When Trumpets Fade Page #3

What if those tanks

are still firing, sir?

Then we'll deal with it.

No problem.

Captain Pritchett,

if you feel you're unable

to carry out your orders, you let me know.

And I'll relieve you of your command

and find somebody who can.

Now the jumpingoff point's

the Siegfried line here,

here and here.

There's not gonna be

an opening barrage this time,

I want surprise.

You men will take

and hold your objectives.

We've been screwing

around too damn long up here.

Any questions?

Any questions, Captain?

No, sir.

Thank you.

Good day, gentlemen.

Hey, Sandy, you gonna eat that?

Leave it alone!

You want more, you go wait in line.

Sanderson, eat your food!

I'm not hungry.

That's not the point.

I'm not hungry.

Last time I had

a hot meal was five days ago.

Since then,

my entire platoon has been wiped out.

That's why you're here.

You're just a bunch of guys

in line to get shot,

so they can bring in a bunch

of other guys.

See how that works?

Now, once you get

that through your f***in' head,

maybe you'll realize how important

a hot meal could be.

Don't go anywhere.

Stay where I can find you,

we're makin' a push.

We get orders, Sarge?

We will.

Well, if we didn't get orders,

how do you know we're makin' a push?

Hot food, coffee, cigarettes.

We're making a push, sure as sh*t.

He's full of it!

Do you think he's full of it?

He's full of it!

When'd you start smokin'?

What's it to you?

Sorry I blew up.

Shut up.

Come on, Baxter, relax.

Last night for me.

I bet you lit up, Warren.

My first day.

Me, too.

I was freezing.

Hey...check this out.

What the f*** you doin', Lonnie?

You fart, I'm gonna blow your ass off.

Only a**holes smoke.

Cigarette?

Problem with these issues,

they taste like sh*t.

Hey, Sanderson.

Out there in the woods with the Krauts,

what was it like?

It was like...drowning.

You wanted to speak to me?

Lieutenant?!

I wanna know what happened out

on that patrol yesterday.

I heard your point man got separated

from the squad.

They're still learning.

No sh*t.

What the f*** are you thinkin'

putting replaccment at point

on his first patrol?!

I've got nothing but replacements.

You shoulda stayed at point, Sergeant.

Sergeant!

I thought it would be a perfect chance

for at least one

of them to get some experience.

Bullshit!

You're still trying

to save your own ass!

These kids don't know anything!

And you do?

No. I don't.

For four days...

I've been watching

these mangled bodies being carried out

of the woods,

knowing real soon I'm gonna be expected

to lead a platoon in there.

Nobody's telling me a goddammed thing.

I just walk around,

trying to look like a lieutenant,

so, you're right.

I don't know anything.

In fact,

the only one in this platoon

who does...is you.

Do you get it now?

Is it starting to sink in?

What do you want?

I want your help!

Look, if I can help you in any way

without endangering my own life,

I won't hesitate.

If you want my opinion,

I'll give it to ya.

But I'm not takin' a bullet for anybody

that's not good enough.

That's as good as it gets.

I'll tell ya what, Dave.

You find yourself out there

in the middle of a fire fight...

with your guts hangin' out,

screamin' for a medic.

If I can help you in any way

without endangering my own life,

I won't hesitate.

So What do ya think?

About what?

this push that Manning's talking about.

You think we're really gonna do it?

Yeah.

We just got here.

Yeah.

Hey, Sandy...Yesterday out in the woods

Manning was just gonna leave you there.

I think we're all gonna die out here.

Lord of my salvation,

that saves me...for He is my shield.

Saves me from my enemies

and inequities...

We'll go in two minutes.

Sir.

Two minutes.

Two minutes.

Two minutes, and nobody dies.

Two minutes. Nobody dies.

Two minutes. Nobody dies.

Say it, Lonnie, you gotta say it!

Nobody dies.

Nobody dies.

Nobody dies.

Fire! ...Fire!

Move! Go! Keep moving!

Spread out! ...Spread out!

Don't bunch!

Don't bunch! Don't bunch!

Sergeant!

Move it! Move it!

Ahh!

Spread out! Spread out!

Don't bunch.

Get off me! Get off me! Get off me!

Get off me! Get off me!

Fire!

No! No! Go back! Go back!

Back, back! Come on!

Come on. Go, go, go, go!

Go. Stay together! Back! Back! Back!

Fire!

Go back!

Medic! Get back!

Medic! Medic!

What?

We're makin' another push.

You gotta be shittin' me.

Our company is to try to take

the bridge on the Kall Trail again

and hold it.

Kraut 88's on the ridge

are gonna have us right

on the chopping block.

F***ers.

There's a road leadin' up the the ridge

from the north side.

I figure a single squad with a couple

of flame throwers might

have a shot at takin' 'em out.

Their gun crews'll be firing at us.

What about their infantry support?

Krauts are holding their manpower back

about a mile behind the bridge.

Apparently they're havin'

truble finding replacements,

so they're relying on their 88s

to wipe us out.

I need a squad to volunteer.

Good luck.

You take out those guns

and I'll give you that Section 8

you were beggin' for.

It's a deal.

You smile at me again

and I'll kick your teeth out!

Medic! Medic!

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

This is Pritchett, sir.

We've got the bridge,

but we're getting our asses reamed!

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Fire!

Sir, request permission to pull back.

Negative. Do not pull back.

My men are getting cut

to pieces up here,

we're pullin' back!

You hold that bridge, Captain!

That's an order!

I've already lost thirty men!

This isn't a debate, Pritchett!

You hold that goddamn bridge!

This is suicide!

Lieutenant!

We're dead meat here, Lieutenant!

Godamn it, Lieutenant, f***in' move!

Fire!

Fire!

All right, listen up.

As far as I can see

they have no infantry support.

The gun crew's got its back to us.

We're gonna run right up that road.

Baxter, Sanderson,

you're gonna burn 'em out...Okay?

Let's move.

Fire!

Fire!

Boxcar 6, this Boxcar 9, over!

Boxcar 6, over.

This is Sergeant Talbot.

Lieutenant Lukas has lost it!

That puts you in charge over this,

Sergeant, Now listen up,

you gotta pull your platoon back to

this side of the river!

You expect me to get these guys

to leave cover in this sh*t?!

If you don't get that platoon to move,

you're all gonna be dead

in ten minutes.

Now haul ass!

Fire!

Fire!

Baxter!

No, no, no, no f***ing way,

no f***ing way, no f***ing way!

Baxter!

No! No f***ing way! No f***ing way!

No f***in way!

No! No!

Get up there, Baxter!

Stay where you are!Hold your position!

Baxter!

Goddamn you.

No! No! No!

What the f*** are you doing?

Jesus Christ!

Warren! Get up there now!

Back up!

Yeah! Yeah!

He did it.

I'll be a sonovabitch!

Easy now...Easy.

Hey, Lieutenant...

Tank!

Take cover, get back!

Back to the trees, men! Pull back!

Pull back!

It's not over till we're out of here.

Take the torch off!

Go! Go!

Go!

F***!

Lonnie! Lonnie!

No! No!

Come on! Come on! Keep movin' !

Rate this script:4.5 / 2 votes