♪ ♪
(birds chirping)
Winters: It was more than three years since Lewis Nixon and I
decided to join the Paratroops,
and more than a year since we’d first gone to war,
not knowing what would happen to us,
how long we’d be fighting,
where we’d end up.
I certainly didn’t expect to find myself
in a place like this.
Nixon: I thought it might be you.
’Morning.
I heard reports about a red-headed Eskimo.
Thought I’d check it out.
Come to join me for a morning swim?
(laughing)
Yeah.
You know me so well.
Here, it’s from Zielinski.
Oh, great.
What is that?
Ran into the regimental photographer.
Said he had all these photographs of the 506th
going all the way back to Toccoa.
I traded ’em for a couple of lugers.
That’s a bargain.
(laughs)
What do you think you’ll do after this?
Get some breakfast.
No, after, after.
Well, it’s funny you should mention it
’cause I had a meeting with Colonel Sink.
Really?
Yeah.
Yeah, discussed the possibility of staying.
In the army?
Yeah.
Yeah, as a career.
What’d you say?
I said I’d think about it.
What do you think about New Jersey?
New Jersey?
There’s a company in Nixon, New Jersey.
It’s called "Nixon Nitration Works".
Oh, sounds picturesque.
Yeah, well, oddly enough, I know the owners.
Probably gonna expect me to make something of myself.
I thought maybe I’d drag you with me.
Are you offering me a job?
We’ll see how you do in your interview,
but, you know, a man of your qualifications,
I think we can probably scrape something up
commensurate with your current salary level.
Yeah, I’ll think about it.
Yeah, I really appreciate it.
Yeah, just think about it.
Yeah.
Winters: Job offers...
hard to fathom.
And the war wasn’t even over.
I was still getting used to hot showers and morning swims.
We’d entered Bavaria in early May
with the hopes of capturing Berchtesgaden.
This famous town, high in the Alps,
was the Nazi Party’s symbolic home,
and all the heads of the Third Reich had houses there.
Although Hitler was dead,
he had apparently ordered the SS to make it their last stand
from which to mount a guerrilla resistance
against the Allied advance.
The first step was blocking the roads.
When are we expecting the engineers to arrive?
Half an hour ago.
We’re stuck here until they do, Nix.
Well, if you’re the SS,
you’re not gonna let us waltz into Hitler’s house.
Probably throw a few rocks at us yourself.
If you’re looking for someone to find another way up that mountain,
"Easy Company" is ready and willing. Duly noted.
I already recommended you to Colonel Sink.
Terrific, let’s go find out where Hitler lived.
Ron, we’re not sure what’s up there.
The colonel doesn’t want us taking any unnecessary risks.
So, the French are gonna beat us to the Eagle’s Nest.
Colonel Sink: Kids, I just had a conversation with General Leclerc.
He told me he was first into Paris
and, by God, he wanted to be first into Berchtesgaden.
Told him I understood his point.
Now, you fire up Second Battalion
and outflank that French son of a bitch.
Yes, sir.
I want "Easy Company" in the lead.
Have the men assemble down on the Autobahn.
Yes, sir.
Eerie.
Not even any natives.
That’s ’cause this is the one town
you can’t deny being a true Nazi.
What do you mean?
Nixon: Well, you have to be to live here.
Need to find some place we can put the colonel.
How about right there?
No, no.
Wow.
(silverware clanging)
Kitty would love this.
How many brides get a wedding present from Hitler?
You wanna take half?
I can’t carry all this.
You know, whoever comes in here after us
is gonna take whatever isn’t nailed down.
Well, wouldn’t want that to happen.
(chuckles)
Nice.
Don’t even think about it.
Major Winters? Sir?
More.
Er, permission to climb the mountain, sir?
The Eagle’s Nest? What is this?
Wait one minute.
Harry, have "F" Company put a double guard on the hotel.
Set up roadblocks on the west side of town.
I want battalion HQ, seal off the north side
and prepare for prisoners.
Sergeant Grant.
And, Harry, nobody gets hurt, not now.
(ripping)
And "Easy"?
"Easy" will head up the mountain
through the Obersalzburg and take the Eagle’s Nest.
Man: Hi-ho, Silver!
(yelling)
(all cheering)
Winters: The Eagle’s Nest was a surprise birthday present for Hitler,
built with Nazi Party money.
A mountaintop stone retreat 8,000 feet up,
accessible by a gold-plated elevator.
It was one of the crown jewels of his empire.
And the man was afraid of heights.
(cork popping)
Here’s to him.
(man laughing) Nixon: No, God damn it, listen.
"Hitler, Hitler"-- no.
Man: Hitler, Himmler, Goering, Goebbels!
(all arguing)
Hey, Adolf! Love your Eagle’s Nest.
I hope you don’t mind. We made ourselves at home.
Love what you’ve done with the place.
Hey, hey, have a drink.
Come on. Just so’s as we can say we saw you do it.
Listen up.
From Corps, just came in. Effective immediately.
"All troops stand fast on present positions."
Standing fast. Yeah.
(chuckling)
Wanna hear it? Mmm.
Mmm-hmm?
Ready for it? Listen up.
German army’s surrendered.
I got a present for you. Come on.
Is it? Yeah.
Nixon: What is this place?
Hermann Goering’s house.
We discovered it yesterday.
Had it on double guard ever since.
I can vouch for that, sir.
Oh, anxious to get off duty, O’Keefe?
No, there’s just so much to see and do, sir.
Winters: 10,000 bottles of the world’s finest liquor,
wine, and champagne helped "Easy Company" mark the day
the war in Europe came to an end.
Winters: It’s all yours.
Take what you want and have each company take a truckload.
We’re heading for Austria in the morning,
but don’t feel you have to leave anything here
for whoever comes next. Austria, sir?
Happy V.E. Day.
Yeah.
V.E. Day?
Victory in Europe.
Happy V.E. Day.
Winters: Instead of an aggressive combat unit,
we became an occupation force.
And no one wanted to leave Berchtesgaden
until they saw Austria.
So, you reckon they’ll make us run up those or ski down them?
(people cheering, calling out)
Soldier: Hey, how are you?
Need a hand there? Hi, hi!
He loves you!
Hey, lady, how are you?
I think the war is over!
We’ll be comfortable here.
I wonder what will happen to us,
to people like you and me,
when there are finally no more wars to occupy us.
Have all your men collect the weapons,
deposit them at the church, at the school,
and at the airfield. Very well.
Please accept this as my formal surrender, Major.
It is better than to lay it on the desk of a clerk.
You may keep your sidearm, Colonel.
Male announcer: Heroic dead of a combined army and Marine force
mark the grim battlefield of Okinawa,
where one of the bloodiest engagements of the war is being fought.
Thousands of Yanks have been wounded...
Look sharp.
Along the Jap’s southern defense line, the Yanks progress slowly,
facing one of the fiercest artillery barrages of the war.
Each small advance is gained by sheer grit
in the face of withering fire from a suicidal enemy
being slowly hammered back into the hills.
The going is brutal and our casualties are high,
but Okinawa is the next big step towards victory over Japan--
a victory that can only be won by work,
war bonds, and heroic sacrifice.
So, when are we going?
We don’t have a date yet.
Are we to tell the men right away?
Some of them will have enough points to go home instead.
Not many, if their only medal’s a Purple Heart.
I think most of us here will have enough.
And each of us will have to decide what to do.
I don’t know how long we’re waiting here for orders,
but I want those veterans who are staying
and all new replacements ready to fight.
That means rifle ranges.
That means daily close-order drills. That means troop reviews.
But, above all, it means physical training.
Get your NCOs on it.
They’re gonna love you.
What are you crouching down for, Perco?
Think the deer’s gonna shoot back?
Leave me alone.
How about y’all just shut up
and let Shifty kill us some dinner?
Perconte: Ah, what’s the matter, Bull?
You tired of eating dried-up spuds three times a day?
Hey, you know what, I got an idea--
why don’t we just shoot Bull here
and feed the company for a week?
(twig snaps)
(gun clicks)
Aw, God damn it, Shifty.
You let him get away.
Army oughta be glad to be rid of you.
I wish, you know.
It seems they want me to stay around awhile.
Are you serious?
How many points you need? 15.
15? Jesus Christ, I thought I had it bad.
Mmm. No Purple Hearts, never was injured.
Man: Company!
All: Platoon!
Atten-tion!
Right shoulder.
Arm!
Order.
Arms!
At ease.
General Taylor is aware that many veterans,
including Normandy veterans,
still do not have the 85 points required to be discharged.
On this, the anniversary of D-Day,
he has authorized a lottery to send
one man home in each company,
effective immediately.
For "Easy Company", the winner is...
Come on, come on, come on, come on.
Serial number 1-3-0...
6-6-2-6-6.
Sergeant Darrell C. Powers.
Well done, Shifty.
That’s how it’s done, Shifty!
Congratulations, Shifty.
Sergeant Grant will see to it that 2nd platoon
takes over at the Crossroads checkpoint,
beginning tonight at 2200 hours.
So much for our anniversary.
No shit.
General Taylor has also announced that
the 101st Airborne Division
will definitely be redeployed to the Pacific.
So, beginning tomorrow, at 0600 hours,
we will begin training to go to war.
(knocking) Come in.
(door opening)
I don’t mean to interrupt you, sir.
I just wanted to say goodbye.
You know, you was...
You was...
Well...
it’s been a long time.
You got everything you need?
Yes, sir. I gathered up my loot.
Pistols mainly.
Paperwork’s all done.
I even got my back pay in my pocket.
Back, back home in Virginia...
well...
I just don’t rightly know how I’m gonna explain all this.
You see, I’ve...
I’ve seen...
You’re a hell of a fine soldier, Shifty.
There’s nothing more to explain.
Thank you, sir.
Winters: Two days later, Shifty Powers
was on a truck headed for the rear and a boat home.
Unfortunately the truck was hit head-on
by a drunken corporal from another regiment.
Shifty had a broken pelvis,
a broken arm, and a bad concussion.
He survived, but had to spend the next few months
in a series of hospitals.
I wish I could say that he was our only casualty in Austria.
I’ve made up my mind, Nix.
I got the points, I’m going back to Kitty.
Harry, do you really think that Kitty hasn’t run off
with some 4-F by now? (laughs)
Son of a bitch. That’s not even funny.
Harry, ignore him.
How am I supposed to tell her
I had the chance to come home to her finally,
but decided not to, so I could go jump on Tokyo?
All right, so don’t tell her.
Besides, she’s waited for you for three years, right?
We’ll be to Tokyo and back in two years, three tops.
It’ll probably be over before you even get there.
You know, the reality is you’re gonna sit here in Austria
for six months waiting to go
and I’m gonna be back in Wilkes-Barre making babies.
You didn’t tell him?
No, I couldn’t get him to shut up.
What? Tell me what?
Guts and Glory here applied for a transfer. What?
13th Airborne are heading out for the Pacific right away.
If I’m going, I wanna get it over with.
Are you in on this too?
I can’t let him go by himself.
He doesn’t know where it is.
You’re leaving the men?
They don’t need me anymore.
Wounded in Normandy?
Yes, sir.
In the leg. It was a minor flesh wound.
Company "E" lost 24 men killed there.
Yes, sir.
17 of those were in my company commander’s plane.
It went down on D-Day.
So you were given command of the company on D-Day?
That’s right.
(bullets whizzing)
Fall back to your original positions!
Everyone else maintain your pace of fire!
In Holland...
they bumped you to battalion XO.
Yes, sir.
Bastards took your company away.
(phone ringing)
(firing)
(ringing)
I fired my last shots there.
For the whole damn war?
Yes, sir.
You got through Bastogne without having to fire your weapon?
That is correct, sir.
And you were on the line the whole time?
Yes, sir.
Can’t imagine a tougher test for a leader,
having to sit through a siege like that
under those conditions.
We got through it.
Find some cover! Find a foxhole!
Come on, take cover!
Take cover!
Come on, find some cover!
So why do you want a transfer?
Sorry, sir?
I said, why do you want to leave your men?
Oh, it’s not that, sir.
It’s just that if the war was still on in the Pacific
and I could do some good over there...
Looking to have your own division someday?
No, sir.
Not going to make a career of the army?
No.
Ye-- I-- Well, I don’t know, sir.
Because if you think you need more combat experience
to get stars on your helmet,
let me tell you something, son--
you’ve done enough.
Thank you, sir.
That’s-- that’s not my objective.
Major, I took this meeting
out of respect for your achievements,
and for the 101st.
If they do go to the Pacific eventually,
you should be running one of the battalions.
Thank you, sir.
And frankly, I think your men have earned
the right to keep you around.
Yes, sir.
Thank you, sir.
Winters: So, I would stay in Austria for the time being,
waiting for orders,
and trying to watch over soldiers
who had no enemy to fight.
Lieb, I fucking hate this.
Oh, Jesus Christ, they fingered him.
He was in the fucking room, Web.
One of those Polacks who was at the slave camps
said this is where the guy lives, right here.
Which camp? Whatever camp.
I’m under direct orders and I’m happy to follow it.
Is this a personal thing, Joe?
What?
Is this personal to you?
No, it’s a goddamn order.
Does Major Winters know about this?
Doesn’t matter here.
Oh, the fuck it doesn’t.
What if this guy’s just a soldier?
What if he’s an officer with no ties to the SS?
What if he’s innocent? You know what?
What if he’s a fucking Nazi commandant of a fucking slave camp?
Which one? Which camp?
You don’t have any proof. Were you at Landsberg?
You know I was.
You think he’s a soldier like you and me?
A fucking innocent German officer?
Where the hell have you been for the past three years?
Wer sind sie? Was machen sie hier?
What?
Ich habe garnichts. Shut up.
Was machen sie? Ruhe.
Sie sind der Kommandant.
Gehen sie heraus.
Sie sind der Kommandant.
Welcher Kommandant?
Vom Arbeitslager.
Ich weiss von keinem Arbeitslager.
Sie haben die falsche Person.
No?
Come here, old man.
Nein, nein.
Don’t fucking lie to me.
Sie tauschen sich.
See what you did to my fucking people?
Nein. Nein!
(yelling continues)
He’s guilty.
Liebgott says so.
He probably is.
(gunshot) (man shouts)
(clicking)
Goddamn son of a bitch.
Shoot him.
Shoot him! No.
(gunshot)
Officers don’t run.
The war’s over, anybody would run.
Winters: Summer in this alpine paradise
should have been a welcome relief,
especially now that we were at peace with the Germans.
Everyone just wanted to go home.
France. France was the best.
Really?
Yeah, five years.
I think I was in every country, but France was the best.
Italy would be second for me.
Russia is not desirable.
Ukraine-- it was okay.
So, er, when d’you get out?
The unit is discharged.
We leave when my captain gets transferred.
It is the end of my second war.
Jesus.
I’m going home now to Mannheim.
I’ll take this one.
Passkarte, bitte.
Okay.
Hey, Webster! My relief.
Don’t salute the Germans. Aw, come on.
I sort of get a kick out of it.
Anyway, I got me a new enemy-- the Japs.
75 points. How about you?
I mean, you’re a Toccoa guy, right? How many you got?
Wouldn’t you like to know?
Discharged, huh?
Go ahead, take off, it’s my turn.
Okay, see you back at the farm.
81.
Huh?
I have 81 points.
(laughing) well, that’s just not good enough.
(honking)
See about getting you a ride.
Hey!
Where are they going? Munich.
Munchen, Munich.
Wanna go to Munich?
Um, mochten sie nach Munchen gehen?
Ja, bitte.
(speaking softly)
(both yelling in German)
Get in.
Too bad.
Turn the wheel!
(horn honking) Oh, Jesus.
It’s Private Janovec.
He was dead when they brought him in.
75 points.
What?
He was 10 points short.
Winters: The enemy had surrendered,
but somehow men were still dying.
Young men who wanted to be home with their families by now,
who’d served with distinction since before Normandy
were stuck here because they didn’t have the points.
What they did have plenty ofwere weapons, alcohol,
and too much time on their hands.
Man: When all of a sudden, from out of nowhere,
a guy jumps out of the hedgerow, onto this guy’s chest,
shoves a trench knife up against his throat
and screams, "Whose side are you on?"
I don’t get it.
It’s D-Day.
It’s 2nd Platoon’s own Bill Guarnere.
Ol’ Gonorrhea himself.
Just landed in Normandy and wound up like I don’t know what.
"Whose side are you on?" What a fucking character.
What happened to him?
Got his leg blown off in Bastogne.
Wait here.
Are you okay, Mac, d’you need some help?
(laughing)
They wouldn’t give me any gas.
Krauts.
I tried to explain.
This fucking limey wouldn’t listen.
I think he was a major.
Look, private, we’ve got a problem here.
Do you have any gas?
Why don’t you give me your weapon?
Well, I guess I’ll just use his jeep.
I don’t think he’s gonna be needing it.
Hold on a second there, all right?
(fires)
Jesus. Sarge!
Sergeant Grant!
Sarge!
Jesus.
What?
He’s not gonna make it.
You can’t operate on him?
Not me. You’d need a brain surgeon.
And even if you had one, I don’t think there’s any hope.
You find the shooter, I want him alive.
Come on, help me. What are you doing?
We’re gonna go find a brain surgeon.
Get the door.
Hey, Lieb.
He wants a noncom guarding each roadblock
and at least two men watching every road out of town.
Bull, Malark, you each take a squad
and one of these witnesses on a house-to-house search.
Can we shoot this bastard on sight?
Try and take him alive.
Where’s Grant now?
They took him to a kraut hospital
to see if they could drum up any good doctors.
(knocking)
(dog barking)
Open up.
Come with me.
Why?
Get in the jeep.
Where are we going?
To the hospital, get in.
If you’re going to shoot me, shoot me.
If you’re not, put the gun away.
Get in the jeep, now.
What happened to him?
He was shot in the head.
Half hour ago.
Come on.
If you want him to live, you’ll help me.
First by putting that away.
Let’s go.
Let me drive.
We’ll get there faster.
(punching, grunting)
Jesus. Again, what a hand.
(yelling, grunting continue)
I don’t know who’s taking a bigger beating, me or him.
Wanna play a different game? No.
Same game, just shuffle ’em up good, huh?
You all right?
Yeah, I’m all right.
You wanna go in there and join in?
I should go in there and stop this.
Floyd, let’s just play cards, all right?
Where is he?
How’s Grant? Where is he?
Is he okay? Where is he?
(coughing)
This him?
That’s him.
Replacement,
"I" company.
Where’s the weapon?
What weapon?
When you talk to an officer, you say "sir."
(gun cocking)
Have the MPs take care of this piece of shit.
Grant’s dead? No.
Kraut surgeon says he’s gonna make it.
Hey, tough guy, on your feet.
Come on, move, move it.
I’m guessing they were Hitler’s photo albums, sir.
Sure had a lot of pictures of him in it.
So, you looked at ’em, but you didn’t take ’em?
That’s right, sir.
I don’t believe you.
I’ll be watching you. You’re dismissed.
You’d better not be lying to me.
What?
Sir, if it’s not gonna put you in too much of a bind,
I’d like to resign as company 1st sergeant.
If I had my choice,
I miss being back amongst the men.
I’d be happy to go to staff sergeant,
whichever platoon you wanna put me in.
Well, I guess you’ve earned your right to demote yourself.
Thank you, sir.
You wanna take over Sergeant Grant’s platoon?
That would do fine, sir.
All right then, report to Lieutenant Peacock.
Let me know if he gives you any trouble.
Oh, sir, you make your decision yet?
Yeah, I did.
So, what else is on your mind?
I know "Easy Company’s" gonna need
a commanding officer post-war.
Somebody to hold their hand,
keep them from killing each other.
It better be somebody who knows what they’re doing.
Yep, I couldn’t agree more.
I mean, it’s absolutely irresponsible to leave them
in the hands of the wrong person.
They’re too much of a valuable resource to the military.
So you’ve decided to stay in the army?
Yes, I’m gonna stay with the men.
Well, I’m glad to hear it.
Winters: So some of us would stay by choice,
but others were stuck here unless we could find excuses
to send them away.
So it’s an airborne exhibition.
They have one of every Allied combat plane
they’ve used in the war. Uh-huh.
I mean, yes, sir.
You’ll be like a technical adviser
to make sure they get everything right.
I understand, sir.
I’m sorry it’s not a more hospitable location.
No, sir. Paris is just fine.
You know, if you need-- if you need me to go,
someone has to be there. Yeah, we do, we absolutely do.
And your driver will drop you off at a hotel of your choice.
And I don’t think we’ll see you back here any time soon.
I won’t let you down, sir.
Carwood, yes. Um...
I wanted to say-- ahem, as you probably know,
the army, when they give a man a battlefield commission,
make him an officer,
they usually don’t let him stay with the same company.
Yes, sir, I figured this was coming.
Yeah, they’re afraid the men won’t show him the proper degree
of respect as they would another officer.
It’s-- it’s a good theory, sir.
It’s an idiotic theory, especially in your case.
Nevertheless, they’ve given me the choice
as to where to re-assign you,
and I thought battalion headquarters might be a good place.
I can think of few better, sir.
Good. Good.
Right now, down at the airfield,
there is a German general who is a little PO’d
about having to surrender to Private Babe Heffron from South Philly.
Thinks it’s beneath his stature.
Understandable, sir. Yeah.
I thought 2nd Lieutenant Carwood Lipton from West Virginia
could soothe his ruffled feathers.
No problem, sir.
Major, is this the type of job I can expect from now on?
Yeah. Yeah.
When we’re not sunning ourselves by the lake.
Lieutenant.
With your permission, I would like to address my men briefly.
That’ll be fine, general.
Captain Sobel. Major Winters.
Captain Sobel.
We salute the rank, not the man.
Manner,
es war ein langer Krieg.
Es war ein harter Krieg.
Liebgott?
"Men, it’s been a long war. It’s been a tough war."
Ihr habt tapfer und stolz fur euer Vaterland gekampft.
"You have fought bravely,
"proudly, for your country."
Ihr seid eine besondere Gruppe...
"You are a special group..."
...die ineinander einen zusammenhalt gefunden Habt...
"...who have found in one another a bond..."
...wie ersich nur im kampf entwickeln Kann.
"...that exists only in combat."
Unter Kameraden...
"Among brothers..."
Die Fuchshohlen geteilkt haben...
"...of shared foxholes."
Die sich in schrecklichen Momenten
gegenseitig geschutzt haben.
"Held each other in dire moments."
Die den Tod zusammen gesehen haheb
und gemeinsam gelitten haben.
"Who’ve seen death and suffered together."
Ich bin stolz
mit euch gedient zu haben.
"I am proud to have served with each and every one of you."
Sie aller verdienen am langsten gluckliches
Leben und Frieden.
"You deserve long and happy lives of peace."
Towel, towel, towel, towel, towel.
Thanks.
Take a look at these two kids.
What the hell happened to them?
New Jersey, huh?
Yeah. Think about it.
Yeah, I am.
You awake yet?
Awake?
Time to go to bed.
(cheering)
Come on, we got one down.
Come on, Pee Wee, let’s get Webster.
Man: Come on, Pee Wee! Let’s get him...
Winters: Buck Compton came back to see the company,
to let us know that he was all right.
He became a prosecutor in Los Angeles.
He convicted Sirhan Sirhan in the murder of Robert Kennedy,
and was later appointed to the California Court of Appeals.
David Webster became a writer for The Saturday Evening Post
and Wall Street Journal
and later wrote a book about sharks.
In 1961, he went out on the ocean alone
and was never seen again.
Man: Go, go, go!
Johnny Martin would return to his job at the railroad
and then start his own construction company.
He splits his time between Arizona and a place in Montana.
George Luz became a handyman in Providence, Rhode Island.
As a testament to his character,
1600 people attended his funeral in 1998.
Doc Roe died in Louisiana
in 1998.
He’d been a construction contractor.
Frank Perconte returned to Chicago
and worked a postal route as a mailman.
Joe Liebgott returned to San Francisco
and drove his cab.
Bull Randleman was one of the best soldiers I ever had.
He went into the earth-moving business in Arkansas.
He’s still there.
Alton More returned to Wyoming with a unique souvenir--
Hitler’s personal photo albums.
He was killed in a car accident in 1958.
Floyd Talbert, we all lost touch with in civilian life,
until he showed up a reunion just before his death in 1981.
How we lived our lives after the war
was as varied as each man.
Carwood Lipton became a glass-making executive
in charge of factories all over the world.
He has a nice life in North Carolina.
Harry Welsh-- he married Kitty Grogan,
became an administrator
for the Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania school system.
Ronald Speirs stayed in the army,
served in Korea, and in 1958,
returned to Germany as governor of Spandau Prison.
He retired a lieutenant colonel.
Get ’em round.
"Easy Company," school circle!
For "Easy Company", it was D-Day plus 434.
A fast man would’ve had it, Perco.
Listen up, got some news.
This morning, President Truman
received the unconditional surrender from the Japanese.
War’s over.
Regardless of points, medals, or wounds,
each man in the 101st Airborne would be going home.
Each of us would be forever connected by our shared experience.
And each would have to rejoin the world as best he could.
(cheering)
Lewis Nixon had some tough times after the war.
He was divorced a couple of times,
then in 1956, he married a woman named Grace
and everything came together for him.
He spent the rest of his life with her, traveling the world.
My friend Lew died in 1995.
I took up his job offer and was a personnel manager
at the Nixon Nitration Works until I was called back
into service in 1950 to train officers and rangers.
But I chose not to go to Korea.
I’d had enough of war.
I stayed around Hershey, Pennsylvania,
finally finding a little farm,
a little peaceful corner of the world,
where I still live today.
And there is not a day that goes by
that I do not think of the men I served with
who never got to enjoy the world without war.
It’s a very unusual feeling.
It’s a very unusual happening,
and it’s a very unusual bonding.
We knew that we could depend on each other.
And so, we were a close-knit group.
Just brave, so brave it was unbelievable.
And I don’t know anybody that I admire more than
Bill Guarnere and Joe Toye.
And they were very, very special.
I’m just one part of the big war, that’s all.
One little part.
And I’m proud to be a part of it.
Sometimes it makes me cry.
The real men, the real heroes are the fellas
that are still buried over there
and those that came home to be buried.
It seemed like you figured, you thought that you could do
just about anything. And after the war was over
and you came back out,
well, you lost a lot of that, or at least I did.
I lost all that confidence.
We was hoping to stay alive, that’s all, you know.
Henry the Fifth was talking to his men.
He said, "From this day to the ending of the world,
"we in it shall be remembered.
"We lucky few, we band of brothers.
"For he who today sheds his blood with me
"shall be my brother."
Do you remember...
the letter that Mike Ranney wrote me?
You do? Do you remember how he ended it?
"I cherish...
"the memories of a question
"my grandson asked me the other day,
"when he said,
"’Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?’
"Grandpa said, ’No...
"but I served in a company of heroes.’"
♪ ♪