I don't own Band of Brothers or any of the amazing men who served in the military. The only things I own are Megan, Brian, and Jack.
It's now June of 1943, and the only difference is that the 506th has moved to another camp. We're now stationed at Camp Mackall in North Carolina. Training has been mostly the same: more physical training and more training jumps. Problem is, the company is having difficulties with training exercises. Personally, and I'm afraid the rest of the company feels this way too, it is all Sobel's fault, and that if the exercises were real, we'd all be dead. One particular incident sticks out in my mind.
The objective of this training exercise is to effectively maintain cover and 'kill' the opposing company. Basically, our goal is to 'win' by not getting killed. One big problem with that, though; Sobel is completely clueless.
Today, Easy was facing up against Dog. We have situated ourselves in a deep trench – perfect spot to plan an ambush. Sobel, however, looks panicked. He motions Petty over. "Map! Come here!" After looking at it, he freaks out some more. "We're in the wrong position." I watch as Dick comes over to Sobel. "We're in the wrong position."
Replying, Dick says. "We're textbook position for ambush. We should sit tight, sir, let the enemy team come into our killing zone."
"They're right out there somewhere. Let's just get 'em!"
"Sir, we have perfect cover here."
"Lieutenant, deploy your troops." With this, I just sigh in defeat. It's hopeless, we're going to get 'killed'.
"Second platoon, move out!" The men look at Dick like he's insane which I can't blame them for. This is insane. "Tactical column."
As we get up and move out, I've never envied Lew more. He's gotten promoted up to battalion intelligence officer, and the rest of us are still stuck with Sobel. Bill, Gene and I are right behind Dick as we move out.
Before we even get 10 yards, Dog stands up from where they were concealed in the brush. Dick drops to a knee, and everyone else just looks furious. Me, I want to walk over to a tree and just bang my head on it over and over.
The officer in charge of the exercise comes over, saying, "Captain, you've just been killed, along with 95% of your company. Your outfit?"
"Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th." Looking around, I see Joe, Lip, and Malarkey shaking their heads.
"Leave 3 wounded men on the ground and report back to the assembly area." Sobel points to 2 men I can't for the life of me remember their names and myself, before leaving with Easy.
I decide to act on my previous idea and walk over to the nearest tree and proceed to bang my forehead on it repeatedly, muttering at the same time. "Stupid, stupid Stupid!"
Someone comes up behind me. "Uh, Captain Kennedy, your forehead is bleeding."
"Well, of course it is! That just makes this so much better!" I hear several quick gasps and turn around. "Lieutenant Speirs. Nice to meet you. And yes, I realized I'd actually broken the skin, but at least I'm not dead."
"It's bleeding pretty good, you might want to put a bandage on it."
"Got a mirror so I can do it myself, or are you gonna do it by yourself?"
"No mirror, so hand over the bandage and I'll tape it on." I pass the bandage over and feel him press it to my cut.
"Thanks. I guess it's time for us Easy folk to go back to base, we've waited long enough. Thanks for your help."
"You're welcome. Easy doesn't need their 'Miss Megan' dying on them."
Laughing softly, I start back to base, not noticing the shocked looks following me.
When I get back, I find out that Easy has orders to leave, so I hurriedly change into my uniform and pack up the rest. I then go in search of my fellow officers. Entering the hut, I find a new officer there.
"Megan, what happened to your head?" Lew's question has Dick and the new guy turning around. The new guy comes to attention, seeing that I'm a captain, but I wave him off.
"This? Oh, that's from me banging my forehead into a tree repeatedly trying to vent my frustrations over Sobel. Lt. Speirs was kind enough to put the bandage on for me, since I couldn't see the wound. Who's the new guy?"
"Sorry about that, Megan. Lieutenant Harry Welsh, Captain Megan Kennedy. Megan is our field nurse. Harry is taking Lew's place."
I shake hands with Harry. "Hi Harry, call me Megan. Nice to meet you."'
"Likewise Megan."
Lew chimes back in, "Oh, and Megan, just watch yourself around Speirs. He's insanely strict and most of his men are a little scared of him."
"Yeah, ok."
Next morning, we're all sitting on the train going…somewhere. I'm attempting to read Sense and Sensibility, but I eventually give up in favor of taking a short nap. When I wake up, Lew has joined us (me Harry, and Dick) and is offering Harry a drink from his flask.
Stretching, I sit up. "Hey guys. Anyone know where this train is going?"
"New York, then England." Lew looks very smug.
"What's with the smug look Lew?"
"Oh, it's just that I told Dick that if I told him I'd have to kill him."
Laughing, I go back to my book. "Yeah, all right!"
When we finally get to the Brooklyn Shipyards, I see a chaotic scene that is somehow ordered at the same time. Thousands of troops are boarding a large ship in preparation for the journey to England.
I stay on the deck as we leave port, just watching the Statue of Liberty as the ship slowly passes by. I know that there is no way that all of these men will be coming home, and a say a prayer that as many as possible survive to see America again.
Below decks, soldiers are grabbing bunks and making themselves as comfortable as possible for the journey. As an officer, I'm sharing a stateroom with Harry, Dick and Lew. The other officers are in assorted other staterooms.
"Well, looks like we're riding in style. Just 4 of us per room. Positively bliss!"
Lew, Dick and I start laughing. "Yep, total bliss! I'm going to go read my book."
The journey across the Atlantic takes about a week, and I spend most of my time reading. Lew and Harry try to teach me poker, but I'm not very good.
When we arrive in Liverpool, we find a joyful reaction. It's as though people feel that we're heroes or something. After we pass through the city, we're packed onto a train that will take us to Swindon, and from there we go to a little town called Aldbourne.
Thanks so much to all of you who have been reading this! As always, please, please review! Also, if you can, please take the time to look at the poll on my profile for who w/in Easy will be Megan's big brother/role model. I'd really like to get more than one vote. Thanks bunches!
