Chapter 309: The Camp (I)

In Parkes' impression, there has been no major action in E-Company after this, which means that the brothers of E-Company will no longer fight the Germans with weapons, which also means that the E-Company brothers are beginning to really enjoy their trip to Germany. [Full text reading]

On April 9, 945, the order was given that they must leave for Bavaria and the Alps. The targets were Munich, Innsbruck and the Brenna Pass, and the purpose of the operation was to enter the Alps before the Germans did, in case the Germans established a defensive position and continued to resist. Hitler's Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden was assumed to be the headquarters of the operation. This operation was both the end of the defensive battle and the beginning of a guerrilla war against the occupying forces. Eisenhower feared that once Hitler returned to the Eagle's Nest, he would be well protected and would be able to radio the Germans to continue resistance or guerrilla warfare.

But Parks knew that the operation was basically a trip. But many of the brothers of E-Company were worried, because while they were talking, Webster explained a situation to them.

"Bavaria? God, that's where the National Socialist Party came from. Listen to Buck that Hitler ordered the Waffen-SS throughout the country to hide in caves, ready to expel the invaders. He wanted them to start their own defense of their homeland. Webster was packing up in the barracks, "I think we're going to have to fight now." ”

"Invaders? I like the word," said the bull Landauman, smiling, "but if they do have to fight to the last soldier, it's a bit of a problem. I don't like to have a gun anymore. ”

"Don't worry, guys" At this time, a voice suddenly came from the door of the barracks, it was Major Parkes, he and Captain Wales walked in, and then looked around at the GIs in the barracks, and said with a smile, "It will be a pleasant trip." The place we are going to is to Berchtesgaden, where oo miles from the front line, is the rear, and we will not be threatened in any way, not so much a mobile operation as a trip. I love to travel, guys."

"I love to travel," Webster said with a smile, "I want to write a book about Europe, what can I call it?" "Chronicle of Europe" is definitely good"

"You can do it, Webb" Parks nodded and smiled, then said to the brothers, "Alright, guys, get ready, we're going out." You can now go to the logistics and get five points of dry rations. And things like beer, coke, and socks. All rejoice, have a good journey, brothers," said Major Parks, and walked out.

He had already gone to the various platoons of Company E, inspecting them one by one, constantly calming the nerves of his brothers. In fact, all this was left to the sergeants, but Parks insisted on going to E Company to have a look.

"You still can't let go of your brothers," Captain Wales shook his head at him as he walked out and smiled, "Actually, you're in the same state as Dick left Company E. Our group of people were all the original officers of Company E, and our affection for the company was always deeper. Look at the officers in the battalion headquarters now, most of them are from Company E. ”

"You're right, I can't let it go" Major Parks smiled as he looked at the busy GIs in the barracks, "Any officer who has been in the company will feel the same way I do, don't say you don't, Harry." ”

Captain Wales looked at Parks and smiled, but he didn't say anything, just looked at his busy brothers like Major Parks, and watched them go in and out, either with smiles or worries on their faces. But all these are the things they will remember most in the future.

On April, the battalion was seated in German-made freight wagons and bypassed the damaged railway by a railway line, which allowed them to travel 200 kilometres through four countries: Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and France. The carriages had been sprayed with DDT and covered with straw. The brothers sat in the open-air wagon, sleeping, singing, and swaying with the train with their feet out of the door, basking in the sun on the roof of the wagon.

A group of brothers couldn't bear the loneliness in the carriage, singing the song "Let's Soar" in the European theater of war over and over again, and their singing made many people infected, and many people joined them.

"He's just a new paratrooper, and rightfully so, he's scared for this jump/He checks his gear and makes sure his parachute bag is ready/He has to sit there, endure the crazy roar of the plane engines/You don't have to jump anymore/Blood is like a spring, blood is like a spring, and you are a beneficiary/Blood is like a spring, and blood is like a spring, and you are a beneficiary/Is it a pleasure for everyone? / The sergeant looked up and cried / Our hero weakly replied: 'Yes' and then they began to parachute / He jumped into the icy wind, he untied the lead of the umbrella bag / He no longer had to jump / Blood like a fountain, blood like a fountain, take righteousness / Blood like a spring, blood like a spring, take righteousness / Blood like a spring, blood like a spring, take righteousness / He no longer needs to jump......"

Major Winters couldn't help but look at Parks beside him, and the two couldn't help but smile at each other. Nickerson, who was sitting behind him, smiled, "I like this song," and sang along with the GIs. In fact, he has not been in a good mood, since his wife divorced him, but today, as if enlightened, he seems to be interested, and in this carriage, he sings the loudest.

Yes, nothing can break people's hearts in this happy atmosphere. The places they passed through also included Bastone. They were no more than five miles from the Bastone they had defended three months earlier. They spent the darkest, coldest and most frightening month there, and although Bastone fulfilled their reputation, it also caused many to break down, lose their lives and leave the battlefield with regret. The snow-covered forest area makes people feel chills when they think about it.

But now when you look from here, you can see most of Bastogne. It's spring now, there is no snow in Bastone, those tender yellow leaves and green grass, and the fresh breeze in the face, people can't help but feel refreshed, this is the beautiful spring scenery of nature, the wild flowers swaying in the fields, and the sound of the verdant green woods when the wind blows, people can't believe that they have spent the most incredible dark days here. When a lot of people were here, they were silent. They looked at the forest, and none of them knew what to say

Gradually, Bastone is moving away. Major Parks couldn't help but sigh: "After the war, the beauty will be revealed. I think this sentence can describe the current Bastone," he looked at Bastone who was drifting away, and sighed with some emotion.

Who said that? I like it," Nickerson said, "I like beautiful things." ”

"I said," Major Parks smiled dumbly, then glanced at Nickerson and said, "Nick, even though Bastone is so beautiful, I promise that I don't want to come here again, and what I remember most here is not the beautiful fields and forests, but the snow-covered chilling places, the German cannons and the screams of the brothers, and to be honest, it will bring back such bad memories in me." ”

Nickerson looked at Major Winters across the street speechlessly and said, "What about you?" If the war was over, would you consider coming here to see it? ”

"No," replied Major Winters dryly, "I will not come here, I have the same thoughts as Lacey." Nick, you'd better not talk about it, I think most of us think that, you don't have to worry about any of us having people who are going to remember things that are uncomfortable like you. We all love the beautiful, as you say."

Nickson shrugged his shoulders helplessly, and everyone in the carriage couldn't help but laugh.

The train entered Germany again and came to Ludwigshafen on the Rhine. There they disembarked the train and switched to a waterway amphibious transport known as the Duk, which was the first time the brethren of Company E had seen it. A Duk can sit comfortably for a heavily armed infantryman, it rides very smoothly, much smoother than a normal truck carrying GIs, and does not have the sharp bumps of a jeep going straight up and down. Sitting in the Duk, you can go up and down leisurely, like a sailboat sailing on calm water.

They sailed across the Rhine to Munich from a pontoon bridge called Onipel, and as they passed through Heidelberg, they were mesmerized by the scenery. The beautiful sandy beaches, the crowds walking in the sun, the lush green hills, the warm sunshine, the quiet and charming river, and the mellow air all make people fascinated by this place, and Webster can't help but praise this place: "God, this is really heaven, I really want to stay here forever." It's so fascinating."

However, Heidelberg is not the only place that is beautiful, and the convoy heads southeast, winding around the mountains on the main roads and paths. And the brothers also continued to realize that Germany has such beautiful mountains, such blue water, and even the air is so clean and comfortable, that it has not been affected by the war in the slightest.

"You know what?" Webster was jealous when he looked at such a beautiful view, and he couldn't help but shout loudly at the people in the carriage who were stunned by the sight.

"What? University student? Do you have any feelings to express? Li Gaot couldn't help but sarcastically.

Webster glanced at him, ignored him, and just said aloud: "It is a regrettable waste that such a beautiful country is given to the Germans." ”

"Did you say that?" Li Gaot then asked.

"No, it was said by an American writer, in The New Yorker."

"Wow, college students just aren't the same," Lutz whistled beside him.

And it just so happened that in Parks' carriage, he happened to say the same thing as Webster. Winters looked at the beautiful scenery outside and couldn't help but smile and said, "The Germans want more." Instead of ignoring the beautiful things in their own country"

Major Parks nodded approvingly, greed making people forget the good things in their own homes. Greed always makes people lose themselves, to destroy others, and to forget themselves, which is the nature of war.