Time flies. After all the intense field training, night marches, day & night jumps, and other classroom trainings, they finally only days away before the big jump. Easy Company listening to Lt Meehan briefs their combat operation. Combat jump. D-Day. Operation Overlord. The invasion of Normandy by the Western Allies.

Ray's not paying much attention during history class in high school (who ever does anyway?), but he knows that the Allies' invasion was successful and freed the Europe from Jew-slaughtering-Nazi within a year. Now, he regretted not to pay attention to the detail of the upcoming invasion. This information will be useful in the future (or past? Fuck! This is confusing).

In his tent, reading the map after the briefing, Ray tries to calm himself. But in his head, he constantly repeats "We're jumping at night. Fuck! While the Krauts shooting at us." Kraut is slang for German, by the way.

George Luz, Easy's Radioman and Clown of the Company (that's an official title, according to Ray), sits beside him, chain smoking and playing poker with Talbert & Lt. Buck Compton. Ray is not playing. He's been royally beaten in the previous round by Malarkey. That red-head motherfucker keeps bragging of his "luck of the Irish" after that. Besides, as a squad leader, he must remember all the maps, routes, and sand tables by heart.

At first, Ray was struggling as a squad leader. He didn't used to being asked for direction or led an attack. But he tries his best. Before making a decision, he would ask to himself, "What would Brad do?" After some time, the decision making process becoming more natural. Maybe Ray has the ability as a leader after all.

Ray nudges Luz ribs and said, "Luzzy, you scared?"

With his eyes still watching his cards, Luz answer, "Do not fucking call me that, Ray-Ray. And I'm not chicken shit like you." Talbert and Buck snorts.

Ray shrugged, "Good to know, buddy. Someone has to take care of Perco. Just make sure he's not brush his fucking tooth in the plane, will ya? Our orthodontically-obsessed friend still thinks that his white smile will charm the Krauts to not shoot him."

Buck's laugh boomed, "Another fancy word, Ray? How come a redneck like you knows the word orthodontic?"

Ray likes Buck. Although an officer shouldn't gamble with enlisted man (no fraternization bullshit or something like that), Buck doesn't care. He also let them call him with his nick name, not "Sir" or "Lieutenant" like other officers.

Ray only shrug and continue reading his maps. For some reason, Ray feels that his Marine trainings (minus the dive training, of course) is much more useful here than in Iraq. Brad once said that they were "perfectly-tuned Ferraris in a demolition derby". They were trained to become a Recon Marine that spend $1,000,000 on average, for fuck's sake, but then dumped in Humvee platoons to lead parades of POGs and dumb officers. Ray even not sure any more about the real reason they invade Iraq.

Maybe this is why Ray was thrown back in time? To feel confidence about what he's being trained and to use it to the max? To become a leader? To have a legit reason in invading some country?

Ray's contemplation is cut short when Bill Guarnere entering the tent, "Hey, Ray. What do you hear? What do you say?" It's Bill's tagline in fishing gossips.

Ray answers "Hey, Gonorrhea. Promoted to Syphilis, yet?" It's not Ray's fault that Bill's surname resembles the STD.

All the men laugh. Bill grins. "Wow…nice one, white trash."

It's confirmed a family tradition. Apparently, Ray's Grandpa was called White Trash here and Ray was called Whiskey Tango from the phonetic alphabet version of it by his Marines friends.

Ray says, "Well, you have a shitty name and if you have gossips or something, you'll fucking spread it to everyone else. You even worse than my Momma. And my Momma is the Queen Gossip of White Trash"

Buck's laugh is the loudest.

Bill tries again, "Yeah, Ray…you and Luz definitely a match made in heaven. You with your trout mouth, and Luz with his annoying impersonation."

Luz piped in "Hey Bill, I'm not saying anything here. Besides, thanks to my brilliant impersonation, we had Sobel kicked out from Easy."

Everyone said "Amen to that"

"Come on, Ray. Do you have any news when we will jump?" Bill ask again

"Didn't you hear Meehan, Bill? If it's time for us to know, they will tell us." Buck patiently explains.

"Yeah, I heard that, Buck. But we have been here, in Upottery, for..what…three days? Why they make us to leave Aldbourn in hurry, to make us wait in our ass here"

Ray answers "Well, that's our motto, right? 'Hurry up and wait'. Just wait, Bill. You'll know the day is come when they give us ice cream. They usually give us edible food when we're about to die, right?"

Luz smack Ray's head "Thanks for the happy thought, wise ass"

They all know this jump is an extremely high risk. But Ray cannot see any fear in these men eyes. He finally understood why these men was called the greatest generation America ever had. They have survived the Great Depression and extreme poverty. But still they voluntarily become pioneering squads that jump from a perfectly working airplane that flies right through German's anti-aircraft artillery, into behind enemy line. Ray is proud his Grandpa (and now, himself) was one of these badass men. Easy Company's badassery level: Infinite