...
Winters's skills were put to the test when Major Strayer ordered him to take his men on a mission to destroy German gun emplacements one mile from their position at the farm. The enemy was located in an L-shaped trench about four hundred yards long, with three 105 mm guns facing northwest toward Causeway Two, and a fourth gun facing Causeway Three. In the corner of the trench, between the first and second guns, was an MG42 and across the field in front of the guns, hidden in another hedgerow were three more machine guns. So, Winters led Buck, the men they had from Easy and Colonel Sink's jeep driver, Lorraine, to Brecourt Manor. Nora stayed back at the farm while her friends went off to destroy the German guns. Sat with Major Strayer and his staff, she listened as the Major discussed their next move. However, Nora soon spotted Hall, who once again, looked put out. Standing up, she excused herself and joined Hall outside the barn…
"Think they'll be okay?" Hall asked Nora, once she reached his side.
"Yeah". Nore replied. Winters was with them – of course, they'd be okay. However, the distant sound of rifles coming to life and grenades exploding had Nora on edge. But she kept a positive façade for Hall. Nora didn't want to appear weak in front of him.
"You smoke?" Hall offered her a cigarette and she shook her head. "Probably for the best". Hall said while lighting a cigarette. "I'm hooked on them".
"My mama would smoke forty a day". Nora said to him quietly. "When she ran out, she would send me to buy more at the store".
"Is your mom back home?" Hall asked.
Nora faintly shook her head. "I don't know". She admitted softly. "I won't ever know until the end of the war…probably".
"What about your father? Is he home?"
Nora snorted softly and said, "After I was born, Papa left us. I don't know where he is".
"That's a shitty thing to do". Hall commented quietly. "It's always the fathers that run off, huh? And whenever a mom wants a break, she gets ridiculed".
"Ah, well…". Nora sighed quietly. With a small smile, she stared up at Hall. "I forget about my Papa. He's gone, that's it…it is, what it is". Looking away from Hall, Nora faced the road ahead where Winters had led his men towards Brecourt Manor. They could all hear the fierce firefight. Nora knew the men would be okay…
"Do you know the fellas call Guarnere 'Gonorrhoea'?" Hall asked Nora with a tiny smile.
She said, "Yeah…but I don't know what it is".
"How old are you?"
"Seventeen".
Hall huffed out a laugh and said, "Yeah…I ain't telling you. You're too young to know".
"Fair enough". Nora didn't pester him and dropped the questions. While her eyes scanned the road, Nora soon caught sight of a lone trooper rushing toward Major Strayer and his staff. She recognised it to be Private Lorraine, Colonel Sink's jeep driver. Hall noticed Lorraine's sudden appearance too and began making his way toward him. Before Lorraine could reach Strayer, Hall got to him first…
After standing by herself for a few moments, Nora jogged over to them…
"I've got TNT, I'll go". Hall insisted. "Don't bother Major Strayer about some TNT".
"Fine". Lorraine agreed. "But it's hectic up there. So, you'd best be on your toes".
"Yeah, I'll be fine". Hall resisted the urge to snort at Lorraine sounding so dramatic. He turned to Nora and asked, "Will you come?"
Her eyebrows gently furrowed. "Me? No". She declined with a shake of her head. "No. My toes are broken". Nora gave Lorriane a nod.
Hall said, "Sounds like they could use some help, Nora".
"No, they'll be fine without me". Nora took a step back from Hall, proving to him she wasn't going anywhere. She wasn't brave enough; Nora had already warned Winters of her lack of courage. He knew Nora wouldn't be rushing into any battles.
"Fine". Hall said with a sigh. "I'll see you back here, Nora".
"So long". Nora watched Lorraine and Hall quickly make their way onto the road and toward the battle ahead…
…Upon hearing Strayer and his staff chuckle at something, Nora glanced at them. She felt herself frown at the sound; laughter sounded so strange when her friends were fighting to fix the world. Her hand pressed against her rifles strap, she had enough magazines now, thanks to her looting a few corpses along the way to the farm. But she couldn't fight. No – Nora wasn't brave enough to fight. However, Nora soon caught sight of another man making his way slowly along the road…
"Popeye?" Quickly, Nora raced over to help the wounded man.
"Ah, Jesus…". Popeye sounded breathless. "Jesus, Nora…they hit my ass".
Nora threw Popeye's arm around her shoulders and placed her arm around his waist. Together, they made their way toward a make-shift aid station barn. With Eugene Roe's help, a medic from Easy Company, Popeye was soon on a table, lying on his stomach. The bullet was lodged into his right butt cheek. Roe had to make a small incision into Popeye's skin, to push the bullet out...
"Holy shit!" Popeye yelped with pain.
Nora asked, "What's happening over there?"
"God dammit!" Popeye yelped again when Roe began sewing his skin together. He breathlessly gave Nora a reply, "We don't have TNT to destroy the guns…but we're kicking ass…still, we could use more ammo and a few more guys to hose the rest of them down".
"Hall's making his way over there". Nora said, "He has TNT". She asked, "Are you okay?"
Popeye huffed. "I'll live".
Nora gave Popeye's shoulder a clap and said, "Yeah, you will".
"Good thing we've got Hall, huh?" Popeye commented. "Guarnere don't like him much, but I think he's alright".
She said, "I'm going to give them more ammo. There's got to be someone around here that can help with that".
"You could". Popeye pointed out. "Why not go over there with ammo yourself?"
"I'm not supposed to be around the fighting".
"Break the fucking rules, little friend". Popeye soon appeared relaxed, when Roe injected him with some morphine. Though, Popeye did raise a good point to the medic, "How come you didn't give me that when you were poking my ass with a needle, doc?"
Roe smoothly replied, "Nora was keeping you distracted enough".
Before Popeye could make a comment on Roe's poor timing with pain relief, a new voice sounded from behind Pippa…
"Everything okay?" It was Lieutenant Speirs.
Holding her breath, Nora sharply turned around and stared up at the Officer. Malarkey had witnessed the Lieutenant kill almost twenty German prisoners. Nora wasn't sure what to make of the man. Thankfully, she didn't have to speak, because Popeye answered the Lieutenant's question. He mentioned they needed more ammo and men. So, Speirs announced he'd take ammo and a squad of his guys from Dog Company to help out. When Speirs left the aid station, Nora's shoulders dropped with relief…
"I 'gotta run". Roe told Popeye and Nora. "You staying here, Nora?"
"Yeah". She replied softly. "I'll stay with Popeye".
The barn was packed with wounded American Paratroopers. Not only were there medics rushing around to aid each patient, but Nora spotted their Regimental surgeon and a few nurses. Turning back to face Popeye, she cast him a small smile. Popeye's eyes were half closed, he was almost asleep on account of the morphine…
"I ain't much company". Popeye said after he yawned.
Nora gave her head a shake. "It's okay". She assured him. Grabbing a wooden chair, she scraped it across the floor and sat down by Popeye's table. "You can sleep. I don't mind".
"Reckon the other fellas are okay?" Popeye mumbled. He was referring to the men from Easy who hadn't appeared at the farm yet.
"Yeah". Nora replied. But the truth was, she had no idea. No one did. Popeye was wounded, however, and Nora needed to remain strong for him. She asked, "Did you do much firing?"
Popeye huffed. "Nope…I got hit as soon as we reached the damn trench". He sighed. "You think this'll be a ticket home?"
Popeye didn't sound pleased at the idea of going home already. Nora said, "No. You only got shot in the bottom, Popeye. You'll be fine".
Popeye gave a tired chuckle. "You never cuss, huh?"
Just as she told Guarnere, Nora told Popeye the same, "They don't use such language in the movies, Popeye".
"Yeah…". Popeye said, "I can't imagine John Wayne saying, fuck".
"No…me neither".
"Hey, Nora?" Popeye's voice suddenly gentled.
Nora looked at him closely. "Yeah?"
He asked, "Will you tell Shifty I'll be okay? And tell him…I'll see him back in England".
"I will". Nora promised him. "As soon as I see Shifty, I'll tell him".
…..
Covered in mud and sweat, the men fell back to the farm after their very successful mission at Brecourt Manor. Having managed to destroy all guns, all they had left were a few machine-gun nests to take out behind hedgerows. However, rifles and grenades alone couldn't break through a hedgerow, they'd need help from tanks. Nonetheless, Strayer was extremely pleased with the results. And Nora was relieved to see Winters with the men. Well, most of the men. Nora could spot everyone, except for Popeye, of course. And Hall. Hall wasn't with them. Nora reached her Lieutenant and stared up at him, where they stood on the muddy road…
"We lost Hall". Winters informed Nora quietly. "A sniper got him…but Hall saved the day. He got us that TNT and helped destroy the guns".
Nora nodded slowly, processing the news. After drawing out a quiet sigh, she said, "He was very brave, Lieutenant Winters".
"He was". Winters firmly agreed. He said, "I'll be sure to inform his CO of his brave and selfless actions today".
Nora told him, "Popeye's doing well, sir. I was with him at the aid station".
Taking off his helmet, Winters rubbed and scratched his sweaty hair. "Good". He said, "It was well executed, I'm proud of the men".
"Lieutenant Speirs…he showed up, sir?"
Winters huffed. He put his helmet back on and said, "He put on a show…his men followed. He lost most of his squad".
Nora frowned. "He put on a show, sir?"
"He ran on top of the trench, not through it. And he totally exposed himself and his men. It was reckless but saved us some time". Winters explained.
Nora admitted, "I'm not sure about Lieutenant Speirs, sir".
"He does things differently; I'll agree with you there". Winters said, "I guess we'll just have to see how it goes with Speirs".
"Yeah…".
"You got your pack?" Winters peered over her shoulder and noticed Nora's pack slung across her shoulders by her rifle. He was relieved to see Nora again, relieved that she wasn't harmed and appeared fine. Since the day Winters had first met Nora, he felt very protective over her and responsible for her well-being and safety. Keeping Nora alive, meant a great deal to Winters. And he had expressed that responsibility to DeEtta in letters. When a tiny smile met Nora's lips, the Lieutenant grew curious as to what she was smiling at…
Behind them, two Sherman tanks from the 4th Division rolled up. Nixon was riding the lead one. Grinning widely, Nixon hopped off the first tank and shook Winters's hand. "I bought you a present". Nixon said, "The first two tanks to come off Utah Beach. I thought you could use some help".
Winters smiled back. "I think I can find something for them to do. Thanks, Nix".
Ending the handshake with Winters, Nixon gave Nora's helmet a gentle nudge. "Hey, kid. You stick with me, alright? We'll allow these guys to mop up the rest of those Krauts".
Winters climbed aboard the tank and once at the top, he said to Nora, "I won't be long, Nora!"
Moving off the road with Nixon, Nora watched the tanks roll out. However, walking behind the second tank was Lieutenant Welsh, with thirty more men from Easy Company. Among those thirty, Nora spotted Hoobler. Raising her hand, she waved at Hoobler with a smile…
"Hoobs!" She called out to him.
"Hey, pal!" Hoobler grinned and waved back. "I just 'gotta finish up what the fellas started!" He told her, "I'll be right back!"
"So long, Hoob!" Nora lowered her hand and watched Hoobler, and the men march behind the Sherman tanks…
"Hungry?" Nixon asked as he placed his hand on Nora's shoulder. "Want some frog's legs?"
Nora snorted out a faint laugh and shook her head. "No thank you, Lewis".
"More for me then…". He joked. Nixon finished off his cigarette and flicked it away. Keeping his hand on Nora's shoulder, he led her back onto the muddy road and toward the house. "We're not staying here for long". Nixon said, "We're digging in outside Sainte-Marie-Du-Mont for the night. It's about a two-mile march from here…I'm sure the fellas will be thrilled to hear we've 'gotta do more walking".
Nora said, "We're going to be in France for a while…aren't we?"
Nixon huffed out a faint laugh and nodded. "I'll bet on it, kid".
Inside the house, Nora immediately stood at attention upon seeing Colonel Sink stood hunched over a desk, staring down at a map of Normandy. She didn't know Sink was in the same vicinity. Nixon never mentioned they'd be paying Colonel Sink a visit. Nora stared up at Nixon, casting him a faint glare – which he appeared amused by…
"Clopper". Sink addressed. He beckoned her over. "Can you make sense of this?"
Approaching the Colonel, Nora stood by his side and looked down. It was a piece of paper; words were written in German. She assumed Sink had it translated. The Nazi symbol was stamped in black ink, at the corner of the piece of paper. Nora knew enough German to read the letter and understand its contents…
"It's a Nazi order, sir". She explained quietly. "An order to leave the property within the month because the occupants haven't followed direct orders to supply goods to the German Army".
"We've been finding these all over". Captain Hester explained. "Is it common for the Nazis to take property without a decent cause?"
"Yes, sir". Nora replied. Eyes leaving the letter, she stared up at the Officers. "You'll probably find a lot more, sir".
"I guess anything can be a damned law in occupied Europe…". Sink mumbled. He turned to face Nora and said, "Thank you, Lieutenant Clopper. We wondered if the damn Nazis were still in the area…guess they took off in a hurry".
Hester asked, "Nora, do they get placed in different housing if they're forced to leave?"
Nora stared up at Hester for a moment, in silence. She knew what happened to those who went against the Third Reich. "Sir, if you go against the Nazis, if you…break a rule…". She started to tell him, "You'll be treated as a criminal…and you'll likely be executed as one, sir".
The farmhouse suddenly felt very cold, and quiet. Sink cleared his throat and gave a nod to Nora and Nixon. "That'll be all. Thank you both".