24 Hours To D-Day (2024)

[bunniefuu]

Another couple of miles!

We should be at the drop-off

point in two minutes!

Approaching target zone!

Stand by!

Here we go!

Are you ready?

Flight check, clear!

Check your chutes

and clips at the ready.

We can't afford

any malfunctions.

That beacon fails,

we're as good as dead.

My girlfriend would k*ll me

if I died on my first

deployment overseas.

We're not going

to let that happen.

All right, boys!

Pipe down!

Today, we make history.

First boots on the ground

behind Fritz's line.

n*zi turf.

We've trained for this.

We've sweated for this.

You boys are ready.

Now, I have that kind of faith

in each and every one of you.

Our mission, so help us God,

is to activate

the Eureka radar beacon

to establish the next

paratrooper drop zone.

We need these beacons

to light the way

for the next round

of paratroopers

who will destroy key roads

and bridges

so that our as*ault on

Normandy can be a success.

No matter what happens

out there,

we must make it to

the rendezvous point.

We must ensure the success

of this mission.

Yes, sir!

This is not going

to be a cakewalk.

There'll be blood,

that's for sure.

Scared?

Got every right to be.

That's natural.

We just let that pass.

I have confidence in your

abilities, your training,

your commitment to the cause.

You are the best of the best.

Yes, sir!

You were chosen for

this mission for a reason.

Our success tonight

and tomorrow morning

depends on our working

together as a team.

Stay focused,

communicate clearly,

and rely on each other.

Yes, sir!

The fate of this mission and

the world rests in our hands.

But we are the 82nd Airborne.

We are the Pathfinders.

Yes, sir!

We will lead the way, sir.

That's right!

No! No!

Private! Move!

Clip on! Clip on!

-Come on!

-Clip on!

How far to the DZ?

Lieutenant!

Coordinates!

O'Neill, I need coordinates!

Damn it!

We're not going to make

the coordinates!

Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!

Jump!

Move, move, move!

Move, move!

Go!

I'm not on the line!

Use your reserve!

Go! Go!

Eyes on the horizon!

See you on the ground!

Go! Go! Go!

Go! Go!

Let's go, Cap! Go!

Move!

Go!

See you on the ground, Cap!

May St. Christopher protect you!

Trying to join

the enemy, Brooks?

-No, sir.

-Then move it!

Roger that!

We got a mission!

Mayday! Mayday!

47-1197!

Repeat! Mayday! Mayday!

47-1197!

Allied forces are massing

a fleet the likes of which

has never been seen before.

Our brave boys are lining

up to give Jerry

a licking he'll never forget.

After pushing them out of

Africa, the stage is set.

It's time to open the door

on Fortress Europe

and send those bullies back

where they belong.

Yes, Mr. Hitler,

we're coming for you.

Our fearless soldiers have

their marching orders

and are going in with

an audacious plan.

Using our newest technology,

the Eureka Beacon,

we will guide our bombers

to the target

in the dead of night

with pinpoint accuracy.

It's no mission for

the faint hearted,

millions of lives are at stake.

The future of the free world

hangs in the balance

as we hold our breath.

And look to the Pathfinders,

the 82nd Airborne

as they head to the front line.

Good luck and Godspeed,

you band of brothers.

Yes, General,

I'll call Biloxi right away.

Mayday! Mayday!

47-1197, we've taken fire!

SHAEF to 47-1197.

We hear you loud and clear.

General, sir!

Landing gear's been loaded

and ready for departure, sir.

Good.

We're on schedule.

And the status of

the supplies and munitions?

Major.

Arrived and unloaded.

Currently heading to

the pre-designated areas.

Let's make sure

we cover every contingency.

We can't afford any mistakes.

-Are you with me?

-Sir.

Yes, sir.

Sir, it's an incoming

message from

one of the Pathfinder pilots.

Lieutenant Peters, sir.

Thank you, soldier.

This is General Bradley.

General Bradley,

this is Lieutenant Peters.

We've been hit!

The other two C-47s are down.

I'm all alone up here, sir.

Understood, Lieutenant.

What about the Pathfinders?

Can you confirm

boots on the ground?

No, sir.

There's very

little visibility up here.

I'm going to circle back

around to get a better look.

They did get out of

the plane, though, right?

Affirmative!

That'll have to do.

General, I don't even know

if they made it

within five miles of the

drop zone.

Lieutenant Peters,

you've done your part.

Now turn around,

head back to base.

You're a pilot.

We need your skills in the air.

Get your plane fixed and ready

for the next wave.

That's an order!

We need as many paratroopers

on the ground as possible

to disrupt the necessary

infrastructure.

If we have any

chance at all of

this Operation Neptune's

success, are you with me?

Yes, sir.

Understood.

Turning back now.

Godspeed.

Over and out.

Those boys are in

for a hell of a night.

I'll take this.

Ah!

Captain!

Get this kraut off me.

Easy does it, Brooks.

Thank you. It's a close one.

Hey, don't mention it.

You hurt?

Uh... No, just grazed.

I'm all right.

Hey, do you have

the radar beacon?

-Yeah, right here.

-Yeah?

Is it damaged?

No, it's all right.

Just scuffed, maybe.

Okay. Good.

Let me just radio.

Find out where the hell we are.

Oh, damn it.

Radio's shot.

I must have fallen

really hard.

Well, we're in this alone.

Get down.

More krauts.

I can't take another brawl.

Hold still.

Hold!

Oh.

Sergeant Steele,

Private Murphy.

You guys seen any more of,

uh, them?

No, sir.

That right there's

the first n*zi

I've seen with my own two eyes.

Yeah, and it won't be our last

we stick around here.

We came toward the sound

of that g*nf*re.

Them Jerrys will too.

Which way, Sarge?

Yeah, let's take a peek.

All right, we want to

put ourselves

right in the drop zone.

Yeah, this looks

like the right spot.

Terrain's correct.

Just looking for a landmark.

Right there.

Is it close?

Yeah, close enough.

Then we should leave.

Yeah.

Hey, mind if

I take a look?

I couldn't see sh*t

on the way down.

Yeah.

What do you think?

We could be anywhere

inside this circle.

What makes you so

sure that we're here?

Instinct.

That stream right there.

All right, Murph, take point.

Go, Brooks.

Huber!

Look at this.

American.

Ready yourself.

Ja wohl.

We got ourselves a

dead American parachuter.

What should we do

with him, sir?

Cut him down, and search him.

Ja wohl.

Whoa!

He's alive!

-What's going on?

-Shut up, swine!

What are you doing?

Hello, American.

n*zi scum!

What are you...

American...

Screw you!

I have questions for you.

I'm not telling you anything.

What is your mission?

Hey, go to hell!

Leave me alone!

Get off me!

Ah!

What is your mission?

I'm not telling you anything.

Ah!

God damn n*zi b*stard!

Enough.

You're sick.

This is a waste of time.

Enough of this.

Sir...

I'd rather die an American hero

then die and give

you n*zi pigs anything.

You know you're going

to lose, right?

You know you're going to lose.

Hitler's going to lose.

Germany's going to--

He was rude.

He would not shut up.

Sir, what if he's the only

American we can find?

Schiesse.

Doesn't matter.

Look.

Footprints.

These are not from German boots.

What should we do with him?

Cut him down.

Search him.

Hurry.

Agh...

Dirty American swine.

No, sir.

Not yet.

American cigarettes?

Over my dead body.

Hurry.

Ja wohl.

We must find his friends.

Come.

We all landed

way outside

of the target drop zone.

Once the four of us regrouped,

we set off north,

following the nearby stream

towards Saint-Mere-Eglise.

We need to get

to the drop zone

so Brooks can set up a beacon.

Or else the main as*ault

won't know where to drop.

Sarge, let me see that map.

So we're supposed to

land in Saint-Mere-Eglise

and hit the drop zone

from there, right?

Yeah. That stream.

Compared to this...

We're on the map here, man.

What do you see? Murphy.

Rita Hayworth in a bikini, sir.

You'd have better

luck bringing

that Kraut back to life.

I crossed the river

about half a click back

before I met that n*zi.

Shh!

Which way, Brooks?

That fight disoriented

me pretty good.

But remember,

fate of the free world

rests in our ability to

light that beacon tonight.

That way, I think.

All right.

Keep your eyes open, Huber.

The Americans could be anywhere.

We have to stop them

before anything happens.

They must fail.

They must die.

Did you hear that?

No, sir.

This is a waste of time.

Sir...

We should split up.

So we're flying due north

and the wind is

coming in from the west.

Should be the right area.

So if we trace this river west,

then we'd end up at

the Saint-Come-du-Mont.

Yeah.

We could still make

it to the DZ,

but time's not on our side.

So we move west and then north.

We're about three miles

from the drop zone.

Yeah, about three hours

from the next wave of planes.

Let's go.

You heard him, move out.

Stick to cover

wherever possible.

Keep your head on swivel.

You going to be okay

to keep up, son?

Yes, sir.

I'll be fine.

All right, move out.

Look, this is

the road on the map.

Looks like it gets us

pretty close to the DZ.

Leaves us exposed.

Yeah, but it gives

us a clear path.

Okay.

Keep your weapons

at there ready, boys.

Look at that tree line, Murph.

Hey, Brooks?

How does that

thing work, anyways?

The transponding radar?

The beacon?

It sends out a pulsing signal

that a specialized receiver

in the planes can pick up.

Based on the time

of the return signal,

pilots can navigate toward it.

So it's like a

bat with echolocation?

Yeah, kinda.

And the planes, they all have

the right equipment for it.

We've got a long

march in front of us.

Less talking, and stay focused.

Get off the road, get off

the road, get off the road.

All clear!

Steady now.

That was close, cap.

That was close.

We're on a mission.

You shaking like a red moon

Rosalita does not help, son.

I understand that, sir.

But how are we going to make

it if every time

a damn n*zi truck drives by,

we've got to get off the road?

And what about

the other Pathfinders?

What about us?

Tell you what, Peters

and the rest of them...

Hey, just shut up!

No contact from anyone

means we're the only

ones that made it.

Our mission is still the same.

We get to the DZ,

deliver that beacon,

or else Operation Neptune

is lost.

We're not going

to let that happen.

We can warn the others later.

Understood.

You know, back on the farm,

if we had a tough job ahead of

us, my granddad would say,

"You put the hay in the barn."

Respectfully, sir, I don't

know too much about that.

Yeah, well, for you city boys,

if you leave hay outside,

it gets rotten,

it gets pests and rained on.

So if you really want

to finish your job,

you put the hay back

in the barn.

Men, we got one hell of a

tough job in front of us,

but I think we're going

to make it through.

Not just for ourselves,

but for the whole free world.

I'm with you, sir.

Let's put the hay in the barn.

Move out!

Maneuvering around

all the n*zi patrols

made for slow progress,

and at times we were worried

we might not make it at all.

However, thanks to

the captain's pep talk,

we were determined

to see things through.

Hey, hey, up ahead!

Jerrys!

Take cover, take cover.

-Move, move, move.

-Go, go.

I got the one on

the left, Cap.

I'll take the one on the right.

Three, two, one.

Nice sh**ting, Cap.

Murphy, Books,

check their pockets.

See if there's anything useful.

Yes, sir.

We got some smokes, Cap.

I'd rather sh**t myself twice

than smoke any of

those kraut cigarettes.

Take them anyway.

I got a German map, I think.

Oh, sh*t.

Speak up, Brooks.

We're going the wrong way.

Look here.

Oh, sh*t, they marked

their patrol route.

This is more detailed than ours.

If we'd have had this

from the beginning...

Move, move, move!

Go, go, go, go!

Brooks!

Wait, come on, Brooks!

Pick up the pace!

Krause, Krause.

Come in.

What is your position?

Krause to HQ,

Krause to HQ.

Visual confirmation of...

Krause to HQ,

Krause to HQ.

Visual confirmation of four

Americans on foot heading north.

Repeat, four

Americans heading north.

-Krause.

-Go ahead.

Gather intelligence on

the American paratroopers.

Capture and bring them

in for questioning.

Capture.

Do not k*ll...

Sir, what?

Why do we not just k*ll them?

You heard HQ.

Dozens of American

paratroopers dropped.

They're clearly on a mission.

We need to find

exactly what that is.

We got two and a half hours

to establish the drop zone.

Speed is essential.

They know where we are now.

Yes, sir.

What are you doing, Murphy?

n*zi smoke is

still smoke, sir.

What are you,

some kind of philosopher?

Come on, move.

Work for me,

God damn it.

47-1197 to SHAEF.

47-1197 to SHAEF.

49-711, that's a fine mess

you made on our runway.

Hang in there, Lieutenant.

We've got a crew on the way.

Come on, come on.

Get the hoses out.

General Bradley, sir.

Report, Lieutenant.

We ran into a heavy flak

over the drop zone.

My bird took a beating, had to

get the Pathfinders out early,

lost contact with C-47s,

confirming the two that

were with me went down.

-It was brutal.

-The Pathfinders.

You were saying they cannot

confirm they landed?

I didn't have visual

confirmation, sir.

Damn it.

There were thick clouds

and heavy flak everywhere.

What are the odds they landed

in the right spot?

Tough to say, sir.

We were under heavy fire,

but we were one mile inland

before things got hairy.

What about the beacon, Peters?

Any sign they got it deployed?

I don't know.

I haven't had any ground

communications save for here.

No one's radioed in?

We can assume they fell

where the drop zone is,

like the Lieutenant said.

Which means they might have

had the opportunity

to activate the beacon.

But we don't know that.

For all they know, it fell off

the cliff along with his men.

No, no, no, no one

went over the cliffs.

We were one mile inland

before the Germans

shredded our plane,

before I let my men jump.

Understand?

Sorry, of course.

General, Beacon or not,

we cannot delay

the Normandy invasion

any longer.

The spring tide won't occur

again for another month.

We can't afford

to wait that long.

If we don't move now,

any chance we have of winning

this w*r may be lost forever.

We should wait for more intel.

What's the contingency plan?

There is no contingency plan,

not one that doesn't

end in disaster.

Operation Overlord

is already in motion.

We have to get the second wave

of paratroopers in the air.

We can't call in retreat now.

But we don't know if the

Pathfinders landed successfully.

We can't send thousands of men

to their death

without knowing if

we established the drop zone.

You've already sent thousands

of men to their death.

The least we can do is make

sure that

their sacrifice isn't in vain.

Gentlemen, enough.

We will move forward

assuming the Pathfinders

will be able to deploy

the first beacon.

We will send out the next wave

to destroy necessary

infrastructure.

We need to slow down

the Nazis

ahead of tomorrow's

Operation Neptune.

We don't have any other choice.

Then let me head back out there.

I know where they are.

I know where we were shot,

so I know where

the Germans are too.

I can do this

and report back, sir.

And if the beacon isn't on?

I'll light it myself.

We don't have enough planes.

Son, if you understand

what's at stake,

we need every plane,

every pilot, every paratrooper.

I brought you back here to get

ready for the Normandy invasion,

not to go back for the beacon.

We need everything we've

got for this as*ault,

or we're going to lose this w*r.

Do we understand?

Yes, sir.

But if it's not on,

we'll be flying in blind.

Do you trust your men?

Yes, sir, I do.

But without any

true confirmation,

I know that those men

are going to fight to the death

to get that beacon lit.

But that's what I'm afraid of.

Okay, I hear you.

We'll get your plane repaired

and on its way back to France.

Yes, sir.

Out of here.

That's a good man.

With no way to call

home to ask for reinforcements,

we were truly on our own.

My injured leg was

slowing us down,

but we all knew we needed

to complete our mission,

or the main as*ault would fail.

Keep your eyes open, Murph.

We don't want to get caught

by any more Jerry patrols.

Murph, how are you holding up?

Actually, can we stop

for a second?

-Captain!

-Yeah, I heard him.

What do you want to do?

Kiss it and make it better?

Sir, he's losing a lot of blood.

All right, all right,

all right, two minutes.

Brooks, you rest your leg.

Everyone, drink some water.

Now look, we got about 90

minutes before the next wave.

That's it.

How bad is it?

I'll be fine, I'll be fine.

We need you better

than all right.

Brooks, the fate of Operation

Overlord rests on you, son.

I won't let you down.

Well, I say we get out of here.

Longer we're here, more

chance we'll be caught, huh?

Agreed, let's move.

Brooks?

Ugh...

I'm ready.

Let's move, soldiers.

Thank you.

-Feels better at least.

-Don't mention it.

My mother's a nurse,

I know a thing or two.

I'm sure you're

practically a nun.

Pick point, Murph.

It's a farmhouse.

Let's move, Cap.

Should we circle back?

No, we can't circle back.

It's a waste of time.

I'm with the Sergeant.

We got to assess the situation.

Sarge, you want to take a look?

Yeah.

One kraut,

fiddling with his radio.

Say we keep moving.

I don't want to stick

around for a gunfight.

You never know how

many more there are.

Agreed.

All right, keep your

wits about you

and shut the hell up, Murphy.

Yes, sir.

Halt!

Halt!

Halt!

Holy hell, that was close.

Shh! He didn't see us,

but he can still hear us.

You dumb sh*t.

All right, Cap.

We're right here.

Yeah.

We got to pick up the pace.

We got 75 minutes before

the next wave arrives.

We got to get that beacon

to the drop zone.

Hey, can you pick up the pace?

Otherwise, this mission

is doomed.

Thousands of lives lost.

Captain, I'll do whatever

it takes, okay?

I won't be the reason

for failure.

Get off the road,

get off the road, come on.

Go, go, go, go.

-I'm sinking.

-Shh.

-sh*t.

-That was close.

Think he's looking for us?

I don't know.

We got to keep moving, though.

I'm stuck.

Sarge, Sarge, Sarge.

Can you help him?

sh*t.

He's stuck.

Cap, come on.

I'm stuck,

my leg, my leg.

All right, all right.

Let's work as a team.

Take my hand, son.

Let's get you out of here.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Ow, ow, it hurts.

I know, I know, son.

All right, we got

to get you out.

You're the only one who

knows how to work that beacon.

Oh, I thought you wanted

to save me for my charm.

Come on, come on, come on.

Ah!

sh*t, Brooks.

That wound's asking for trouble.

I got to clean it again.

Do it quickly.

Every German in the area

is going to know we're here.

They'll be coming for us.

Ah!

Wait, wait.

The radio, the radio

the Germans had.

What about it?

Nobody knows we're here, though.

We still have the beacon.

Yeah, so?

So we commandeer

the radio.

We call up command and

we let them know the score.

The operation's still on.

Yeah, if he's not by his radio,

this could be our chance.

Yeah, makes sense.

All right, Brooks,

you stay here.

Ryken and I will

go back to the radio.

Murphy, keep an eye on Brooks.

No, no, no, I can go.

Take your firearm, Murphy.

You heard the sergeant.

Nurse Florence Nightingale.

You're staying with Brooks.

Let's go.

Thank you.

Stupid American.

Hey, let's move.

Thanks, Sarge.

Don't mention it.

Halt!

-Whoa!

-Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Settle down, settle down.

sh*t.

See you managed

to secure the radio.

Yeah, didn't take

much convincing.

And a cherry ride.

Look, Brooksy was right.

Nobody knows if we survived.

We got to get

a message out there.

Let them know that the mission

can go forward as planned.

Here, put this

frequency into the radio.

See if it works.

If it does, he could get

a message to the general.

All right.

Let me...

Just give me a moment.

Pathfinder 1 to Allied Command,

do you read me?

Pathfinder 1 to Allied Command,

do you read me? Over.

Pathfinder 1,

do you read me? Over.

Pathfinder 1 to Allied Command,

do you read me? Over.

Pathfinder 1,

Pathfinder 1.

This is Lieutenant Peters.

I read you loud and clear,

loud and clear.

Peters, it's Technician Brooks.

Brooks, you survived.

Anyone else with you?

What's your status?

I'm here with Ryken,

Steele and Murphy.

We're heading to the drop zone,

package in hand.

That's great news, Brooks.

The others?

I don't know, some KIA.

What's your timetable?

And is the package viable?

We think so. We haven't tested

it yet, but we're pretty sure.

That's the tops for me, Brooks.

Brooks?

Lieutenant?

Peters?

Peters?

Damn German radio.

Hey, hey, hey,

I hear something.

No, that's not Peters,

that's more German.

Let's take the jeep.

Make it a lot

easier on my knee.

No, sorry, Brooks.

We can't risk the noise.

We stick to walking,

gotta stay stealthy.

Understood, sir.

Come on, let's move out.

Getting in touch

with Peters was a much needed

boost to morale.

Our call was cut short,

so we had to assume

that the attack was still

moving ahead as planned,

which meant we only

had an hour to set up

the beacon at the drop zone.

This bridge gets us

straight to the drop zone.

We've got no choice

but to cross it.

Circling around is

gonna waste too much time.

It feels like we're

walking into a trap.

There's just no cover.

We have to set up that beacon.

Thousands, maybe millions

of lives depend on it.

Okay.

Enough wasting time.

I don't see anything unusual.

It's too damn dark to see

anything at all.

Looks clear.

Just keep your guard up.

I don't know, Sarge.

I'm telling you,

we're walking into a trap.

Look, hey.

There's German brigade

stationed here and here.

Crossing this river is the

only way to the drop zone.

I know we gotta go, Sarge.

It just doesn't seem safe.

It's not safe, Murph.

It's just w*r.

Stick together, stay vigilant.

Anything goes sideways,

rendezvous to the drop zone.

All right, move, Murph.

Sarge! I think I see something!

I don't see anything.

Stay sharp.

Brooks, did you catch that?

I'm not sure.

Look, there it is again.

-sh*t!

-Get down.

We gotta get

off this bridge, Cap.

You keep your

head down, soldier!

We gotta get in the water,

it's our only hope.

Don't even think about it.

We can swim downstream

They'd sh**t us in the water.

But water will

ruin this beacon,

and I can't swim with my leg.

Then let's fall back!

You saw the map

the same as I did.

We got to make it across

this bridge and take them out.

What do you say, Cap?

We got to protect Brooks

and the beacon at all costs.

I want to show them what it

means to be an American.

After this next fire,

catch them off guard.

And...

Now!

Sarge, is it me or will

these krauts just not die?

It's like they made

a deal with the devil.

You know what I say?

Let's send them to hell.

This n*zi b*stard is mine!

He's mine!

I'm gonna send you to hell

and make sure he

stays there!

Sarge, Sarge!

He's dead!

He's dead!

sh*t!

Not gonna help, Murph.

Not gonna help.

It's not gonna help, Murph.

You stay with me, Captain.

All right, as soon as we

light that beacon,

I'm gonna come back for you.

You are Florence Nightingale.

I'm a soldier, damn it!

I know.

If I was hard on

you it's because

you're gonna be a great man.

You just follow your sarge.

You boys have a mission.

Tell my Sarah I love her.

You tell her yourself.

No. It's too late for me.

Tell my Sarah...

We won't let you down, Cap.

Of course you won't.

We're Pathfinders.

No!

No, Cap!

Captain!

Cap!

You've done all you can do.

-Captain!

-We gotta get moving.

No, I'm not leaving him,

all right?

What are you gonna

tell his wife, huh?

God, I should

have just listened.

I should have just listened.

Hey.

Get off of me!

All right, I'm not leaving him!

Oh, Cap.

Cap...

Oh, God.

-Murphy.

-Cap?

Come on, Murphy.

Come on, Murphy.

Murphy.

Murphy!

Hey!

It's not gonna bring him back.

Murph, he's right.

We have an hour to set up

this beacon, we gotta move.

Did you know he was married?

Are you?

Are you?

Murph...

Give these to Sarah.

God...

All right, men.

Let's move out.

Fog coming in thicker.

Check him.

Lieutenant, aren't you supposed

to be preparing your aircraft?

Yes, Major.

I heard from the Pathfinders.

What did you hear?

They have the beacon.

Ah, good, good.

We need it.

We need it now more than ever.

What happened?

God happened.

France happened.

Major?

The fog rolled in.

France is completely covered.

We're running blind.

We need that beacon.

They have the beacon, General,

but I don't know if

they can get it up.

The transmission cut out before

I could confirm anything.

Are they communicating

with you on that?

-Yes, sir.

-Okay, leave it here.

We will confer with them

if they reach out again.

Now go, get your planes

in the air.

You and your squadron

are up first.

The next round of

paratroopers needs to be

on the ground in France,

securing key bridges

and roads by midnight.

Before the amphibian as*ault

begins at sunrise.

Yes, General.

Get out of here.

Thanks, sir.

This is the source

of g*nf*re we heard.

Looks like our men

got one of them, too.

Must have taken

them by surprise.

Do not try to justify

their actions.

They k*lled our brothers.

That is Becker.

Becker.

His body is still warm.

We cannot be far behind.

This is eerie.

Looks like a five-cent movie.

It's creepy but,

it's good for cover.

We're gonna need that beacon

now more than ever.

Well said, Murphy.

At least we're close

to the drop zone.

I don't think we would have

found it in this fog otherwise.

Keep your eyes open

for any Jerrys.

Even in this fog.

Especially in this fog.

Copy that.

Looks like

we did have company.

I need to find a suitable

location for this beacon.

It has to be unobstructed.

Yeah, but not

if we're compromised.

We have to find a cover.

Let's scope out the situation.

Come on.

Did they see us?

There, in the bush.

Oh, sh*t!

sh**t!

Sarge, behind you!

Got him dead.

You need to take out that truck.

Right, heads up.

Cover me.

Now!

Frag out!

Nice one.

All right, come on.

Woo!

I got one dead.

Yeah, this one too.

Nice throw, Murphy.

Yeah, well, high school

ball coach back home

always said there was a spot

for me on the Yankees.

If I make it back,

maybe I'll give it a try out.

Hey, it's not if.

It's when, all right?

Have a positive attitude.

We're almost there.

All right Brooks, we got to

get this beacon set up

before any more

Jerrys get here.

Sarge...

Look at this.

What am I looking at?

According to this,

thousands of German troops

are positioned just up ahead.

We don't have any intelligence

showing troops there.

They know about the invasion?

Sarge, if they know,

we're dead.

Not just us.

All of America.

Let me think.

If the Germans really

are that close,

then the paratroopers will

be slaughtered as they fall.

And if we can't

set this beacon up,

they'll be scattered

and ineffective

rendering

Operation Overlord useless.

What are you thinking, Sarge?

We've got to keep

moving forward.

We've got no other choice.

We'll move up further

to a similar location.

We'll still be able

to light the beacon,

but we'll be far enough

away from the Germans

that our paratroopers

will know where to go

before the Germans

can get to it.

Here.

Can we even make it in time?

We've got 45 minutes before

the next wave arrives.

We can make it if we hurry.

All right, we've got

to get moving.

I'm sure planes are

already in the air.

Let's move.

Squadron leader,

we're just coming

to the coordinates now, sir.

Here we go again.

Sir.

Okay, in about 30 minutes,

the first wave of aircraft

will enter French airspace.

The beacons?

We have 1,200 planes carrying

about 13,000 paratroopers.

With the beacons,

we will prevail.

Our men will land on the shores

and prepare an

amphibian as*ault.

What if the beacons,

they don't go on, sir?

Colonel, have you ever

heard of trench telephone?

No?

The story goes that

in the first great w*r,

an English private needed to

get a critical message

to their front line.

An all-clear

for an attack

against a superior

German command,

but he couldn't do it.

Too many explosions.

All field telephones

were destroyed.

You see, the British battalion

was planning a surprise attack

on a German position,

but without the information

from the private,

the British front line wouldn't

know when they could attack.

They were flying blind.

So what did he do?

He improvised.

As he sprinted

to the front line,

he grabbed a discarded

beer bottle,

he broke off the bottom half,

and he used it as a megaphone.

And he yelled, King George,

King George,

King George, three times,

which was the code that

it was all clear to attack.

And to everyone's surprise,

they heard him all clear.

And the British attacked.

And they won their

battle that night.

I think the French drink

through wine bottles.

An even bigger megaphone.

Salud.

Operation Overlord has begun.

Our men will do whatever

it takes

to ensure we are successful

because, good friend o' mine,

we will prevail.

The captain's death

took a huge toll on all of us,

but there was

no time to grieve.

When we finally

reached the drop zone

to set up the beacon,

we were out of time

and out of options.

And didn't realize

what was awaiting us.

I see your radio.

No soldiers.

Captain, over there.

They must be out looking for us.

Shh.

Or it's a trap.

Don't let your guard down.

All right, it looks clear.

Same as before. The beacon

has to be unobstructed.

All right, we need to get that

beacon operational ASAP.

Got a bunch of paratroopers.

who need to land quickly

to take out bridges and roads

before those Nazis

can meet them on a shore.

-They land.

-I know. I'm working on it.

The paratroopers will land

in 20 minutes.

All right, work quickly.

Shh. Shh.

I hear footsteps,

but I can't see anything.

Halt!

Surrender or die.

You're in German territory.

Last I looked,

this was France.

Put your weapons down.

And your hands in the air.

I'm almost there.

Hold them off for a minute.

Hey, stop, stop.

Hey, don't sh**t, don't sh**t.

We're seeking refuge

as prisoners of w*r

through the Hague Convention.

We're sitting ducks out here.

We need to move

to better cover!

I think I've almost got it.

I've got it.

Scheisse American b*stard!

Oh, God!

What's the word?

There's a wire

connection problem.

Sarge, you all right?

Got hit it in the shoulder.

Brooks, we got to move.

We can't stay here..

It's not working.

It won't turn on.

Forget about it.

We got to fall back.

Right.

Fall back, fall back.

Go! Go!

We have to recover the beacon

before they destroy it.

Sarge, are you all right?

Got any more of those grenades?

I got one left.

Brooks and I are

going to cover you.

You take those

n*zi b*stards out.

Yes, sir.

Frag out.

Brooks.

Did I hit?

Sorry, fellas, I should

have thrown better.

You did fine, Murphy.

It's that damn French fog.

No!

This is insanity.

I can't see a g*dd*mn thing.

Dear God, this is a disaster!

To anyone listening,

climb higher, climb higher!

Hang on!

Where are the Pathfinders?

Where's that beacon?

Pathfinders, this is

Lieutenant Peters.

Do you read me, over?

Pathfinders,

this is Lieutenant Peters!

Do you read me, over?

Do you think any more of

you are coming to save you?

You are mistaken.

I'll charge him from the front.

I'm going to count to ten.

And let you guys flank.

Go around the barn

and catch him by surprise.

What?

You're gonna get

yourself k*lled.

First Ryken, and now you?

Sir, if anyone's gonna

do it, it's gotta be me.

All right, I can do it.

You just gotta trust me.

No, I'm in charge.

Seven.

And I gotta make sure you

two make it out of here alive.

Six.

- It's too late for me.

- Five.

I'm all shot up.

We will k*ll you.

But if we don't take

this Jerry out...

Four!

The whole invasion will fail.

Three!

-Sarge...

-I know what I'm doing.

Two.

Just be ready to take him

out when he's distracted.

Steele, there's gotta

be another way.

We just want to

know what you are doing.

There's not, Brooks.

Be reasonable.

I'm not making

it out of here alive.

Come out with your hands up.

But you two can.

Or we must sh**t.

You gotta get

to that radar beacon

and fix it, you understand?

You ready?

Americans, do you hear that?

Please, come out

with your hands up.

Now!

b*stards!

Murphy, you gonna be okay?

I'll live.

Steele's?

He's gone.

Steele.

Rest easy, brother.

He saved the mission.

Who knows how many lives.

Look, we gotta

complete the mission.

For his sake and Ryken's too.

Copy that.

Check the beacon.

The beacon's dead.

There's no way.

No, there is a way.

Because we gotta complete

the mission, Brooks.

This is specialized technology.

I can't just fix it

with any old thing.

Look, I don't care.

We gotta complete the mission.

I don't know any other way.

Look, I don't

know either, all right?

But what I do know

is that Steele,

Shanahan, and Ryken

and the rest of the 82nd

didn't die for nothing.

Look, Brooks, you're the only

one that can fix this.

When you give up, it's over.

So don't give up on me just yet.

Don't give up on me.

Okay.

Let me check the radio.

The radio's fried.

There's gotta be something.

Jerry cans.

This one's empty.

Wait, this one's

still kind of full.

What the hell are

you doing, Brooks?

How's that supposed

to be a radar beacon?

It wouldn't be radar at all.

But it just might work.

Remember what Ryken said about

putting the hay in the barn?

Helena, thank you, darling.

What?

Get back!

Where's that damn beacon?

Son of a b*tch.

It's beautiful.

I knew it.

It's them.

It's a bonfire.

Attention all units.

This is Lieutenant Peters.

Change course and

head towards the flame.

That's the beacon.

All right, boys, this is it.

Good luck and Godspeed.

And don't land in that fire.

Brooks, look!

The next wave made it!

Operation Neptune can move

forward at full swing.

You did it.

Nah, we did it.

You, me, all of us.

Scheisse Americans!

Ah!

No...

He's dead?

I hear you, man.

Let it out.

What is that?

It's the paratroopers.

They're bombing the bridges.

Your fire worked?

Looks like it.

Come on.

Where are we going?

To help them.

The w*r's not over yet, Private.

Allied sources

say that heavy fighting

is taking place between

the Germans

and invasion forces on

the Normandy Peninsula.

British-American landing

operations from the sea

and from the air are

stretching over the entire area

between Cherbourg

and La Havne.

These soldiers

should be welcomed

as the g*dd*mn heroes they are.

You understand?

Good.

Dismissed.

Technician Brooks.

It's good to see you, soldier.

You look like sh*t.

Yeah, you don't

look much better.

-It's good to see you.

-Private Murphy.

You've served

your country well.

Made it back

in one piece, didn't I?

But, uh, Ryken, Steele,

Shanahan,

they weren't so lucky.

I know, son.

You've been through hell.

You two saved the day

with that fire, though.

Just some improvisation.

Well, General Bradley would like

to see both of you immediately.

Commendation?

Colonel Rothstein, immediately.

Technician Brooks and Private

Murphy here to see you, sir.

Brooks, Private Murphy.

Good to see both of you.

Thank you.

I heard about the fire beacon.

Very impressive work.

You found the

biggest beer bottle.

General?

I'll tell you later.

It's a good story, I promise.

That kind of thinking is

what's going to win us this w*r.

We need men like you.

Thank you, sir.

And that's why I

am recommending the two of you

for the Silver Star.

You went above and beyond

the call of duty.

And I'm raising each of you

a rank effective immediately.

Well, you're not happy.

It's not that, sir.

Sir, we're only here because

our team kept us alive.

I understand.

-Colonel.

-Sir.

Please find out the names

and rank of the men

in Lieutenant Peter's flight.

I'm recommending them

for Silver Star as well.

Honoring their sacrifice

will give their families

additional comfort

with this metal.

Sir.

Dismissed.

General.