June 6th, 1944
The sun was coming up slowly over the rolling hills, already showing the signs of the day coming through and we were already feeling the war on the wind. After we took the town and made sure there was no sign of Germans there that would be hazardous for Easy, we were then ready to head out to the other companies that we were assigned to. I was heading over on a jeep with Captain Josephine next to me and Harper in the back, the three of us were heading over in the same direction that Easy was supposed to be at. The morning wind was sweeping over us, already being tinted and masked over with gunpowder and fuel from either a plane or a car nearby.
It was already smelling like a war.
Thankfully we didn't have to go very far, only a few hours along the road in our jeep and in some places we could see some of the warfare already hitting the towns around us and the countryside. Smoke was rising in different areas, it was as if we missed the huge start of the war and we were rolling into the aftermath. I was in the back of the jeep with Harper and Captain Josephine in the front seat now, looking dead ahead as Harper and I was looking at the aftermath of the night raid. I almost felt sick to my stomach from seeing what was happening around me, what I was smelling in the air and along the road, and most of all, what I taught was going to come in the future.
"Captain," I said to Captain Josephine, seeing her look back at me now as we were still riding down the road, "Where are you going to be when we're not on assignment?"
"I'll be back at headquarters with Captain Matthews and helping him with keeping an eye on the rest of the girls at their respected companies," She explained to me now, "I'll be popping in from time to time to make sure things are going well and help with any other companies that need it. You'll be first to be notified if we are going on a new Operation or mission."
I nodded at her to show that I took in what she said, but it was still creeping up on the back of my mind. Thinking of the plenty of Operations that we would have to go through and be successful in. There was no room for failure, not for us. That frightened me, but then again I had to learn how to hide it within me and not show it to the others to see.
Who knew what was going to be over that hill now.
The jeep pulled to a stop in the small area that was clearly occupied with American soldiers, all of whom looked like they survived the D-Day. Already I could see some of them trying to keep themselves together, and others were hardly touched by the D-Day landing. I was mostly thinking of how Easy Company did in their own jump if they made it out okay and they were here where I was supposed to meet up with them. But then again, after seeing the bombing going off in the distance while we were doing our own Operation, I was trying not to be surprised from what I was seeing. Here I was, at some remote band in a smaller town that seemed to be a thumbnail on the scale of New Orleans, and all I could think about was what was going to happen from here.
Where the hell was Easy?
"This is where we leave you, Lieutenant," Captain Josephine said to me as I hopped out of the jeep and I looked back at her for a moment or two, not thinking of when I was going to see her next, let alone the rest of the girls in Black Mamba. This was the first time we are going to be separated from one another since we started out together in training. I was almost feeling a bit sad about it as Captain Josephine kept going, "I'll send you a telegram on our next assignment when I am given it by Matthews. Well done today, you're a natural elder with the others,"
"Thank you, ma'am," I thanked her, saluting her once more and seeing her return the gesture. Even Harper saluting me behind Josephine as she then lowered her hand and motioned to the driver to start it up again. I watched from the side as the jeep rode off past the farm where I was and where the group of me where, the men moving aside for them as I was standing there along, surrounded by soldiers and looking around to see if I recognize someone, anyone from Easy company. I thought of Joe Liebgott and how he can be snarky and talk himself out of a situation, Guarnere and his wide mouth and hard look, Shifty and his kind look and heart.
Eugene, where was Eugene?
"Bellerose?" I looked over to my left, finally seeing someone that looked a bit familiar to me and I grinned from ear to ear. There was Lieutenant Buck, standing there in his combat uniform and some grime there already on his face, but it was still nice to see someone that I knew there. I walked over to him, seeing him eye me up and down now and what I was wearing with my now combat attire.
"Hello, Lieutenant," I said to him in a smile as he chuckled.
"You look like you had your fair share of combat," He commented to me, "What did you have to do?"
"Sad to say that it's classified," I informed him.
"Oh, and then you would have to kill me if you tell me?" He asked in almost a joke now as I chuckled, looking around a bit more and not seeing anyone else from easy, not really. It almost made me panic a bit now as I looked back at Buck.
"Where's Easy?" I asked him, his smile faltering a bit as I mentioned Easy, having me now worry a bit now in my spot in front of him.
"We're missing about 75% of the men," He explained, having me look at him in shock now.
"How did that happen?" I asked in a shocked tone, thinking of how that percent that was for me to hear from him. I thought the jump went well, I had high hopes for that.
"Our jump went a bit haywire, ending most of us scattered around a bit in the countryside," Buck explained to me as I watched him with worried written all over my face.
"How bad was it?" I questioned.
"One of our planes got hit hard," I cursed under my breath when I heard and I saw him nod in agreement, "However, we are about to head over and get ready for an attack along the hills nearby since some tanks and Germans are there with an assault ready for us."
"They want Easy for it?" I asked him.
"Easy and Dog Company, along with you if you're willing," Buck replied, having me eye him and see the small glimpse of hope that he had in his eyes for me to help them and join the men in this new assault that was coming our way, and that they were about to be a part of. He was asking as if he was worried that I would refuse him and the others in their aid. But this was why I was there, this was why I was assigned to them: I was there to not only hope but to protect them. This was the start of it.
"Point me in the right direction," I replied back smoothly, seeing him cock a grin at me and then motioning with his head to follow him. I followed willingly seeing him have a pep in his step now as we were moving along the muddy ground and seeing more and more men flooding into the farm now from whoever they were at. I could hear some people talking in the barn now as we were getting closer and some people were moving around inside from what I could see.
"There are Germans are in the trenches with access to the entire battery. With machine gun covering their rear," I could hear Winters now as there were all huddled together and talking strategy about the upcoming assault. I stood behind Buck for a moment or two, not wanting to introduce myself then but to just listen in on what they already had planned.
"We'll establish a base of fire and move under it hard and fast with two squads of three," He went on with the plan.
"How many Krauts do you think we're facing?" I heard Guarnere ask.
"No, Idea," Winters answered.
"No idea?"
"We'll take some TNT along with us. To spike the guns. Lipton, your responsibility," I was not listening to the rest of it now as I was looking around the room to see who was there and what was going on. I knew of Toye and Guarnere, along with Lipton there too as they were listening to Winters and what he had to say. From what I was hearing, and how they were all looking to him, Winters was taking over Easy at the moment since he was the only acting officer there.
"Compton, 2nd squad," Winters now said to Buck as Buck moved out of the way for me to be in the sight again. He coughed a bit to get Winter's attention, who looked right at me now with a bit of shock there in his eyes, the other were looking too.
"Lieutenant," Winters said in a lighter manner as the others grinned.
"Told ya she'd come around," Toye said to Guarnere under his breath but still loud enough for me to hear.
"When did you get here, Bellerose?" Lipton asked me in wonder.
"Literally just now, sir," Buck replied for me, having me smile and salute Winters, seeing him return the gesture.
"How was your mission, Lieutenant?" Winters asked me as I moved around the men now who were getting ready for the battle ahead.
"Went smoothly and our Operation was successful," I reported back to him.
"Glad to hear it, and I'm glad you're here to help with our upcoming assault with the Germans. Are you up for it?" He asked, almost making it sound so kind of him to ask such a thing.
"Of course, sir," I replied back, feeling a bit better now that I knew Winters was going to help with the attack and the assault that was ahead of us. I was glad to help and contribute to whatever I can bring to Easy whether it was foghorn alongside them or even being in the background with information and tactics that they could use. The better use I could be, the better.
"We're going to be going into the attack that will be out on the outskirts of town near some hills and underbrush, their machine guns are the main objective. If we can get to those guns and not loose any of the men, we can call this assault a perch success for D-Day," Winters explained to me as I was listening in on the plan, "We have more than enough men going out there for the assault, but it won't hurt to have you there in case anything does go south."
"Couldn't agree more, sir," I agreed with him since if I knew Winters well enough, he was going to have more than enough men out there in the first place and I could always be used as a Plan B or C for that matter.
"Good, you can also another set of eyes for us to use and to have on our side, I know the boys will be more than happy to hear anything you want to address to them while the battle is happening," Winters explained to me as he the pointing to the others nearby that were still getting ready, "I have men in charge of the machine guns, along with TNT to disengage and take out their machine guns."
"It's only Easy and Dog Company the only ones in this attack, sir?" I asked him, seeing him pause before answering. I could tell he wanted D-Day to go another way, a better way that included all of his men there safe and sound, no one missing or in another goddamn place in France, and having their Captain there from Easy to lead the charge. But this was no fairy tale or a place for high hopes. No, he was living in the cold reality that he had to be the one who was taking charge in the first battle that they were going to be in.
"Just us two."
This was far more different from working with the girls in Black Mamba, way too different. For one, we were in plain sight when I was used to working out of sight and out of the daylight. I was still in my Black Mamba black combat clothing, my hair ducked under my bandana and helmet, a slimmer bandana around my neck for any battles to cover my face, and my fingerless gloves tapping my legs with anxiety and steady breathing. This time, the men were the ones who were leading the charge and assault now and I was going to be Plan B if something did go south. It was fine by me, but once again I was standing a bit higher in my tip toes from the thought of being in another mission kind of situation and having to either kill or be killed.
The rolling hills, green and smooth from the grass and the cloudy day, were the only things I could see from where I was standing within the woods and back from being in plain sight. I was with some of the other men who were staying behind from going in on the assault, the others were tasked with guns and were ready to listen to what Winters wanted them to do. I had out my own rifle within my hands, my eyes scanning every now and again to see if something was going to be a threat for the boys.
There were trenches for certain, curved along the hills and making it look like a maze more than anything and I could spot some of the makeshift work that they sued to cover their machine guns, almost cover them is more like it. It was less threatened for me to be there at the moment, so I placed my rifle back over my shoulder again and just watched carefully with my eyes.
They moved swiftly, like how they were supposed to when they were training both in England and back in the states. I knew Winters was trying to lead them the best way he could and he was doing a damn good job at it. The boys were gravitating to him, hanging on his every word and not wanting to disappoint him, like sons wanting to make their father proud. I could see the same thing in their eyes and how they looked at him and followed his every move. Hell, if I was one of the Easy men, I would do the same.
Gunfire span left and right, bullets were flying over the top of the grass by mere inches, and out the main objective were those two machine guns that were on different sides of the field. One of them was closer to us, as the other was bit more of a challenge to get to because of the heavy gunfire that was coming our way to prevent us from advancing. I waited, not wanting to step out of the boundaries and go out of line.
"Compton, recovering fire!" I was still watching from my spot within the tree line in hopes that nothing was going to give me away, seeing the battle already unfolding in front of me and the men holding their ground. Popeye, one of the men in Easy, was shot and was trying to get himself up again, others were dodging bullets left and right, and Toye almost got killed by a grenade since he almost didn't look out in time. I was trying to find a strategy for the men to make this battle easier, seeing them already taking orders from Winters and going wherever he wanted them to go. So far, it was in our favor, but I still had to be ready for when something else happens.
"There's the second gun. Grenades first, then keep going. Go!" Winters said to Buck now as he then looked over in my direction, having me see that I was still a bit farther away now since he was trying to find me and I was well hidden, "Bellerose! Upfront!"
"Sir!" I called back to him, running into the open now but trying to be as swift as humanly possible. Being a ballerina had it quirks, learning to leap more than run and having my legs extend longer when I was sprinting. It got me there faster and I was there in front of Winters before I knew it.
"I need you to go with the men to the second gun, make sure you keep the Germans out of this hair," He instructed me, having me a nod and get my own mind ready for what was about to come: My first real battle.
"Yes, sir," I replied to him, already moving away from him over to the second machine gun, which was going to be a bit of a way for me now. I was not going to try and be near the men, they could handle themselves fine. I was trying to find my now way over there now along the tree line before sprinting into the trenches that were along the field. It was one thing to just run, stop, and fire at the Germans. But it was another thing to get there first before the others in Easy, to clear the way for them and to make sure they were not going to be touched by anything.
I was playing guardian angel after all.
I was sprinting along the grass and tree line, hearing more and more gun being shot over and over again, people yelling in both English and German and I was keeping my eyes on the machine gun within its own little safe zone, it was getting closer and closer now. My eye was on the prize at all times, feeling the bullet almost hit me once or twice as I was running like mad.
Once I reach an area where I could jump, I took the chance, launching myself off a fallen tree that was in front of me and soaring a bit into the air into the trench that was close to me, landing on my feet and looking ahead, the Easy men behind me and a bit farther back.
I grabbed my rifle to have within my hands, starting a jog and seeing the Germans in the trench ahead of me. I took a shot instantly seeing the first one to go and the second soldier look over to see me there. I had a split second to take the second shot, hitting him in the eye and seeing him hit the floor instantly like a sack of flour. I kept running faster, jumping over the two bodies as more gunfire was coming my way. I could see the area where the machine gun was, a good fifty feet away from me and I just had to stride there. There were four other men within that small dig in that they had, and I was the one that was going to have to take them out.
A piece of cake.
The first one I swing my rifle at, the butt of the rifle hitting him in the head and cheek with blood pouring out. As he fell I released the gun and grabbed the other soldier that was next to him before he could shoot, punching him out cold and grabbing his luger while he was falling. I shot at the third man in the chest twice and then ducking from the fourth trying to shoot me. I rammed into him and got him pinned against the wall, his own gun dropping from his hand and he was trying to grab my face within his fingers that were struggling there, but I heard a couple of the men from Easy run up behind me and they were watching what I was doing.
I got him against the wall, one arm pinning him there by his neck and then having me then kick him hard against the knee to hear it break. He cried out, falling to the floor and I then shot him with the luger I had in my own spare hand.
It was done. I looked down at the German luger in my hand, throwing it to the floor and then looking behind me to see who was watching me the whole time. Buck, Joe Toye, Guarnere and Lipton, all wide eyed and in shock, were not saying a word to me as I was walking over to them, no longer thinking of the plenty of men I just killed in under a minute or two and thinking again of the task at hand.
"Machine gun is yours, gentlemen," I said to him, trying to make it sound cause but it came out winded instead.
"Jesus H. Christ," Guarnere said in a mumble as I got my rifle within my hands.
"I'll find a checkpoint for me to be in and help with the third for you all," I reported to Buck and Lipton, seeing them all nod and already get to work at I climbed out of the trench there and created over to the tall trees behind us there along the hills. The battle was still going on, our side getting more and more accomplished since the Germans were about to lose their third and final machine gun. I found a good enough tree to climb, thinking back to the days of me climbing trees with Black Mamba in a game of Hide and Seek. Now I was about to do the exact same thing.
Hide and Kill more like it.
Perched on a perfectly good branch, I got my rifle within my hands and I scanned the area where I could see they needed the most help. I took in a solid breath, bringing my rifle up and then my scope to my eye to look into. Some of the heavy fire were coming in on the east side, some of our men were there and trying to hold them off. I cocked my gun at the ready, looking for the first German that I saw near the trenches or trees.
I started to shoot, one by one now, seeing that I was hitting each mark that I was set on, taking a few second in between as the Easy company men were slowly making their way over to the third gun. I was taking shot after shot, not missing on whom I was shooting at, and keeping my finger constantly on the trigger after each shot, I would reload from time to time, but after a minute or so of shooting, we were in the clear and we were succeeding once and for all.
Being perched up in a tree, trigger ready on a rifle that was basically a hand-me-down from the army since they figured I would break it from the moment I picked it up, I felt more invincible than any other time there in the army. This was more fulfilling than any piece of paper telling me that I was unwanted with my family, much better than the constant nagging of my mother for not being the daughter she's always wanted and the constantly privileged lies that were fed to me
This was much better than that. I had strength, I had a purpose, and I was bold.