Original subtitles

This is the province of Normandy in France.

Once the site of the world's greatest armed invasion,

now a land of peace and abundance.

Sanlo, a town in Normandy that emerged from its own ruins.

Each year when the warmth of

the summer sun finds its way to the village,

the people of Sanlo remember another summer,

the summer of the Great War.

There is talk of the American soldier

to whom they erected a statue,

a tribute to all American soldiers whose courage and

spirit was responsible for the liberation of their town.

They call him the Major of Sanlo.

It started at 6.30 AM on June 6,

1944 off the beaches of Normandy.

Four thousand troop transport,

800 warships, 11,000 airplanes,

and most important of all,

thousands upon thousands of men.

The world watched, prayed.

A new vocabulary was born,

Omaha and Utah Beach,

hedge row, and the most talked about word of all, Sanlo.

The first destination on the road to victory.

Major, I'll pick up the mail and be right back.

Ask the general what he'd like to

tell the battalion and the Supreme of Sanlo.

General Gerhard, I hear the Germans control of

Sanlo is holding up a war. Is that possible?

Well, it's holding up a big part of it.

You see, Sanlo is the key to all of France.

It's the terminus of the hedgerow country.

But beyond Sanlo,

a broad sweeping plains with

wide highways and clear farmlands which will allow

our convoys and mechanized equipment

chance to fan out across the entire continent.

We're trapped in this hedgerow country.

And the Germans realized that they got

the entire invasion block if we can't break through.

That's why they got their best troops there

with orders to stand fast.

Because once we do break out of this bottleneck,

the jigs up and the German high command knows.

In other words, Sanlo is like the cork of a bottle.

Exactly. And it's our job to pull that cork.

Well, General, I'm new over here.

What are these hedgerows everybody's talking about?

Well, there's no one better qualified to answer that

than our battalion commanders.

One of them is here now.

This is Major Howie, the 116th Infantry Regiment.

Major.

Yes, sir.

Morning, gentlemen.

Well, how can I best explain it?

I suppose you were taking a drive from New York to Chicago.

Only every 50 yards along the way,

there was a mound of earth up to 10 feet high.

There were trees and shrubs growing out of it.

And if you decided to take a look over that mound,

there was a guy with a machine gun

waiting to blow your head off.

The chances are you wouldn't get to Chicago.

But we've got to get to Sanlo.

General Cota, hasn't your mechanized stuff

been able to find some way around those hedgerows?

No.

Normandy's laced with them.

Aerial maps show as many as 3,900 in an eight square mile

area.

They're foliage covered dykes with a farmlands

ready made for gun emplacements or concealed strong points.

The hedgerow, gentlemen, is an invention of the devil

to beat the soldier to death.

And what's the 29th going to do?

Bleed and win.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

General Cota, I want to talk to you.

How's it going, Tom?

Sit down.

Not good, sir.

enemy artillery has been plastering us.

A third battalion's down to 420 combat effectives.

First Army headquarters reports that units

of three German divisions are headed towards Sanlo

as reinforcements.

We've got to get our mechanized stuff through before they

get there.

Tom, the capture of Sanlo means that the breakout can begin.

We making another push tonight?

I'm sending up the first and second battalion.

Your third battalion will consolidate and stand by.

You're pretty tired, aren't you?

Who isn't, General?

You've been pushing awful hard.

Harder than the Army's got a rate to expect.

I only know one way to fight.

Your kind of fighting uses a man up pretty fast.

You were offered a job in G3 at headquarters.

Why didn't you take it?

I got a lot of men up front, sir.

I worry less when I'm with them.

I could order you back.

Well, I hope you won't, sir.

Well, then come up with a good reason.

I can't be too concerned about you being a mother hen.

General, it's no secret that Sanlo

is the key to the success of the whole invasion.

Well, ever since we hit the beach,

the third battalion's been headed there.

And we're so close now, we can almost spit into the square.

We feel we deserve that piece of real estate, General.

And I've told my men I'm going to take them there.

Go over and see Captain Burroughs.

He's got some G2 reports for you.

Yes, sir.

Oh, and I'll see you in Sanlo, sir.

Sergeant, you with the third battalion?

That's right, sir.

Sergeant Shackle.

I was wondering if I might get a lift.

I'm a replacement for your outfit.

The name's Morgan, Eldon Monk Morgan.

Glad to have you, lieutenant.

Eldon what?

Eldon Monk Morgan.

You waiting for somebody?

Yes, sir.

The battalion commander.

Boy, sure picked myself a ride.

Uh, you got nothing to worry, lieutenant.

The Major likes second lieutenants.

There's nobody who gives such special attention to, oh,

except the Germans.

To them, he uses gestures.

Like on that day we hit the beach.

A German machine gun nest.

Fire!

He cools it all by himself.

Oh, uh, got something to tell you, lieutenant.

No helmet, no grenades, but you're practically

out of uniform.

And there's nothing the Major hates worst.

Major Howie, the lieutenant here is a replacement.

Lieutenant Eldon Monk Morgan.

Lieutenant, Siaco, I think we'd...

Eldon what?

Eldon Monk Morgan, sir.

Where'd you get your training, lieutenant?

Fort Benning, sir.

So did I, but I don't remember them teaching infantry

to wear overseas caps in their combat area.

I didn't think...

How about this battle harness?

These clips are for grenades.

Thought I'd wait to get the battle lines.

The battle line is right up there,

and there's no sign saying so.

When you need a grenade soldier, you need one.

You ready to roll?

Yes, sir.

Let's go.

Here's your mail, Major, and your wife.

Looks like...

Oh, awfully good to have you with us, lieutenant.

Bill, this is Lieutenant Eldon Monk Morgan,

Captain Bill Bunney, our executive officer.

Eldon what?

Morgan, sir.

Eldon Monk Morgan.

He's taking over a platoon of L Company.

How's it been going?

Major, I Company reports heavy mortar fire.

They're evacuating casualties.

They request replacements.

Fort replacements.

Tom, it's been murder all along the line.

They've been plastering us all day long.

Well, tell them to dig in and hold.

We're attacking soon.

Right.

Here's our furthest point of advance, some 70 yards.

Big day's work, huh?

Yeah, great.

The main line of resistance only one field away.

Morgan, here's the area where your company is.

What's left of it?

It's under 25% of normal strength.

Beg pardon, Major.

Hmm?

What's this?

Well, some of us guys figured that since you're going to be the first soldier into San Lo,

you ought to have a new pair of shoes.

Impress the natives, you know?

Well, looks like about an 11-8.

Ah, the Major's got square feet.

Morgan, I'll take you over to your company.

Tom, there's no sense you taking any unnecessary risks.

Any way I can find my own way, sir.

Well, that's a very brave attitude, but it makes for dead lieutenants.

Those fields are lousy with German paratroopers.

Come on, let's get you the necessary equipment.

Ah, nothing to worry about, Captain.

I'll go along and look after both of them.

You guys trying to get yourself shot full of holes, sneaking up like that?

Who would expect to find you guys in my company, I'll wait.

Oh, you're cute.

For two cents I'd...

Tell it to the Major.

Where can we find Al Company's command post?

Sir, it should be two fields on our flank.

Sides talk.

To the battalion commander.

Looks like we found him.

Is that Al Company?

Yeah, over here.

Over here.

Now listen, Morgan.

When Chiaco cuts loose, you dig out along the bottom of this hedgerow.

At Al Company, he'll be out there about 70 yards.

Chiaco, two man emplacement, 20 yards out.

I'll give you the signal.

Okay, Major.

That's my Major.

These are men from the Al Company, sir.

Alright, then you're home.

They'll take you to your platoon.

Uh, just one word of advice, Morgan.

Listen to your first sergeant, he'll keep you alive.

Yes, sir.

By the way, how long have you been over here?

I left the States ten days ago, sir.

Very elegant new boots.

Now, where'd you get them?

Major, don't ever look a gift horse in the mouth.

Tom, call from Richmond.

General Gerhard's on his way down there and wants you to meet him there right away.

Now, you know something?

You do have square feet.

Chiaco.

So, Bingham's 2nd Battalion got off to a running start and made it to La Maddalena alright,

but the Germans closed in behind.

The 3rd Battalion's to join him, hold the position,

while the 2nd moves into San Lo.

2nd's going to the right.

And who's into San Lo?

2nd's going into San Lo?

I know, Tom, everybody expected your gang to go in first,

but by the time you cut through to La Maddalena,

I don't think your boys can stand the extra gaff.

Very well, sir.

I want you to spring the 2nd by dawn tomorrow.

Now, how you do it is up to you.

What is it?

I was just looking at my new boots, sir.

Boats?

I know what you men have been through, and I know our losses have been heavy.

But the 2nd Battalion's in trouble, and we've got to get them out.

There's a lot of Germans between here and La Maddalena.

That's right.

And that's our job to cut through.

Sir, if we get through, then do we go on to San Lo?

No, that's been assigned to the 2nd Battalion.

What do you mean, the 2nd?

Everybody knows that's San Lo is ours, baby.

Bill, this is a war, not a foot race.

We've been trying for days to push into La Maddalena.

Sir, how can we do it now?

We'll do it with surprise, with rapid movement, and a lot of luck.

We'll do it with this.

My darling, your letter of June 18th came today, and I am so grateful you are well.

It seems impossible that 19 months have gone by since Sally and I have seen you.

Perhaps that is because you've never left us, not really.

For the two of us, to have had you as husband and father is our greatest blessing.

The planning for your return, our greatest pleasure.

Now about the book. It's a gift from some of your students at Stanton.

Sorry to disturb you, Tom, but it's 0400.

No, that's all right. I can finish this later.

The wife?

Mm-hmm.

Well, she sent this along with it.

Some of my students at Stanton Military Academy bought it for me.

Spoon River Anthology by Ed Gilley Masters.

Mm-hmm.

Here, listen to this.

These are the ghosts from the desolate coasts. Would you go to them? Only pursue them.

Whatever enshrined is within you is you in a place where no wind is.

You know, you're about the biggest enigma that I've ever run up against.

Hmm?

From school teacher who likes dreamy poetry to destruction and new boots.

Well, there are some things you do because you like to.

Others because you have to.

Did you check personnel?

Yeah, just finished.

Are they nervous about using bayonets?

Not as long as you're with them.

Whatever you've got, Major, those guys can use.

It seems impossible that 19 months have gone by since Sally and I have seen you.

Perhaps that is because you've never left us.

Not really.

累

You're back in the ch latent?

Yeah.

You're second, but I'm.

Yeah.

Who are you?

Third.

How's the leg, Thiago?

Uh, not so bad, Major.

Now don't you worry.

I'll be walking right behind you into St. Law.

Hey!

Major Howie?

Communications are set up.

Major Bingham's waiting for you.

Right.

Major Howie?

We're in fair shape, sir.

No, not good, sir.

They've taken a bad beating the past 30 hours.

Major Bingham says they couldn't push on.

What about our outfit?

Yes, sir.

Right, sir.

See you in St. Law.

We're going in, Bill.

We'll have air support and General Cotus forming an armored column at Kuvein.

They're ready when we are.

Looks like I'll have a chance to use these new boots after all.

Guess what's left of that town always was your real estate.

The Germans wised up.

Here comes the big stuff.

Come on, Bill.

Let's notify the men that we're going in.

As soon as this stuff lets up, the third's going into St. Law.

Be ready to push.

We're going into St. Law as soon as this barrage lets up.

Be ready to go when you get the word.

We're going into St. Law.

I got till I'm hit.

I got till I'm hit.

I got till I'm hit.

Major Howie's dead.

I got bad news.

Major Howie's been killed.

The shell got Major Howie.

He's dead.

You got to get your brain blown out.

You got to get your brain blown out.

Major Howie is dead.

And Howie's report this morning, the last thing he said was that he'd see us at St.

Law.

With God as my witness, he shall.

Major Howie's leading the 29th in.

Carry on.

Yes, sir.

All right, soldiers.

Let's get back in.

Take care of those doors.

Go down.

OK, 29th, let's go.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Let's go.

So the major wrote into San Mo.

Behind him, Tramp, what was left of his battalion boys turned into veterans, veterans with a score to settle for the major, thus achieving his purpose, thus carrying out his orders, thus leaving to those who loved him a heritage of pride that will outlast their grief.

Major Thomas D. Howie, third battalion, 116th Infantry, 29th Division, lies at rest between a private and a general in the American cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach.

These are the ghosts from the desolate coasts. Would you go to them? Only pursue them.

The only enshrined that's within you is you.

Tonight, the DuPont Theatre ends another season on this station.

Watch your local program listings for news of an exciting new series of live 90 minute plays and musicals to be brought to you by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware, makers of better things for better living through chemistry.