Original subtitles

Blam

BLAM.

BLAM.

Blam

Blam

Dig in.

Is he kidding?

What?

You heard me.

Dig in.

BLAM.

Blam

This is one hole I thought somebody else would dig for me.

Blam

What is it Bialos.

Sure picked a convenient place to dig in Lieut.

I got a message from Capt. Harper.

What is it?

High end wants to know why your patrol leader has not shown up at S2 for debriefing.

Because he hasn't gotten back yet. That's why.

Well, Sir. They want him or at least one member of the patrol to go out again right away.

They need someone who knows the area.

They kidding. They won't be fit for anything for a week but sleep.

Well Sir,that's with the captain told Battalion but they said it was imperative.

Alright, tell the Capt. I'll get him out one way or the other, if he gets back.

Yes, Sir.

BLAM.

Blam

Lieut. Look.

It's Saunders.

Caje, Caje, On the double.

Blam

Blam

This all.

Yeah, that's all.

Just one and a, and a half out of six.

Ran into a mess of them huh.

We never even saw a German, Lieut.

Just snipers and landmines.

The got the whole area covered in traps a field mouse couldn't get through.

Daylight patrols haven't got a chance.

You've got to report back to S2 right away.

Got nothing to report. I didn't see a thing. Not a,

Not a thing. We just got slaughtered.

They want you back anyway. You've got to go out again.

I'm sorry, Saunders. I can't do anything about it. Orders just came down.

Funny.

Somehow I feel like I belong here.

Blam

From the number of reconnaissance patrols we've been sending out the last couple of days...

You've all probably got the idea that something pretty important is in the wing.

Well, there is. Major O'Connors is going to brief you himself. Major.

You all know, we're stretched out thin along here. We don't have much in reserve either.

The reason is, our troops are concentrating for a breakthrough in another area.

Now, the success for this breakthrough depends upon our being able to hold this land along here with what we've got.

We have reason to believe that the Germans are going to attack. We can stop them only if we know where.

Unless we can anticipate where they're going to hit us, they'll walk over us like we were a string of ants.

This Battalion has sent out 16 reconnaissance patrols in the last 10 hours.

Casualties have been heavy and the information is zero.

We're gonna keep on sending out patrols until we find out what we have to know.

I can't impress upon you how important any information you come back with is.

I don't care how small or trivial it may seem, it could give us the key.

We have to know where they're going to attack.

Alright, Capt.

OK.

Now you've all been individually briefed on what areas you're supposed to cover.

Now move out and good luck.

Sgt. Jenkins, Sgt. Saunders You stay here for a minute.

Jenkins, this is Sgt. Saunders from K company.

Sgt. Jenkins is leading a patrol into the area you just covered.

You two men know each other.

No, I don't think so.

Is that all Sir.

No.

Saunders is going in with your patrol.

I've already picked my men. I don't need anyone else.

I'm sending him along with you because he's familiar with the area. He's been there twice.

Capt. I've led as many patrols as any man in this outfit.

I don't need somebody tagging along whose nose I might have to wipe.

The patrol is your responsibility Jenkins. Saunders is going along because he's familiar with the area.

You just take advantage of his knowledge. We lost five men in there this morning.

That's what I'm talking about.

What is that crack supposed to mean.

Alright Sgt. Jenkins. You've got your orders.

You heard what the Major said. Now organize your patrol and move out of here.

Yes Sir.

And come back with something.

Okay, Saunders, let's go. Let's find out where the bad guys are.

Move in. Cover.

Go.

Go.

Go.

Bang.

Take cover.

Stuckey, Wilson, you see him.

No.

Jenkins, stay back. That sniper's waiting for somebody to try to help him.

Where is he.

I don't know, but he knows where we are.

Okay, cover me. If I draw fire try to spot him.

Stay back.

Alright, what now, Sergeant.

I'm gonna flush him out and kill him.

You don't even know where he is. You don't know how many of them are around these woods. You want to lose your whole patrol.

Now what would you suggest Sgt.

I suggest we bypass him. We still got a mile and a half before we reach the river.

That was our mission wasn't it.

You wouldn't be afraid of a little action would you.

Yeah, I'm afraid 24 hours a day.

McKay. This is how it goes. We cross one at a time.

Each one of us is gonna draw fire. Try to spot him. You got it? We'll run fast, stay low, but run fast.

How you gonna run fast and look for mines at the same time. This place is loaded with them, don't you know that.

Listen if you haven't got the stomach for this, you stay behind. But this is my patrol you got that.

McKay, follow me. Let's go.

Did you see him?

No.

Move out.

Stay down. Cover me.

Stay down.

McKay, check Martin. Wilson, Stuckey. Take his pouches and papers. We'll take them back with us.

I don't know what you did in K company, but this is the way you fight a war.

Martin's dead, Sarge.

Okay. We'll pick him up on the way back. Come on. We got a lot of ground to cover. Let's get moving.

Saunders.

Saunders.

Come on, move it out. Move it out. Move it.

Saunders.

What do you think you're doing?

Stay back.

BLAM.

Jenkins, I told you this place was mined.

A mine Sarge, Stuckey was right on top of it.

OK. We'll go at same intervals.

A little slower. Watch out for those mines.

Saunders.

If we can get to the top of that it oughta make a nice observation point.

You're supposed to be the expert in this area. What do you think.

I don't know. We never got this far.

Come on.

Glasses. Radio.

All right, this is the way it's gonna be.

One man goes in with me. The other two cover. Anybody who wants it.

I'll go.

Well, well, the boys got a hero complex.

You asked for volunteers. If you don't like it you get yourself someone else.

Just keep your shirt on. I wouldn't think of depriving you of my company.

Alright. Wilson, McKay cover us. Any krauts in there you're gonna hear some shooting.

If that happens, give us 3 minutes and take off back to the company. You got that.

Got it Sarge.

And no grandstanding, go back.

Okay move out.

Okay Rover boy, you first.

(sounds of water cascading)

(Background noise, bearings squeaking, gears clunking)

(Startled cat meows)

Saunders.

Up here.

I thought I heard something.

Take a look and I'll cover you.

Okay.

Kraut patrol.

It's not a patrol. It's a whole platoon.

Better get ready for them.

Not now, we're in a bad position.

What do you suggest Sergeant. Surrendering?

We'll fight if we have to. Right now let's just sit and wait. They may bypass us.

(speaking German)

There's a place below we can hide.

Strip down. Anything that makes any noise.

Put it in there.

(Speaking German)

(Speaking German)

Maybe they will move on.

They're not moving on.

They're moving in.

Saunders.

Take a good luck. That's a full colonel you're looking at.

We're sitting right on top of a German command post.

They move a regimental command post in here, you know they're going to attack pretty soon.

Where?

That's what we've got to find out.

No, what we've got to do is find a way out of here.

Look, Jenkins. I'm not gonna get into this with you again.

We're in the middle of a German regimental command post.

I couldn't think of a better place to get information.

And how do we go to get that information back if we stay here.

Radio.

Negative. We're at least 2 miles out of range. We got a better chance of contacting them by shouting.

It's worth a try.

(Speaking German)

Checkmate Love . This is Queens Bishop, over.

Checkmate Love. Checkmate Love.

This is Checkmate Love, over.

Is that one of the patrols.

I don't know Sir. I'm just barely picking them up.

Wait a minute, Sir. Wait a minute.

Queens Bishop. This is Checkmate Love over.

Queens Bishop. This is Checkmate Love over.

That's Jenkins.

I've lost them, Sir.

Well, stick with it. Let me know the minute you've got anything.

Yes Sir.

Checkmate Love. Checkmate Love.

This is Queens Bishop. This is Queens Bishop, over.

(German Col. communicating using field phone)

Anything more?

No Sir.

Are you sure the call sign they used was Queens Bishop?

I think so Sir, but I could barely hear them.

Jenkin's patrol is the only one still out.

Anybody come back with anything yet?

We know about what we knew two days ago. Nothing.

Well, anything?

Nothing yet.

That's a shame. I just heard a lot of information . The Colonel was on the phone.

What did you hear?

I don't know. I don't speak German.

Okay, this is the way it's gonna go. I think there's a way out of here.

There's a passage that leads to the water wheel well.

If we can slip in there once we'll be able to slip out with the stream.

When?

Tonight. When it gets dark.

That gives us about three hours.

Yup. That's right.

So what we do until then?

Why, we just sit and wait.

Sit and wait.

(Germans talking)

(whispering) This is Queens Bishop....

Get off that radio.

Gotta keep trying.

Checkmate Love. This is Queens Bishop.

That was not a request. That was an order.

As long as there's a chance of making contact, I'm gonna keep trying.

Supposed the krauts pick up the frequency.

Suppose they don't.

I gave you an order Sgt. Drop that radio.

Now you listen to me Jenkins, you listen good. I'm through taking orders from you. You got it.

You got it!

A shoe clerk.

I'm fighting this war with a bunch of shoe clerks.

You handcuffed volunteers are all alike. You're soft. That's why the war is taking so long. Soft.

And I'm right in the middle with a bunch of shoe clerks.

Since I been over here I've seen a lot of dead shoe clerks.

What did you do before the war Jenkins?

I was a soldier.

Regular Army.

Since I was 18 years old I was a soldier. How about you Saunders.

Me?

I sold shoes.

Checkmate Love. This is Queens Bishop over.

Checkmate Love. Checkmate Love.

This is Queens Bishop. This is Queens Bishop.

Checkmate Love. This is Queens Bishop over.

Why don't you try shouting now.

It's time.

Here's the way it'll go. You go first. I'll give you five minutes, then I'll follow.

I'll take the radio.

(Startled Germans react)

Surrender. Surrender.

(talking excitably in German)

I don't speak any German.

Sprechen Sie Deutsch.

No Sir. I don't speak German.

(speaks in German)

I'm sorry Colonel. I don't speak German.

Then how did you know what I said.

Everybody knows "sprechen Sie Deutsch".

What else do you know.

Atchung, attention, Shishen shute, meinen, mein, hein1, swhy 2, Nazi shoe clerk!

I hope that was a joke.

I, I'm sorry. It just came out that way.

What is your name?

Jenkins, Sir..Edward D 12280496.

What are you doing here?

I was on the patrol.

How many men were in the patrol?

Five Sir.

Are you the leader of the patrol.

That's right.

Where's the rest?

One was killed by a sniper about a mile and a half back. Another one stepped on a mine.

And the other two.

There were killed outside when Germans came up.

(speaking German)

Did you use your radio.

No, Sir.

Why not?

I'm out of range.

Well, according to our intelligence your lines are less than a mile away.

I'm sorry Sir. I don't know where my lines are.

You mean, you wouldn't tell us where your lines are.

I can't.

(Speaking German)

Why are you wearing the uniform of a Sergeant?

That's my rank, Sir.

And why are you wearing a Lieut.'s uniform in this photograph.

That was a long time ago, Sir. I'm a Sgt.

Explain that to me.

It was before the war. they discharged me, took away my commission.

A year later I enlisted again, that's all.

Why did they discharge you?

They said I was an unfit officer.

Is that true? Were you unfit?

Yes, Sir. Well that's what they said.

And why did you join the Army again?

I'm a soldier.

Now, I want you to tell me where your lines are.

I can't do that Col.

You have been found hiding in a German command post.

You had a radio with you. I have reason to believe you are an officer.

And yet you are in the uniform of a non-commissioned officer.

This is enough evidence for me to shoot you as a spy.

Even under the terms of the Geneva Convention. If you do not cooperate I'll have you shot at once.

Alright.

(speaking German)

I'll tell you, I'll tell you everything I can colonel.

That sounds better, does it not?

That's much better now. Now I want you to show me exactly where your Regiment is deployed.

Southwest of here about 2 miles.

I said exactly.

I'm gonna need a map.

Alright.

I'm sorry.

Pick it up.

It's just that, I'm a little nervous.

That's all right.

Sit down.

My Battalion is dug in here.

And the rest of the Regiment.

The first Battalion is dug in behind us.

The second Battalion is butted in here, between 60 and third.

Are they massed for an attack?

No, Sir. Were dug in for an extended defense.

And this area. It is not defended?

I think there's something in there. I don't know what.

You see, I only have knowledge of my own area.

And what about here. Southwest of the River.

There's a rumor that the 19th division was moving in.

And now, Let's go back to this area here, where you claim not to know what the defense is.

That's right Colonel, I don't.

I don't believe you.

(speaking German)

Mitzy, mitzy, mitzy, mitzy

Herr Hoffman.

Ich ein anderes Paar Schuhe gefunden.

Eines anderen amerikanischen Schuhe.

Saunders, get out of here!

Roger. Checkmate Blue out.

Sgt. Saunders, Sir.

What is it, Sgt.

Reporting for debriefing. I was on Jenkins patrol. I think we have the information we need.

Uh. Where's, where's Jenkins.

Dead. They all are.

What, I'm sorry.

Okay, Go get cleaned up Sgt. We'll get your report later.

Captain, I said we got the information.

We were in German command post. We saw the maps, we know.

We know where the Germans are going to attack.

We know that. We're preparing a defense and counter attack right now.

We broke the German code this morning.

Captain Reed.

Yes Sir.

Captain.

Sgt. Jenkins gave up his life so I could stay alive and bring back this information.

And now somebody is going to hear it.

What's this Captain?

Sgt. Saunders was with Jenkins' patrol, Major.

They were very successful.

Yes, Sir. We were successful

We found out where the Germans are attacking.

That's what we were sent out for wasn't it. That's what Jenkins died for.

Didn't Cpt. Reed tell you we broke the German code this morning.

I'm trying to explain that this soldier gave\n up his life on purpose so I could get back

alive with this information.

And now you're telling me that this information isn't important.

All right, gentlemen. Move out to your units.

Who said it isn't important.

It was important enough for a couple of dozen guys to give up their lives for it, wasn't it.

You think I sent out those patrols without trying to protect and back up each man.

There were hundreds of men sitting at desks trying to break that German code.

We know of six members of the French underground that were killed trying to get the same information you got.

The important thing is that we have it now. We don't have to risk anymore lives.

It really doesn't make much difference who got it first.

You understand.

Captain.

Did you know Sgt. Jenkins personally?

What I mean is did you know anything about his past record.

Yes I know all about his record.

Well he told me he was...

an officer before the war.

Is that true?

Well not quite.

He was made an officer when the war broke out.

What happened?

Well, he was with a training command.

I guess he was pretty rough on his men.

Anyway. Two boys died from heat exhaustion on a forced march.

The Army doesn...didn't think he was fit to be.. an officer.

You know it's a funny, funny thing, Major.

I never had an easier time hating a man.

And I'll never have a harder time forgetting one.

Subtitles by Jack T