"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

Martin Luther King Jr.

Easy company moved into the woods near Bastogne without any artillery or air support. It was short of food, ammunition and lacked winter clothing.
Chapter Ten: Far Away, For Far Too Long!

During the time Webster and Liebgott spent apart, Winters was promoted to Battalion XO and now led the whole battalion while Moose Highliger took over. Highliger's command of easy company didn't last long though as he was shot down by a nervous sentry on October 31st 1944.

November, then December rolled around and easy company found themselves back in some field camp near Mourmelon-le-grand in France. There they were joined by their new company leader Lieutenant Dike, who they quickly named 'Fox-hole Norman' and a lot more spotty faced replacements.

One day both Buck and Guarnere came back, reassuring Liebgott that Webster was going to be fine. It was going to take awhile but he was going to be just fine. One evening Liebgott was remembering the last time they watched a movie as the light jumped on to reveal some Captain barking at them to be quiet as he explained what was going on.

"Elements of the 1st and 6th SS panzer division broke through in the Ardennes forest. They overran the 28th infantry and elements of the 4th. All officers report to respective HQ's. All passes are cancelled. Enlisted men, report to barracks and your platoon leaders."

Liebgott groaned, he finally had a pass and decided he was going to go visit Webster when he was in Paris. He dragged himself up, cursing the germans for their lousy timing as he went back to barracks and scrounged as much as he could. Feeling the cold, he asked around if anyone had a coat but no one did. He decided to take his blanket instead. Before they knew it they were all scrammed in trucks and headed towards Belgium. They all shivered, despite all the bodies pressed together in one truck. They kept themselves busy smoking and goading the new guy until he stuttered and handing out his cigarette's. Liebgott couldn't keep quiet and once again began asking if anyone had a coat and got slapped beside the head for his troubles.

When the trucks finally stopped all of them were relieved to stretch their legs a bit or empty their bladders. They been sitting in that truck for a couple of hours before they crossed the border into Belgium. While they were warming themselves by nearby fire pit, soldiers, both wounded and demoralised walked passed shocking easy company into silence. When asked what was wrong they got several stories that made the germans look like ghost coming out of nowhere. They quickly gathered their wits as they began scrounging as much ammo as they could from the men coming in. After Colonel Sink explained to Winters what they could expect and what their mission was supposed to be they quickly moved out, still passing hundredths and hundredths of men going in the opposite direction.

Days after that, mostly consisted of them digging foxholes, moving back or forwards. On occasions there would be fire fights between them and the german army across the field.

After a couple of days all the men of easy company began to feel the cold down to their bones and they felt like they would never be warm again. After that they shared foxholes, two or three men a hole. Only the officers didn't have that luxury as they had to spent the night alone.

On occasion they could hear their planes flying over, trying to make a drop but due to the heavy fog they often missed them and the german got their supplies instead. They cursed when it happened but there was very little they could to about it. So, they held their heads up and watched the line.

They also quickly noticed they were huge gaps in their line, as the enemy simply wandered into their CP or they had trouble trying to find the other battalions watching their flanks. Liebgott didn't know who suffered more during times like that. The men who were frozen to the core, getting sick, like Heffron who got real bad cough after a week in the fox-hole he shared with a replacement named Julian. Or the doctors, who were trying to take care of them but couldn't due to a real shortness of equipment.

Liebgott remembered the day Roe walked from fox-hole to fox-hole trying to find scissors and morphine, when he stopped by his and Alley's foxhole.

"Alley, Liebgott, you got any morphine?" breathed Roe as he crouched down,

Liebgott shook his head, "No, I used them in Holland doc" Alley however still had his as he handed them over with a joke, "You ain't using this stuff are you? I mean personal like?" Liebgott had to snort at that one, he often wondered about that himself. The doc would sometimes forget he already passed a certain foxhole as he asked the same question over and over again. As the doc wandered back off without an answer, he and Alley started singing again. They knew they shouldn't, not really, but it was their way to keep their minds occupied and keep some normality in their lives. Liebgott seen Winters shave, while Perconte kept on brushing his teeth, they all had something to keep them occupied, theirs was singing. They didn't get to sing long though as Guarnere stopped at their fox-hole madder then hell

"Will you two shut ye japs! If you don't I'll shut it for ya." Both Liebgott and Alley quickly shut up after that, "Sorry Bill" remembering the last time what happened. Guarnere moved back on with a short nod. Now they didn't have anything to keep their minds occupied with, Liebgott's thoughts strayed to Webster and wondered what the other man was doing.

It was almost mid December and Webster still stared at the white ceiling at night. He tried to sleep but the moans of men being far worse ofthen him kept him awake. Sometimes he wondered what he was still doing here as casualties rolled in day after day. He explained to the doctors he was fine, he wasn't really but he wasn't about to tell them that, that if he left they would have an extra bed. Still the doctors refused.

Webster knew he was going to be sent back anyway, after all he could still hold a weapon, he could still translate and hear orders. So, why postpone the inevitable?

After a few days, he decided to take justice in his own hands. (1) He waited till he was sure most of them were asleep as he hobbled to the nearest window. He already changed back to his uniform as he opened the window and lifted one leg out. When he heard a sound in the hallway he wasted no time and jumped. There was just one problem, he forgot he was on the second floor and when he hit the ground he passed out from the pain coming from his calf. When he came to he was back on his bed, leg in a cast as some surly nurse gave him another dose of morphine. Webster groaned.

The next few days consisted of rehabilitation during the day and new escape attempts during the night. He tried seducing the nurses until he could grab their keys, he once tripped a doctor and stole his coat, he even pretended to be an orderly as he simply walked out but somehow they all failed and soon he couldn't go anywhere with a constant guard with him. He didn't understand why they even bothered, he was going to be sent back anyway.

That night when he was lying in his bed, his thoughts strayed to Liebgott and he could swear the other man was right here with him. He felt like he could touch him but when he awoke, he found himself in a cold hospital ward filled with wounded men he never saw before. Days rolled by as heheard what easy company was up to in the Ardennes and he cursed wishing he was there alongside with them.

Well into December, still holding the line in the Bastogne Forrest, division wanted a reconnaissance mission to see how far the german line spread. Liebgott was to watch the line as Randleman, Luz, Hoobler, Heffron, Julian, Martin, Peacock, Muck and Christenson were picked to do so.

Watching the line, Liebgott could hear weapons firing and shouting coming from deep within the forest and cursed the people on top for making them do such a thing.

When the news came back, they heard Julian lost his life. Heffron took this really hard, even though he was heard to complain about the kid, they'd grown quite close by sharing a foxhole.

When it turned dark Toye and McClung relieved Alley and Liebgott from watching the line. Seeing as this was a good time as any, Liebgott went to look for Doc Roe and ask him if he heard any news from Webster. It was a long shot he knew but he wanted to try anyway. Passing by the medics fox-hole Liebgott lifted the tarp, only to find Roe, Heffron and Spina sharing a fox-hole. Seeing how Roe and Heffron were curled around each other, he silently cursed Webster for being right once again. He smirked and led them be as he made his way back to his own fox-hole.

That very morning, they awoke with the sun on their faces, it gave off little warmth but it was the warmest they felt in ages. When they heard the familiar roar of C-47 flying over they all rushed to the line to see their planes flying over and making a drop.

They quickly assembled a squad and Liebgott joined them and Doc Roe as they rushed to Bastogne to pick up supplies. When Doc Roe scrambled up some medical supplies, Liebgott and the others ate a hot meal, soup and bread, as they waited for the provisions to be divided. When they came back they were all issued a scarf, gloves, socks and the long awaited coat they had been waiting for. They were also issued some K-rations,D-rations,and cigarette's.

Before they knew it Christmas rolled around. Some of them got letters from their loved ones, but most of them didn't. When Liebgott ones again didn't receive any news, he began to turn bitter. He began to blame Webster for the situation they were in, he knew it wasn't the other man's fault but this was the only way he could cope with things at the moment. Blaming Webster. Liebgott was watching the line with Lipton and Shifty, when the lather made a small noise.

"What is it's Shifty?" asked Lipton taking out his binoculars,

"I don't know, it could be nothing. But I swear that tree wasn't there before…" whispered Shifty still watching the line. (2) Shifty was well known for his eagle eyes so even when he said something ridiculous like a new tree they all paid attention. Lipton stared through his binoculars for a long time before muttering "Are you sure Shift?"

Shifty nodded; "I've been staring at those trees for so long, I would notice a new leaf coming in." Lipton frowned but turned back toward the line, that's when both he and Liebgott saw the 'new tree' move. Lipton jumped up yelling "Stay in your fox-holes" as he moved down to the others yelling the same thing. Not one minute later had the germans firing their 88's strait at their position. They knew right were they were and they gave them ahell of ashellacking.

The shelling seem to go on forever as the trees exploded above them and the ground around them wile people ran around looking for a fox-hole to hide in.

When the shelling was over, they waited until they were sure they wouldn't fire again before revealing themselves and helping the wounded. They were lucky that time, only a few were wounded, one being serious: Smokey who was paralysed. It's was the german way of saying 'Merry Christmas to you all'

As a Christmas dinner they all got half a cup of tepid beans and a small piece of bread when Colonel Sink came to tell them about the telegram their general received from the german commander demanding their unconditional surrender. They all laughed for the first time since that morning when they were informed the answer was simply "Nuts!"

The following night some of the officers made a fire, even though they knew better, in the false hope of getting warm. Even if it was for just a little while. They got shelled for their troubles and once again they lost a man, Harry Welsh was seriously wounded in the leg and was shipped out immediately.

They weren't the only ones being shelled because that very night the germans bombed in and around Bastogne destroying everything in their path. Hundredths and hundredths of soldiers and civilians lost their lives that very night.

When Christmas rolled around, Webster still found himself staring at that same damn white ceiling when he received a card from his family. He wanted to write one himself but didn't know what to say to them. He also tried to write several letter's to Liebgott, some of them fully formed in his head but was never able to put it on paper. He couldn't explain why.

It seemed the germans loved giving Christmas presents in the form of bombs as several newly wounded rolled in the hospital that evening and all of Christmas day.

Webster once again tried to escape in all the commotion as his guards left to help carry in the wounded. Once again stealing a doctor's coat, he made it outside the door and was walking passed the ambulances when a voice called his name. "Webster, that you?"

Frowning he turned back, looked in the ambulance to find Lieutenant Welsh sitting there with a big grin on his face. To say Webster was surprised was an understatement. "Lieutenant Welsh?"

"The very same. Where are you going dressed like that, Private?"

Looking down, Webster had forgotten the doctor's coat and shrugged. "You're not trying to go AWOL now are you private?" smirked Welsh.

"Ah, well sir,…" started Webster but when a hand grabbed his shoulder he sighed, "….Not anymore sir…." And was guided back inside, there he was given the lecture of 'do we have to tie you down Private?' before he was allowed to go back to bed.

Lying in his bed, he tried to ignore the sound of men dying slowly, men crying for their mothers, the smell of rotting flesh and the cries of men whose morphine just wore out. He found it impossible to do so.

Days after that his revalidation picked up and he was making a lot of progress. Though surprised that he was, he was glad to see Lieutenant Welsh. The man informed them of the other easies and their condition. It seems they had badly wounded liked Skinny and Smokey and some minor like Penkala, Toye, Heffron and some others. They were tired, they were cold, they were hungry but they were hanging tough. It made Webster feel a little better, though not by much as he wanted to share the experience, be with the men and help them especially if they kept on losing more and more men.

Welsh himself was surprised to find Webster was still there, he thought he would be at the replacement depot by now but when some of the other soldiers explained some of the stunts Webster pulled to go AWOL he understood why the guy was still there. Webster had broken his leg once, pulled his stitches and ripped a ligament when he tried to leave in a laundry basket. Welsh saw Webster in a new light and found a new respect for the man.

He was still laughing at the night Webster fooled his guards by saying he needed to go to the toilet. Normal procedure is for them to use the bedpan but since the doctor wanted him to use his leg he was allowed to use the normal toilet. It was also the only place the guards didn't follow him in. Above the toilet there was an air duct. Standing on the toilet, Webster had removed the roster and crawled in. He was already in the basement before the guards even noticed he was missing. There he crawled in a truck filled with filthy uniforms and hid as the truck drove off and dumped his load in a field somewhere. What Webster didn't know was that they burned the uniforms now instead of washing them. Only when they began poring gasoline on the uniforms did Webster reveal himself. He came back reeking of gasoline when they brought him in. Welsh never laughed so much in his entire life as he saw Webster's face after that ingenious yet failed attempt. By god, that boy had balls.

On December 26th 1944, General Patton's third army broke through the german lines, allowing supplies to flow in and the wounded to be evacuated.

The story of the battle of the bulge as told today is one of Patton coming to the rescue of the encircled airborne.

No member of the 101st has ever agreed that the division needed to be rescued.

On January 2nd 1945 easy company was pulled out the woods of Bastogne and reassigned to the 'Bois Jacques'' the woods surrounding the city of 'Foy' While first battalion took their place in Bastogne. Their mission was to clear the woods surrounding Foy. In the next couple of days they encountered sporadic machine gun fire and had a couple of casualties: Brown, Stevenson and Toye.

Liebgott and the others were glad to be moving around again, stretch their legs and get a little warmer while doing so. The only problem was, that when they stopped their sweat would freeze and they felt colder then they did before they left.

That wasn't the only problem they had, their supposed leader Lieutenant Dike would often disappear and no one would know where he was.

After Hoobler lost his life when his Luger went of accidentally, Buck would go from Fox-hole to Fox-hole telling the guys not to do anything stupid. Liebgott made a face when he left making Heffron laugh. His laughter quickly died down though when he remember the times both he and Webster said that to each other. Not that it made any difference, both got hit in the end. Only difference was that Liebgott was here freezing his ass of while Webster was doing god knows what. He wondered what kept the man, as other men went AWOL from hospitals and he didn't.

He silently cursed the man as a voice interrupted "You miss him don't you?" looking towards Heffron knowing fully well who he was talking about he snapped "What the fuck are you talking about?" Not in the slightest bit fazed Heffron said "Webster. You miss him" Rolling with his eyes, annoyed he only huffed as he curled into himself. "There's nothing wrong with it, you know" continued Heffron ignoring Liebgott's glare. "I understand how you must feel" at this Liebgott surged up, grabbed Heffron's coat and brought their faces together. "You have NO idea what I'm feeling right now…" they glared at each other until Heffron said "Try me…."

At first Liebgott didn't say anything until he muttered a quiet "I hate him…" at first Heffron frowned not understanding, "I hate him for not being here…" after awhile Liebgott added "Can you say the same?"

Looking towards Roe crouched by nearby a fox-hole he couldn't say that he did. "and…." Continued Liebgott staring at anything but Heffron "…. I'm glad he isn't. I wouldn't want to wish this on anyone…" Liebgott hit the ground hard with his fist "I'm so torn up, I feel guilty for wanting him here and happy when he isn't. What the fuck's wrong with me?" cursed Liebgott hitting the ground again and again. Heffron took his hands in his preventing him from hurting himself, Liebgott looked up unshed tears in his eyes "What the hell did he do to me?" Heffron merely shook his head, understanding fully well what he meant, and hugged him close while Liebgott cursed "Damn you Webster! Damn you to hell!"

Having heard the commotion, Roe stopped by their fox-hole to find Heffron holding Liebgott, he was about to ask what's wrong when a look in Heffron's eyes explained it all. He placed his hand on Liebgott's shoulder, gave Heffron a smile and left. After awhile Liebgott seemed to be back in control, taking a deep breath and looking up at the sky he muttered "I'm done…"

Heffron frowned not understanding until Liebgott added "That's it, I'm washing my hands of of him. This was it. I'm done…."

"Joe…" muttered Heffron knowing he didn't really mean it, he was interrupted,

"No babe. I'm done. I can't function like this anymore. It's over and done with…." Heffron wanted to explain this wasn't the way but the look in Liebgott's face made him stop. He looked like a different man, hardened. The look he had before had disappeared to be replaced by something else entirely. All he could do was nod as Liebgott left to watch the line once again.

Two days, back round Bastogne, after Liebgott 'banned' Webster from his heart and mind, they were enjoying something more or less hot to eat when Muck yelled "Hey Webb, this way." Hearing the familiar nickname Liebgott could swear his heart stopped for a few seconds before it continued beating. He tried to ignore it but when the footsteps neared he looked up. His eyes crossed Heffron's for a second but it was enough for him to know it wasn't the Web he thought it would be. He cursed the real Webster again before changing his look to something indifferent as Muck showed the new 'Webb' around, introducing them and the wounds they received while in the line of duty. When Muck came to a stop near him, he merely smirked and spit on the floor not really caring. He stood up and talked to Toye, who just went AWOL again.

After they were finished eating, they headed back towards their old position overlooking Foy. This time they weren't alone as they enjoyed the help of Lieutenant Speirs and D-company. Everyone was busy reinforcing their foxholes when they germans decided to hit them with their 88's again. Liebgott dove in the nearest foxhole he could find, pushing of Alley as he jumped in with him. He closed his eyes, holding his star of David, praying they would make it through. When it was done, he could hear Buck and Lipton running back and forth ordering them to stay in their foxholes. Kissing his star of David, he took his rifle and watched to see if the germans would try and brake though their line. He vaguely heared someone yell for help but he was too close to the line for him to go and help.

Not five minutes later had them ducking down again as the germans once again hit them with their 88's. When they were done, and after making sure the germans wouldn't try and attack, they could hear Roe and Spina running from one wounded man after another as the air filled with the call for a medic.

It didn't take long for news to reach them that Toye lost his leg and Guarnere (3) was badly wounded. They lost thirteen men during that shelling and many were wounded. It was black day in the history of easy company.

The days following the barrage of that grim January day were pretty much the same as they lost good men like Muck and Penkala while many were wounded once again. Liebgott began to think they would never make it out of there until the day rolled around for them to attack Foy at last.

The mission was supposed to go like this. Easy company was too cross 1/8 of a mile of open field before they got into Foy while two machine gun gave them suppressing fire. I-company was on the other side of town and was so distract the germans as they moved in. First platoon was to go in the middle while second went right and third went left. Of course due to the incompetence of Lt. Dike easy company got scattered in and around the field while a sniper took them out one by one. Liebgott was making his way right when he saw three germans in the open. Seeing their predicament they quickly hid in a nearby shed. It didn't take Liebgott and Randleman long for them to blast the shed and kill the remaining germans inside.

Liebgott hunkered down as Foley was called away and returned with the news they were to go on a flanking mission. It didn't take long for them to see it was foolish to do so as several men got shot down before they even moved several feet.

It didn't take Winters long to replace Dike with Speirs as the man in question took over, crossed Foy, hooked up with I-company and came back all in one go. It boosted their spirit's considerably as they moved as one into Foy. It didn't take the germans long to surrender as they captured Foy. Liebgott was busy checking houses as a rogue sniper began to open fire and kill two in the process. When Shifty took him out, they could breath easy as they carried in the wounded and killed.

When Liebgott moved three german prisoners to the back he stopped near a stretcher which held the body of Webb, eyes still open in shock. Stepping closer Liebgott noticed they were the same shade as Webster's and swallowed hard as he quickly closed them.

That night, they spent the first night indoors in about a month. The sisters of a nearby convent had invented them in, and they eagerly excepted. Sitting down, surrounded by candles, the men slowly relaxed when the nuns brought out a choir of young girls to sing. When they began singing ' 'Plaisir D'Amour' Liebgott closed his eyes from staring in nearby flame as he was transported back to England.


Plaisir d'amour ne dure qu'un moment
Chagrin d'amour dure toute la vie
J'ai tout quittee pour l'ingrate silvie
Elle me quitte et prend un autre amans

/ Liebgott has just finished washing up as he headed back downstairs. The smith family had long since gone to bed but Webster said he wanted to stay and listen to the radio. This is how Liebgott found him, sitting in front of the fireplace wrapped in a blanket, eyes closed and singing along to the song that was currently playing on the radio.

Plaisir d'amour dure qu un moment
Chagrin d amour ne dure toute la vie
Tant que cette eau coulera doucement
Vers ce ruisseau qui borde la prairie.

This was the first time he heard Webster sing, really sing. He heard him hum along with something but he never heard him sing. He had to admit the guy had a decent voice. He didn't understand a word what was said but it seemed Webster did as the emotions displaying on his face were any indication.

Liebgott moved closer and sat beside Webster in front of the fireplace. Webster opened his eyes and continued to sing as he stared into Liebgott's eyes before kissing him gently. Liebgott was surprised but no words were spoken as Webster laid his head on Liebgott's shoulder as they spent the next couple of hours staring at the fireplace. /

Je t'aimerai, me repetait silvie
L'eau coule encor, elle a change pourtant
Plaisir d'amour ne dure qu un moment
Chagrin d'amour dure toute la vie

A slight tap on his shoulder broke the spell he was in and he felt grateful as Ramirez offered him a cigarette and distracted him from his thoughts with a joke or two.

The next couple of days for easy company existed out of fighting the germans in one Belgium town to the next. Names like Noville and Rachamp all blurred into one as easy company finally left Belgium. They were supposed to go to France for some rest but it was not to be. Hitler ordered a counter offence and easy company was off again, bounded for Haguenau to try and stop the German of breaking through once again. They were in Haguenau for only a couple of hours when Liebgott saw a familiar face making his way over. Liebgott couldn't believe his eyes, the guy hadn't changed one bit, he still looked the same while all of them looked different, even him. He turned the other way as he stopped in front of their truck.

After the 7th failed attempt, Webster decided to concentrate his energy on getting better instead in trying to escape and made lots of progress after that. About two weeks later he was finally shipped of to the replacement depot where he awaited orders, along with other wounded soldiers and new replacements.

He didn't have to wait long as he got his orders to go to Haguenau, effective immediately. He couldn't have been more happy when he finally saw the big green trucks filled with familiar faces. His happiness in seeing his fellow easies didn't last long as they barely recognized who he was. It wasn't because he looked different, on the contrary, it was because they changed that much in a short period of time. Webster frowned and wondered what happened to the men he once fought and laughed with. He would soon found out the answers, and it wasn't what he was expecting to hear at all.

Easy company moved into Belgium with 121 men and officers plus 24 replacements. Making it a total of 145 men. They left with 63.

-- Beyond the wounded and killed, every man at Bastogne suffered. Men unhit by shrapnel or bullets were nevertheless casualties. – Stephen E. Ambrose

AN: This chapter was incredibly hard to write because I could never write anything that would come even close to what happened that month they were in Belgium. There was no possible way I could write a decent WEBGOTT in this chapter but I have it a shot. I just hope it wasn't too horrible.

(1) This didn't happen. I just thought it would be nice if Webster at least tried to go AWOL even though he never did.

(2) Something like this actually happened. Shifty Powers did see a tree that wasn't there before even when the others didn't. Lucky he did 'cause it saved many of their lives when the germans started shelling them.

(3) Guarnere's wounds were too severe and he lost his leg as well. At first they amputated the leg just under his knee until months later they noticed he couldn't use his knee anymore and they amputated his leg to above the knee. In later life they fitted him with a false leg but this bothered him so much he decided not to use it anymore. He used crutches instead and could move faster then healthy men with two legs.

To be continued in Chapter Eleven: Haguenau!