Battleground Page #6

one of them leading straight to Antwerp.

Don't know if we can hold out.

That sounds like ours.

It is ours!

Can't see a thing.

The supplies they've got to drop,

we wouldn't want.

A crate of eggs for Berlin.

If bombers can get through,

why can't C-47s?

In this pea soup?

- They're flying way over, you know that.

- The air corps.

London this morning,

Berlin this afternoon. Headlines tomorrow.

Fellows, come on back.

It's getting lonesome here!

Nobody cares. They just don't care.

You can say that again.

I thought they had us surrounded.

Halt.

I speak English. Who is here in command?

I am here in command.

We have a message

for the commanding general.

I'll get a jeep and take the officers back.

Blindfold them.

Try it again, Jarvess.

All I can get out of them

is their name and rank.

Loosen up, chum. Give us the lowdown.

You can talk now. Hitler kaput.

How would you like some nice K rations?

Now we're getting somewhere.

He says he'll talk for a pack of cigarettes.

What did he say?

They want us to surrender.

"Surrender or be killed," he says.

Us?

Tell him to go take a flying leap

at a rolling doughnut.

The Major thinks General McAuliffe

must have misunderstood.

We've appealed

to the well-known American humanity...

to save the people of Bastogne

from further suffering.

We have given you two hours to consider

before raining destruction upon you.

We do not understand

General McAuliffe's answer.

I'll be glad to repeat it.

The answer is, "Nuts!"

Is that a negative or an affirmative reply?

"Nuts" is strictly negative.

We will kill many Americans.

On your way, bud.

I feel better. For once we know

what's going on around here.

For once we get the story...

before my wife writes it up

and it's the daily news.

Here goes my last butt.

Don't tell me your problems.

Tell the chaplain.

Chaplain. I forgot.

We've got nothing to worry about.

Holy Joe is going to pray for us

at the Christmas services.

"They that wait upon the Lord

shall renew their strength.

"They shall mount up

with wings as eagles."

If the fog lifts.

"They shall run, and not be weary."

Unless they have frozen feet.

"And they shall walk, and not faint."

If they don't lose too much blood

before the medics come up.

Another airmail message from the Krauts.

"Merry Christmas, soldier,

and our deepest sympathy.

"It's tough being away from home

at this time of year...

"especially when you're surrounded

and outnumbered 10-to-1.

"Don't you feel your loved ones

worrying about you, praying for you?

"Yes, old boy, praying and hoping

you'll come home again.

"Man, have you thought about it?

What if you don't come back?

"Just remember this:

Where there's a will, there's a way.

"Hot chow and safety are waiting for you

only 300 yards away."

Anybody here from Ohio?

- Buckeye Lake, sir.

- Cincinnati.

- Maple Heights, sir.

- Tippecanoe City, sir.

I'm from Chillicothe.

Any of you men Lutherans?

Here, sir.

- I am, sir.

- My wife is, sir.

So am I.

These services aren't just for Lutherans,

any more than just for men from Ohio.

I merely happen to be in your area.

In other areas, there are other chaplains

of various denominations and religions.

All of us Holy Joes are switch-hitters.

Earlier this month in Holland,

I held Hanukkah services...

for some of the men of the Jewish faith.

How did I do, Levenstein?

Not bad for a beginner, sir.

Now it's nearly Christmas...

and here we are in beautiful Bastogne

enjoying the winter sports.

And the $64 question is:

"Was this trip necessary?"

I'll try to answer that.

But my sermons,

like everything else in the army...

depend on the situation and the terrain.

So I assure you

this is going to be a quickie.

Was this trip necessary?

Let's look at the facts.

Nobody wanted this war but the Nazis.

A great many people tried to deal

with them, and a lot of them are dead.

Millions have died...

for no other reason

except that the Nazis wanted them dead.

So, in the final showdown,

there was nothing left to do except fight.

There's a great lesson in this.

Those of us who've learned it

the hard way aren't going to forget it.

We must never again

let any force dedicated to a super-race...

or a super-idea, or super-anything...

become strong enough

to impose itself upon a free world.

We must be smart enough

and tough enough in the beginning...

to put out the fire

before it starts spreading.

So my answer to the $64 question is:

Yes, this trip was necessary.

As the years go by,

a lot of people are going to forget.

But you won't.

And don't ever let anybody tell you...

you were a sucker

to fight in the war against Fascism.

And now, Jerry permitting, let us pray.

Let us pray for this fog to lift.

Almighty God...

The organist is hitting those bass notes

a little too loud for me to be heard.

So let us each pray in his own way,

to his own God.

When you hear planes, men,

don't bother to look up.

They'll be ours.

Yeah, they'll all be going to Berlin.

Layton, you haven't got

a beat-up, old chocolate bar, have you?

I'm on that new lemonade diet.

Drop another nickel in the jukebox,

will you, chum?

We interrupt this program

with an important announcement.

A careful study of the most

scientific instruments and maps...

lead to the following weather forecast.

Continued cold, more snow,

and no sign of the fog lifting.

And now an old favorite,

which is growing more and more popular...

with the men of the 101st:

I Surrender, Dear.

Krauts walking around down there.

Tanks, too.

What am I supposed to use

for ammunition? Spitballs?

We've got 10 rounds left for Old Betsy.

- What about the tank at the roadblock?

- Can't move up. They're out of gas.

Try and get some news on that radio.

Krauts have got it jammed up,

everything except their own wavelength.

I'll try again.

They ain't even dug in.

- Holley.

- What?

Is there anything to those stories

about Krauts shooting prisoners?

- Where'd you get that?

- It's going around.

I heard that if you've got a Kraut pistol

on you when you're captured...

they blow your brains out with it.

Don't fall for them rumors, Layton.

Anybody want a Luger?

It's worth $100 in Paris.

Thanks a lot.

It's a violation of the Sullivan Act

for a civilian to carry firearms.

If I was you, Lieutenant,

I'd hightail it out of here.

Other side of the hill! Dig in!

A careful study of the most

scientific instruments and maps...

leads me to believe

that German bombers are over Bastogne...

fog or no fog.

Kind of rough on rear echelon tonight.

Yeah, I've been thinking...

the Mess Sergeant, the Supply Sergeant...

the pill roller who gives us those shots

with a square needle...

I'm bleeding for them.

... let me avoid death...

let me have forgiveness...

the eternal farewell.

Fall out in and draw a rifle!

- A rifle?

- They just made you a rifleman. Me, too.

The medics told me I wasn't supposed

to go up anymore. You can check.

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