilly chuckled, not even sure what that meant. But before the men could continue, sleep came and drowned out any more conversation.
The next morning, Easy company was lined up outside for attention, waiting for Sobel, who was probably twenty minutes late on purpose. The soldiers made small talk in between, holding their rifles to their chests.
Randleman chewed on another blade of grass and turned from Liebgott to Reilly. "What made you join the paratroopers, son?"
Reilly smirked. "Sounded like the most adventure. Plus the extra fifty dollars doesn't hurt, right Bull?" Randleman chuckled, nodding, but Liebgott remained silent, staring at Reilly again. Shooting a glare his way, Reilly continued. "That sound about right, Joe?"
Liebgott studied a bit longer before grinning. "That's right, Frankie."
Luz sighed next to them. "Nope. No way." He turned to Reilly. "We already got two Joes. We can't have two Franks, too." He motioned to Perconte. "My jokes will suffer in the confusion."
Reilly's lips twitched up. "What do you suggest, George?"
Luz slapped a hand on Liebgott's shoulder. "This here is Lieb. Whether he likes it or not." Liebgott rolled his eyes, but shrugged. "I can't suggest a new name to Joe Toye, he may snarl at me to death."
"Hey, fuck you, Luz!" called Toye.
Luz waved, smiling. He wrangled an arm around Perconte's neck, ruffling his hair with his fist. "And Frank got here first, Reilly, so what's it gonna be? No way am I calling you Francis. I like you too much already to do that to ya."
Reilly shrugged, pushing up the too large helmet. "You tell me, George. I don't have anything for you."
Liebgott called out instead, smirk in place. "How about Franny?"
Eyes narrowed, Reilly's mouth opened to retort, but Luz was quicker. "I like it." He leaned over and smacked Reilly on the ass. "Goes with that girlish figure of yas."
Before Reilly could reply with more than a glare, two more jeeps arrived with new soldiers. One in particular got immediate attention from everyone.
The men's mouths dropped open as a tall, blonde woman stepped from her seat, her pack on her shoulder, eyes straight ahead. Her ODs held a small red cross on the armband, indicating she was a combat medic.
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph," breathed Luz, his eyes glued to their newest arrival. "Those legs."
Liebgott smirked wider. "That ass."
Randleman whistled quietly. "Whee doggy."
Perconte gulped and nodded. "Damn straight."
They turned to the quiet Reilly, who shrugged. "Eh, not my type." Most of them gaped, but Liebgott and Reilly shared a smirk.
"You need to get out more, Franny," breathed Luz. "See some of the world, kid."
"Good thing I volunteered to go 'round the world with you assholes then."
Just then, Sobel showed up, his teeth bared. "Why aren't you people standing at attention," he barked.
Reilly and the others faced forward. In the corner, the newcomers dropped their packs and did the same. Sobel sneered and ventured towards the woman first. "Name."
The female soldier stood straighter, her long frame almost meeting Sobel's. "Wentworth, Georgia B., sir," she said in a calm voice, slight southern accent.
Sobel's sneer grew, as he looked her up and down. "I see one of our vulgar additions has arrived." He stepped closer to Wentworth, his warm breath permeating her face. "Just because the U.S. Army deems it fitting to experiment with my company, doesn't mean that I do. You're pathetic, private. I look forward to seeing you fail."
Wentworth only looked straight ahead. Reilly noticed a slight tremble of her fingers. Sobel turned from her, and shouted to the rest. "You will not grant Wentworth any special treatment. You will not help her. She is only a short term visitor to Easy company, as well as the other repugnant woman that's due to arrive."
Winters cleared his throat. "Sir, all soldiers have arrived and have been accounted for. Easy company is complete."
Ready to bite off the Lieutenant's head for speaking out, Sobel was momentarily displaced with this news. "And the other's name?"
Winters swallowed. "Private Frances Reilly, sir."
Reilly felt the men around her stiffen, except for Liebgott. Here we go.
Sobel's eyes raked over his soldiers until he found her tiny frame next to Perconte. He rushed towards her, staring down at her hard. "Name."
Reilly cocked her rifle and handed out for inspection. "Reilly, Frances A., sir." She heard Luz breathe a curse behind her.
Sobel grimaced while looking at her, taking in her short hair hidden by the helmet and her flat chest, before smirking. "No wonder I didn't notice earlier. You can hardly pass for a woman. Not that any woman who demeans herself the way that you have should be called such."
He stepped away. "I will say this again to all the men of Easy company. You will not help these females in any way or you will suffer the consequences. Leave the chivalry for other companies. My company consists only of war-ready paratroopers. Do I make myself clear?"
Reilly joined in with the others, shouting, "Sir, yes, sir!"
Sobel muttered to Winters and Nixon. "You know the drill. Currahee then obstacle course." He stalked away.
Winters stepped forward. "Easy company, two minutes to change. We're running Currahee."
Reilly jogged with everyone else into the barracks, making her way to her bunk. After stripping off her OD shirt, she felt eyes on her. Luz, Perconte, and Liebgott were staring at her. Rolling her eyes, she snorted. "Get over it, fellas."
Liebgott smirked again, a gesture she was beginning to think never left his face. "Can't believe you guys didn't realize it yesterday. Can't even spot a damn broad."
Luz, uncharacteristically speechless, just shook his head. Seeing Reilly start on her pants, he and Perconte turned away. She rolled her eyes again before jogging back outside.
Winters nodded to her. "Ready, Reilly?" he asked.
She grinned, stretching a bit. "Yes, sir!"
Her second run was very different from the first in many ways. Reilly knew what to expect in terms of distance and elevation, as well as the annoyance level of Sobel on the trail.
This time, however, her comrades kept their distance, not speaking to her, and even running from her side if she sped up towards them. The only one that didn't seem frightened by her was Winters, who encouraged her to keep going, like everyone else.
Scared of a little girl, she thought scathingly.
In the back, Wentworth was struggling, something Reilly had done yesterday when she didn't know what to expect. She was tempted to slow down and run with her fellow sister, but there was time to get to know the other "female intruder." Hell, we have two years before we even ship out.
What really began to bust Reilly's ass was the obstacle course next. The men cheered one another on, lending a helping hand to their brothers when needed. As though Sobel's threat surrounded Reilly and Wentworth like a plague, the men back away from them. Some even sneered a profanity or two.
Reilly was next to Wentworth quicker than she had thought, in the back of the pack. Near the end, after thinking her knees were about to crack from the pressure of the crawl pits, she watched Wentworth easily go up and over the high log wall.
Taking a breath, Reilly sprinted towards the wall and attempted to climb, but quickly fell, not even making it halfway. Again, and she fell. Suddenly, a friendly smile appeared at the top, and a long arm stretched down.
"Take my hand," yelled Wentworth, who climbed the back of the wall to help.
Reilly took another deep breath before running with everything she had, her fingers just grasping the outstretched hand. With a strangled curse, the two of them were able to get her over the wall.
Sobel glared at them as they jogged together towards the finish line. "Wentworth your weekend pass is revoked."
Reilly breathed fire into her lungs, whether it was from the strain of the exercise or because of the anger that filled her, she didn't know. "Sir, are we expected to not lend a helping hand to one another? The men are allowed to do this."
Sobel smiled gravelly. "Your pass is revoked for the month, Reilly. Speak out of turn again and it's gone for three."
They watched him and the others retreat towards the showers.
Reilly turned towards Wentworth. "Sorry about your pass."
Wentworth shrugged, but grinned. "He would have taken it away anyway for something else. Probably because I have breasts."
Reilly chuckled as they walked towards the barracks. "After my month is over, I'll probably get reprimanded again for not having any."
Wentworth grimaced. "I'm jealous. My body is going to become a burden."
Reilly shook her head in wonder of how this beautiful woman could say she was jealous of her boyish figure. "We're women, Wentworth. Our sex is going to be our burden."
Wentworth winked. "And our strength. And call me Georgia."
Reilly winked back. "Only if you call me Franny."
