Storming Juno

1

Going to Normandy.

Army Intel is only

two out of five of us

are going to make it

off this beach.

Freedom!

Let us launch!

They're gonna die

without us!

Fire!

Move out!

Don't stop for anything!

We're the first unit

to go in.

One hundred and ten men

of "C" company.

First Canadian

Parachute battalion.

In training we thought

we were the best!

Way tougher than

the infantry.

But this is going to be

our first time in combat,

our first chance

to do our part.

June, 1944.

The world's been at war

for almost five years.

Hitler's war machine

has killed millions

and Europe is living

under Nazi rule.

But that's

about to change.

After two years of planning

and training, this is it!

"D-Day"!

The plan is to launch

a massive surprise attack

against Hitler's

fortress Europe.

It's a do or die

operation.

We'd either set the stage

for the defeat of Hitler,

or get slaughtered and

pushed back into the sea.

The beaches are code-named;

'Sword', 'Gold,'

'Utah', 'Omaha'.

Us Canadians?

We have one of the most heavily

defended beaches on the line.

It's called Juno.

This is my story.

This is our story.

What's wrong?

I don't mind jumping.

I, just can't stand looking.

Well switch

with me then.

We were going to be dropped

deep into Nazi occupied France.

Nine hours before the rest

of the invasion forces

even hit

the beaches.

Jeez-Louise Hartigan,

what you got in there?

A few extra mortars.

You're gonna

drop like a rock.

We were

the tip of the spear.

Whoo!

Best seat in the house here!

Almost seven thousand ships

stretched out

across

the English Channel.

About a hundred and

sixty thousand men.

'D Day', the largest

sea-born invasion in history.

Holy Jesus!

And me a kid from Sydney,

Nova Scotia, way out in front.

We'd been stuck on this

ship for three days.

Seasick, couldn't sleep,

couldn't eat.

But the men

were holding up.

Seventh Platoon.

My Platoon!

Mostly prairie boys

from Saskatchewan.

Hunters.

Trappers.

Indians.

A lot of farm boys.

We looked out

for one another.

Some joined for adventure,

some out of duty.

Others were

just plain hungry

and the Army

paid a dollar a day.

We'd been chosen to lead

the first wave

of the beach assault.

Alright, enough, enough.

Alright, anyone else?

It was going to be our

first time in combat.

Cutler,

you in you little woman?

I got five bucks on Apple.

Alright.

We were young.

Luis Brunning was only

fifteen when he joined.

We called him

'Apple'.

Snake eyes!

Snakes eyes!

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

What's this?

Ooohhh?

From your girl? What?

What, oh,

you have a girlfriend!

Oooh.

Who is she?

No one.

What's her name?

Ah, C'mon!

What does she look like?

Who is she?

Who is she?

Look, look.

C'mon look,

it's from my mother.

Ma-ma!

Did he just say from my mother?

Did he just say from my mother?

Aw.

Apple's mommy

loves him.

What's it say?

What's it say?

Nuthin.

Aw c'mon, what's it say?

Let me see.

Ah, Come on leave him alone.

Well, what it's say?

Ah, It says um,

"God Keep Him Safe."

Well God, let him

roll sevens, huh?

Amen.

Make me some money!

Oh! Nice!

Now I get to roll.

(miscellaneous talk)

Hey, hey roll em up

again, again, let's go!

What, something I said?

I joined the Army,

not the god-damned Navy!

Me?

I was in the Army

long before this war.

Signed up in Montreal, Quebec,

just seventeen years old.

I didn't want to be no hero,

just stay out of the poorhouse.

I'm what you call a

P.S.. Permanent Soldier.

My wife said it stood

for "permanently stupid".

My ex-wife tell the truth.

Silverberg!

What are you doing?

Joining

the United Church?

Good Jewish boy

like you?

Look. It's

my mother's orders.

Turn the 'J'

to a 'U'.

Just in case

we get taken prisoner.

No one's going to

take us prisoner.

We're going all

the way to Paris!

I'll find you all a

nice Mademoiselle.

You'll see.

Where you goin?

Probably the only dry place

on this whole Goddamned

military vessel!

Don't puke

in the tank McGinnis!

Yeah, don't worry Silver,

I got nuthin left!

Our tank is a

top secret weapon.

Designed just for

'D-Day'.

It can launch directly

into the sea.

They're called a

duplex drive.

You take a Sherman tank, and

an inflatable canvas screen,

waterproof the hull, connect

propellers to the driveshaft.

And viola, you've got a

thirty-two ton floating tank.

And let's you drive

it out of the sea.

A big surprise for

the Germans.

That's the way to travel.

First class!

Final checks!

We were going in, disguised

as a routine bombing run.

That's why we were packed

into these old bombers

like sardines.

Final checks.

Be bloody careful,

no accidents, please!

The drop was

behind enemy lines.

Fifteen miles

from the coast

where the main

invasion force would land.

We'd be on our

own for days.

So we loaded ourselves

down with extra grenades.

Mortar rounds, you name it.

Hartigan!

Open the bloody hatch.

There was France.

From five hundred feet.

At two hundred miles per hour.

Red up, hook up!

The red light was the warning.

Two minutes till

the green light.

Two minutes before all of us,

one hundred and ten men

of 'C' Company

would jump straight into...

God knows what?

Remember we've got fifteen

seconds to clear this place,

so move fast!

Hartigan, spot me a

cigarette would ya?

Hit the ground and move!

What?

Now?

We have, five minutes to make

it to the rally point.

I don't mean for now,

I mean for later.

You do not make it?

You're on your own!

Here, take the whole

god-damned pack!

Good luck!

I tried not to think about

being shot on the drop.

Or landing on a tree.

Or drowning in the

flooded fields below.

We knew we were heading

towards the coast.

But the exact location of

our landing was kept secret.

Most bets were on Calle .

Some thought Holland,

even Germany itself.

We're goin to Normandy.

Did anyone win the bet?

No sir.

Good, let's hope the Jerrie's

are even more surprised.

The Americans have

'Utah', and 'Omaha'.

Brits,

'Gold', and 'Sword'.

The Canadian beach,

'Juno' Beach, it's here,

and our sector,

'Nan Green', is here.

Our target, is actually a

little fishing village called

'Courseulles-sur-Mer'.

Everything else

just as we trained.

MG-42's, 55's,

75's and the 88.

The heaviest position on the

beach and it is all ours!

The Germans had four years to

turn the coast of France

into a concrete fortress.

Hundreds of miles of bunkers,

heavy guns barbed wire, mines.

According to Army

Intelligence, our beach,

Juno Beach was manned by eight

thousand German soldiers

from the seven hundred and

sixteenth division.

It was one of the most heavily

fortified sectors

of Hitler's Atlantic Wall.

Explosions

Get past the first

fifteen minutes boys,

we're gonna be okay.

Alright?

Dsmissed.

[SINGING] pack all your

troubles in your old kit bag,

and smile...

Most of us weren't expected

to make it off the beach.

[SINGING]

...smile, smile.

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