When Trumpets Fade Page #4

Come on! No! F***!

Lonnie, come on, come on, come on!

You gotta keep movin', keep movin',

keep movin' ! Come on! Come on! Come on!

He's dead! He's dead! Go! Go!

Let's go!

How you doin', Roy?

I'm fine, sir. I could stay.

I think you need a rest.

Everybody here needs a rest, sir.

Captain, this conversation was over

the first time we ever had it

and it's just as over now.

You're wounded, you need a rest.

Fresh point of view may

help break things open here, Roy.

Do I know you?

Your people inside?

Yes, sir.

Captain Zanuck,

may I suggest that you take

this time to go in

and acquaint yourself with your team.

Sir.

I should be involved

with that briefing, sir.

The Captain'll need every bit

of advice he can get.

Negative.

I don't want

the same mistakes as before.

What mistakes are those?

You tell me.

Driver! This man needs a doctor.

That was a rough one, huh?

Rough one.

Where's your squad?

Over there.

Was it worth it?

What?

The Section 8.

I don't know what you're talkin' about.

You really are a f***in' piece of sh*t,

aren't you Manning?

That's right, Talbot.

I'm a piece of sh*t.

So you went up that ridge

with four other guys

and came back with one, huh?

You weren't f***in' there.

Yeah, lucky for me.

I been keepin' an eye on you, Manning.

Oh, yeah?

We all know about Section 8 deal

you cut with Pritchett.

Anything to save your own ass.

That's right.

It's too bad he won't be around

to hold up his end of the deal.

What are you talkin' about?

He got wounded.

They took him off the line today.

Life's a b*tch, ain't it?

Where's Lieutenant Lukas?

Nobody knows, sir.

It's been pretty hard on him.

Is that him?

Yes, sir.

What's the status of your platoon,

Lieutenant?

Huh?

Whatever your problem is, Lieutenant,

I suggest you get it under control !

Pull it together, Lieutenant, now!

Get off of me!

Let's go!

Get him outta here!

God damn it!

You wanted to know

the status of his platoon?

Just a minute, soldier...

You're treadin' dangerously close

to a courtmartial !

That gets me outta here, right...sir?

You're Manning, aren't you?

What do you care?

Report to my command post immediately.

Sergeant David Manning.

You have a sheet on everybody?

Not right now, Sergeant, just you.

Sergeant Manning has

an excellent innate understanding

of battlefield conditions.

His ability to react

to aggressive situations

is unmatched by anybody in the company.

His disrespect for authority is unable

to hide his ability to lead.

I strongly suggest that

he be considered

for the next platoon leader when

and if the situation presents itself.

Captain Roy Pritchett.

If I'm not mistaken, Sargeant,

the situation has presented itself.

When was that written?

The day you were made Sergeant.

Sir, I'm a noncom.

I know what you are, Manning.

And I also know

what you capabilities are.

I was a private three days ago.

This isn't up for discussion,

Lieutenant.

You've got no choice in this.

And as it is...neither do I.

At 0800 we're makin' another push.

Get your people together, Lieutenant.

I got nothin' left.

Dig a little deeper.

He's over there! Manning? Hey!

We wanna talk to ya.

I said we wanna talk, a**hole!

Look, I wanna know the truth, Manning,

what the hell happened out there.

Don't you f***in' walk away from me.

Hey...come on. Stop! Com on!

You executed Baxter!

You're damn right I did.

He ran, you'd have done the same thing.

Put the gun down, Talbot!

Shut up!

Go abead. We're all dead anyway.

Regiment's making a push tomorrow.

We're to take Schmidt at all costs.

What?

You heard me.

Jesus!

The way I see it, we've got two choices.

We can settle for being slaughtered

in the push tomorrow,

or we can take those tanks out tonight.

There's no way

in hell Company'll approve that.

This isn't about Company.

If we do it, it's just us.

We'll slip past the lines unchecked.

Just another sorryass patrol.

Let me get this straight.

Yesterday you were pulling

for a Section 8.

Now, you wanna lead

some kinda renegade force against

the German tanks.

The question is,

''How do we stay alive?''

What you think

of me doesn't really matter.

What's your plan, Manning?

You're not taking this sh*t seriously?

Maybe.

Well, who's to say

he's not gonna shoot you

in the back like he did Baxter?

He didn't have a choice.

If he hadn't shot Baxter,

we all would've run.

And we'd still be taking

the fire from those 88s.

I'll go with you.

I don't know, I don't know.

Look, if anyone can do this,

I think it's him.

I'm not thrilled about the odds.

But it's better than what

we got comin' at dawn.

Manning.

What?

Nobody dies.

Nobody dies.

Let's just get it done.

All right.

I'll clear the mine field

and cut the wire.

We gotta hit the tanks at dawn,

before the push begins.

All right...no turnin' back.

Let's go.

All right.

I'm goin' for the truck...Cover me.

Go!

Up!

Manning!

No!

Chamberlain!

I'm not gonna make it.

I'm losing too much blood.

You're gonna make it!

You're an idiot!

You're gonna owe me big, Lieutenant.

I ain't gonna owe you sh*t!

Less than a mile, okay?

Less than a mile!

It's too far!

It's not too far!

What's so funny?

You.

Me, what?

Forget it.

I'm takin' you home, Dave.

Sure.

You're goin' home.

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