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#101st airborne division
tetragonia · 3 days
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Joe Toye's son about his father:
"He was a pretty religious guy and went to church every Sunday. He was even in a choir when he was young. He was always grateful for what he had. They portrayed him in the series as a quiet, almost morose kind of guy, but growing up, I saw another side of him. He wasn’t a backslapper, but he had a pretty good sense of humor. Babe and Malarkey both said that when the bullets started flying, my dad sang Irish songs."
I had chills reading this passage. Joe was amazing :')
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theworldatwar · 7 months
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US soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division pose for a photograph in Berchtesgaden, Germany - May 1945
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yourspeirs · 1 month
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footprintsinthesxnd · 10 months
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Midnights
Pairings: Eugene Roe x f!reader Summary: Eugene and Y/n have been in love with each other since Toccoa. The pair final admit their feelings for each other and things get a little heated. Warnings: smut, sexual images, 18+, minors dni Disclaimer: any writing of Band of Brothers characters is strictly based of their fictional representation within the show and is meant as no disrespect to the real hero’s.
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The beer was cool against Eugene’s lips as he raised the bottle, taking a long swig of the golden liquid. He watched the scene unfolding in front of him, as George Luz tried hopelessly to flirt with the poor barmaid who wasn’t the slightest bit interested. He’d been at it for the best part of an hour but he still hadn’t given up hope. Eugene and Babe Heffron gave up trying to help him, wanting to preserve what little dignity George still had left as the barmaid landed another wounding blow to his ego and resigned to a game of darts with Buck Compton and Joe Toye.
“The winner gets two packs of smokes?” Joe asked, twirling the dart delicately between his fingers, a smirk on his face.
“You’re on,” Babe replied, dragging Eugene with him who followed reluctantly, downing the rest of his beer before taking the darts from his friend and lining himself up with the board. “Go on Gene, show 'em what ya got.” Babe cheered, clapping his hands enthusiastically and causing a red tint to spread across Eugene’s cheeks. He threw the first two darts with ease, not letting the noise of the bar or the jeering from his comrades distract him. Before he threw the third dart, the door swung open letting in the cool evening breeze and sending a shiver down Eugene’s spine, a pleasant relief from the sticky sweat beneath his class A uniform. His dark eyes moved to the door where they met those of a certain female medic who was smiling jovially and waving at a group of his fellow Easy Company men. Eugene gulped, averting his eyes back to the darts board when he felt a hand appear on his shoulder. “Do I notice a blush on those cheeks, Eugene?” Buck whispered into his ear, causing Gene to duck away from him.
“No…got nothin’ to blush about…just warm in here,” Eugene tugged at the collar of his uniform, emphasising how warm he was.
“Sure thing, Doc,” Buck smirked at him as Eugene took his last turn before handing the darts off to Joe.
“Buck’s right you know,” Babe chimed in, following Eugene as he retreated to the bar. “You’ve just gotta talk to her, she’s a nice gal and if the way she’s been looking over here all night I reckon she feels the same way.”
Eugene leant forward, coughing frantically on the sip of beer he’d just taken.
“Christ Gene, don’t die on me,” Babe laughed, slapping the medics back playfully. Eugene gave Babe a stern glare causing the young paratrooper to put his hands up in mock surrender. “Just think about it.”
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As the evening drew on, Eugene found his senses dwindling from the alcohol he’d consumed. He’d somehow been drawn into a drinking game with Chuck and Floyd and could feel his brain begin to falter as he fumbled his way through the bar to a seat in the corner. Eugene's mind was swaying aimlessly when a familiar figure sat down beside him, equally wobbly from their alcohol intoxication.
“Hey Genie,” she blushed, running her hand through his dark locks causing him to freeze. “How’re you doing?” She mumbled, slumping down beside him.
“I… ’m okay… good…you?” Eugene gulped, glancing at Y/n as she grinned.
“I’m good but I’m even better now I’m here with you,” she grabbed ahold of his hands. “Do you want to get some air, it’s a little stuffy in here.” She bit her lip and batted her lashes. Eugene gulped again.
“Yeah, course…I’d…love to.”
Y/n grabbed hold of his hand, leading him between the crowds of paratroopers to the door, a few whistles and shouts of ‘go get her Gene’ followed them.
The cool air brushed Eugene’s face, bringing some relief from the stifling heat of the bar. Taking a deep breath and watching as the air left his lungs in a small puff into the night, he began to feel some relief.
“Eugene, I need to tell you something. I’ve wanted to tell you for a while and now that we’re going back into combat I need to tell you before it’s too late and I don’t get the chance,” Y/n rambled, reeling off the sentences in one breath without turning to face him. Eugene moved slowly, fearful of frightening the panicked woman who stood before him. They were facing each other but Y/n wouldn’t meet his eyes. “Y/n?” He squeezed her hands lightly causing her to look up, his eyes pleading with her.
“You don’t feel the same do you?” She asked, her bottom lip began to quiver and her eyes watery. The image broke Eugene’s heart and he quickly stepped forward pulling the young woman into his chest. Her shoulders shook a little and he rushed to comfort her. “Shhh mon amour, please don’tcha think that,” Eugene begged, pressing his lips firmly to her hairline in a desperate attempt to bring her some comfort.
“I have loved ya since I laid eyes on you, ain’t ya the most beautiful, strong and brave woman I ever seen,” this time it was Eugene’s turn to ramble. “I was just too afraid in case ya didn’t feel the same.”
Y/n looked up a little shell shocked from his confession. She’d never heard the Cajun man speak so plainly or so much that she wasn’t sure how to reply, instead she grabbed hold of his collar, pushing her lips to his. Eugene let out a small yelp of protest before he too cercumed to the kiss, winding his arms around her waist and holding her firmly against him.
When they pulled apart Y/n was smiling widely, “Do you maybe want to walk me to my billet?” She bit her lip, watching as the cogs of Eugene’s mind turned frantically.
“Y…yes,” he finally stuttered, taking hold of her arm and they began the short journey to the house where Y/n was staying.
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“We shouldn't be doin’ this,” Eugene groaned as she began placing hot, open-mouth kisses along his jugular, nipping at the sensitive flesh. “Y/n.” His hands gripped ahold of her hips, stopping any movement and causing Y/n to look up, her eyebrows furrowed as she watched him worriedly. Had she overstepped the line? Did he not want her? It had been pretty clear how he was feeling when he’d carried her up the stairs, stripping her of her clothes as they went. Y/n swiftly climbed off his lap, stepping away from him and straightening the nonexistent creases in her uniform shirt. “I'm sorry… Gene, I'm so sorry… I didn’t,” she began digressing, unable to meet his eyes as her lips ran wild, words tumbling from them at an embarrassingly rapid rate.
Eugene stood quickly, stepping over towards her and grasping hold of her hands, bringing them up to his lips and silencing her ramblings.
“It ain’t that at all, ma chérie, of course, I want ya. I've wanted ya for so long but I needa make sure ya want this too. I need to know how far ya wanna go with this because honestly,” he paused, rubbing his hand over the back of his neck awkwardly. “I don’t think I'll be able to stop myself once we’ve started. God, I'm weak.” Eugene slumped back down on the bed, running his hand over his face with a low groan, “It’s just that I’ve never felt this way before and I know it's wrong and we shouldn’t but I…” Gene was silenced by Y/n’s lips pressing firmly to his, her hand winding around his neck and into his hair as his hands came to rest upon her hips.
“I want this, Gene,” she breathed, her breath fanning over the sensitive skin of his neck. “I want you.”
It was as if a switch flicked in Eugene’s mind because the next thing Y/n knew she was pinned beneath him, his strong arms resting on either side of her head, his mouth sucking deep bruises on her abdomen and his hands trailing down her sides, stroking her hips lovingly.
“Gene,” she gasped as he grazed his teeth along the skin of her lower abdomen. “God, yes Gene. Yes!” Eugene’s hands worked quickly, slipping her underwear down her legs and discarding them across the room, placing small kisses on her thighs.
Eugene couldn’t believe his luck when he looked up at Y/n, the woman he’d been in love with since Toccoa was here, beneath him, letting him make love to her. The smell of her hair, the soft moans that left her perfect mouth, and her salty, sweaty skin beneath his lips drove him wild. His lips worked quickly, lapping and kissing between her thighs until she was a moaning mess, hands fisted into the bedsheets, back arching off the bed.
“Eugene, please,” Y/n all but cried, fisting her hands into his dark locks, tugging him upwards to kiss him. Eugene’s lips curled up into a smirk, his dark eyes shining. “Please Gene, I need you.” She begged, pulling him flush against her body and fiddling at the buckle of his trousers desperately.
“Someone’s needy, ain’t ya Darlin’,” Gene asked, smoothing down the loose hairs from around her face. Y/n managed to slip her hand down into his underwear, fingers grazing against his hard cock, pulling it free from his trousers. Eugene let out a shaky breath, his hands stabilising himself against the headboard.
“God preserve me,” he muttered through gritted teeth as Y/n ran her thumb over his red tip. Y/n smiled up at him, running her other hand softly over his cheek.
“I love you, Eugene.”
“I love to too, Ma Chérie.” He sealed his lips to hers, stealing the air from her lungs. Gene’s hands shook with anticipation as he dragged the head of his cock up and down your sex agonisingly slow. Eugene let out a choked sound as he sunk into her, both of them reeling at the feeling of fullness. Y/n’s hands gripping tightly to his shoulders, leaving deep red marks on his pale flesh.
“You’re so tight,” he grunted, pulling back slightly before rocking himself forward. Y/n groaned, squeezing her pelvic muscles as Eugene bit back a pained whimper escaping from his plump lips.
Y/n chuckled slightly and did it again, his grip tightening on her hips and he sent her a warning glare. Eugene’s thrust became more desperate, needier. His hands moved to pin hers above her head, chests impossibly close.
The room was quickly filled with soft moans and needy whines as he brought her to the edge. Y/n’s eyes were closed, too consumed by the pleasure building in her stomach, the knot tightening deep in her abdomen.
“Look at me ma Chérie, I want to see ya. I need ya to look at me.” Eugene pleaded, his voice strained as he too fought his orgasm. As Y/n opened her eyes the band snapped and she was sent spiraling into her ecstasy, hips bucking upwards uncontrollably. Eugene soon followed, cumming with a loud cry as he buried his head into her neck, loud breaths muffled by her flesh.
The couple lay there for a few minutes, both too exhausted to move or speak, too wrapped up in their moment of satisfaction.
“Eugene,” Y/n spoke slowly, carding her fingers through his locks. Eugene let out a small hum in response, tilting his head to look at her. “Thank you.”
“What for, Darlin’?” He asked, propping himself up above her.
“For this. For making me feel this way… for loving me,” she admitted sheepishly. Eugene's normally shy features burst with love, his smile growing wider than ever. “It weren’t difficult ma Chérie. It was real easy to love you and I found it impossible to stop myself from loving ya.” He admitted, a red hue growing across his cheeks causing Y/n to smile too.
“Well, I’m very glad you didn’t stop yourself. I love you.” She caressed his cheek, leaning their foreheads together lovingly. “As do I, ma Chérie.”
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Taglist: @a-reader-and-a-writer @maggiescarborough @mayhem24-7forever @ssprayberrythings @xoxabs88xox @luckyladycreator2 @elenavampire21 @callmemana @t-nd-rfoot @desert-fern @cherrycola27 @jstarr86 @starkleila @alexxavicry @roostette @floralfloyd @soulmates8 @mayhemmanaged @shanimallina87 @shadowsintheknight @bcon24 @yeahcurrahhe-e @iceman-kazansky @softly-writes
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mads-weasley · 9 months
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Epiphany Pt. 1: Enchanted
Lewis Nixon x Reader
Masterlist
Series Masterlist
A/N: heyyy guys! i've decided to start a lewis nixon series!! and yes, the chapter titles are all taylor swift songs. i'm super excited to post this first chapter! please enjoy and let me know what you think! hbo owns the rights, and this is about the fictional portrayal of easy company on the show. nothing but love and respect for veterans on this blog!
Word Count: 2.3k
Summary: Arriving at Camp Toccoa to join Easy Company, (y/n) (y/l/n), a participant in a new WAC program, has her first encounter with the men of Easy.
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It was a hot and unbearable day under the Georgia sun when (y/n) (y/l/n) arrived at Camp Toccoa. She tried to ignore the looks she got from the men as she rumbled by in a jeep, but what she couldn’t ignore was the rambling of her driver.
“Hi,” he introduced, glancing over at her. “The name’s Lorraine. Well, it’s Gerald, but everyone calls me Lorraine.” 
She shot him a kind smile. “Nice to meet you, Gerald. (Y/n) (y/l/n). I’m part of the Athena program.
“I haven’t heard of that.”
“Well,” (y/h/c) began. “it’s a new part of the WAC that’s sending a few women into the Army as a sort of trial run for the future.”
A look of disbelief passed over his face before he reigned it in quickly. “What made you want to join up, then?”
“Well, who wouldn’t after Pearl Harbor?” She asked, wiping sweat from her forehead.
Lorraine simply nodded and kept his eyes on the road, almost as if he was contemplating a woman’s place in war. To (y/n)’s relief, he chose to keep his conclusion to himself. Vest turned down another long dirt road that seemed to lead directly to the base of a mountain she assumed was the famous Curahee. With a deep breath, (y/n) silently prayed she had the strength to prove to him and everyone else that women belonged in the army; that she belonged.
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The morning after Sobel’s canteen tirade, Winters and Nixon were in line for breakfast in the mess hall, trying to figure out what to do about their CO.
“So, what did you do?” Lew asked, walking toward an empty table. There were times when he was thankful he was in intelligence instead of with the rest of the men, and most were because of the hell Sobel put them through.
Dick trailed him with a sigh. “Picked six men and gave them latrine duty.” 
“The lucky six?”
“McDonald, Toye, Perconte, Lipton, Muck, and Guarnere,” he stated, sitting across from Lew. 
“Why them?”
“It was their turn.”
Nix chuckled, looking down at his messy food in thought. It was his job to know things, and he happened to hear about a controversial topic flowing down the ranks. “Hey, have you heard about the new WAC program integrating women into the Army?”
“I’m glad you mentioned it. Our own Athena participant should be arriving at 16:00.”
Lew’s head shot up. “In Easy?”
“Yep.”
Lew didn’t have anything against women in the military but also didn’t know how the men would handle it. “What do you think about it?”
“Well,” Dick began, putting down his utensils softly. “I’m trying to have an open mind, but I’m worried about some of the men.”
Nix nodded and took a sip of coffee with a smirk. “We’ll just have to wait and see, then.”
Little did he know that later that day, his life would change forever.
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Lorraine and (y/n) arrived at Colonel Sink’s office a few minutes after 16:00, and the woman was almost sick to her stomach with anxiety. While Lorraine was inside informing Sink of their arrival, she tried to calm herself down. All she wanted was to make an excellent first impression on the Colonel and her superiors.
Lorraine returned and ushered her into the small building serving as Sink’s quarters. (Y/n) followed him down a hallway to a single office room. He nodded and closed the door behind her once she entered. The woman turned and raised her hand to salute him.
“Ah, Miss (y/l/n),” Sink called, words dripping with his North Carolina drawl as he held his hand out. “At ease. Welcome to Camp Toccoa.”
She shook it firmly, praying he overlooked their clamminess. “Thank you, sir. I’m happy to be here.”
Sink gestured for her to sit as he took a seat at his desk, which was neatly arranged in piles of folders and other stationery. “When I first heard about the Athena Project, I didn’t know what to think. My wife was the one who showed me that women have the same right to serve their country as us men. She’s a modern Abigail Adams if you understand my meaning.”
“Yes sir,” (y/n) replied.
He interlocked his fingers above the desk. “If I may ask, what made you volunteer for the program?”
“Well, sir,” she spoke softly, willing her voice to stay strong. “My brother was stationed on the Arizona at Pearl Harbor. He was 20. I couldn’t let the opportunity to follow his footsteps pass by.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Thank you for your family’s sacrifice.”
(Y/n) wanted to respond, but her throat seemed to close up on her. Unable to answer, she nodded stiffly, willing the tears from her waterline.
He noticed her distress and cleared his throat suddenly. “Let’s get to it, shall we? You’ll be in Easy Company of the 101st Airborne. You won’t get any special treatment, but we’ll try to accommodate you as much as possible.”
The door scraped open behind (y/n), and she resisted looking back at the newcomer. The footsteps sounded like a single person, and she hoped they wouldn’t catch on to her moment of emotion. Luckily, Sink addressed them, giving her time to gain control of herself.
“ Winters, where’s Lieutenant Sobel?” He asked with furrowed brows. “He’s supposed to be here.”
 Dick spoke up. “I don’t know, sir. I last saw him in the mess hall around noon.”
With a huff, Sink rose and introduced her. “Lieutenant, this is (y/n) (y/l/n), our Athena participant.”
The redhead smiled politely. “Dick Winters. Nice to have you with us, (y/l/n).”
“Hi,” she nodded, shaking his hand. “Nice to meet you, Lieutenant. Call me (y/n).”
Sink led them out of the office and into the main room of the building. “Lieutenant Winters here is going to show you around camp before supper.”
From there, the pair walked around the camp, and Dick informed her of their daily training routine, as well as the expectations of Easy company. Toward the end of their tour, he asked about her family back home and was surprised that she dodged the subject before having to answer. Sensing her discomfort, he made a mental note to not bring it up anymore. 
Before they knew it, it was 18:00, and supper was being served at the mess hall. Dick led her to the large building and ushered them inside. When (y/n) walked into the room, the stench of sweat and body odor mixed with food hit her like a bus. Bile rose in her throat, and it was all she could do to keep from throwing up. 
‘Don’t throw up. Don’t throw up,’ her mind repeated, eyes sinking to the floor.
Dick chuckled beside her. “You get used to the smell,” he quipped. “Let me introduce you to some of the men.”
Before he could take her to them, a shorter brunette man with a boyish look walked up to them, a sly grin on his face. “Lieutenant Winters, sir,” he saluted. “George Luz, ma’am. We’re all glad to have you.”
Two faces popped out from behind his shoulder with smiles of their own. Without missing a beat, George rolled his eyes and pointed at them. “These two idiots are Skip Muck and Alex Penkala.”
Skip smacked him on the back of the head with an aggravated look on his face. “You’re the one that had to be the first to meet her, George, so really, we’re not the idiots here.”
She squinted her eyes as giggles burst from her lips when Luz’s face turned beet red at the comment. She knew immediately that she liked the trio.
“Nice to meet you, too, boys. You can call me (y/n).”
Penkala’s eyes widened and glanced at the two in faux horror. “She called us boys.”
“We are boys.”
“We’re boys,” George mocked. “No, Skip, were men.” 
“How old are you three anyways?” She asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
Alex was 18, Skip was 20, and George was 21. After hearing about their ages, she realized that they were just boys. They still had most of their lives to live, much like millions of other soldiers in their position. Much like her.
Dick left (y/n) with the trio and went to attend to his other duties. Once they took a seat, the boys started rambling on about everything from their terrible CO to the best types of slop they were given at mealtimes. (Y/n)’s eyes wandered around the room for a moment before another pair caught hers. When their eyes met across the crowded mess hall, everything around them seemed to vanish as time slowed to a standstill.
The soft, warm gaze in his eyes felt like a long-lost memory, a memory that had been tucked away in the depths of her heart, waiting for the perfect moment to resurface. (Y/n)’s heart fluttered as she felt an undeniable pull toward him, and she couldn’t help but be captivated by the genuine curiosity and surprise that emanated from his gaze. The man was, without a doubt, the most attractive man she’d ever laid eyes on, and her heart skipped a beat at the realization.
His eyes seemed to whisper, “Have we met?” And (y/n) found herself asking the same question.
She held the stranger’s gaze for a few seconds before he slowly got up and started making his way to her. As he approached her, she noticed him anxiously tousling his well-groomed dark chestnut hair with his hand. (Y/n) was suddenly self-conscious and did the same, taming her hair ruined by the southern humidity. Her heart was racing in her chest, almost anticipating the life-changing moment that was about to happen. 
Making it to her table, Lewis grinned and sat beside her, his smile making her blush slightly. “It seems George likes you almost as much as he likes Rita Hayworth,” he said.
The soldier scoffed, ”No offense, (y/n), but Rita is the love of my life. She may not know who I am, but I plan to change that someday. It’s going to happen. Just wait and see, right Penk?”
Alex raised his eyebrows and nodded reluctantly, “Absolutely, buddy. You’ll show her what she’s been missing.”
(Y/n) pressed her lips tightly together, stifling the sound of her impending laughter. She scrunched her nose slightly as if trying to hold back a giggle. Her efforts, though valiant, were ultimately futile as a few muted snickers managed to slip through her defenses.
She soon gave up, and her laughter filled the air. He couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the sight before him. (Y/n)'s face lit up with joy, and her eyes sparkled with delight. The sound of her laughter was infectious, and he found himself chuckling along, almost entranced by how she expressed her happiness so freely.
“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, (y/l/n),” George said, getting up from the table. “See you all at breakfast.”
Skip and Alex bid their goodbyes as well, following him out of the mess hall. Realizing it was just her and the handsome soldier beside her, (y/n) turned to him with a smile.
Nix stuck out his hand. “Lewis Nixon. As an intelligence officer, it’s my job to know things, so I can’t believe I don’t know your name.”
(Y/n) couldn’t help but notice a subtle nervousness in his eyes matched with a hint of mischief. “Pleasure to meet you, Lewis. I’m (y/n) (y/l/n), Easy’s Athena.”
“Call me Lew,” he charmed, still shaking her hand softly. “We’re happy to have you, (y/n).”
When the realization dawned upon them that they were still holding hands, shy smiles spread across their faces. Lewis cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
"Have you met Captain Sobel yet?" He asked, grimacing.
"I don't think so. Is he over Easy Company?"
"Yeah. He's also the biggest jacka-"
"There's no way he's that bad," she interrupted, eyes widening.
Lewis chuckled under his breath. "Trust me. Every Friday night, he makes Easy march twelve miles in full gear, just out of spite."
"Do any other companies march?"
“Nope. Just Easy. And after marching last night, he made Dick make up six infractions and punish the men for it. He ended up giving latrine duty to the men who were on this week’s rotation.”
(Y/n) rubbed a hand down her face, groaning. “Lieutenant Winters didn’t say anything about Sobel when he was showing me around.”
“Well, Dick is pretty straight-laced,” Lewis said shrugging with a smirk. “Not everyone can be a cool, calm, and collected intelligence officer.”
"Someone's ego is a little over-inflated," she laughed, raising her eyebrows at him.
“So, how’re you liki-,” he started to ask but was interrupted by someone calling his name. Following the voice, he looked behind him to see Dick near the doors, motioning him over.
“Well,” Nix sighed, looking back at (y/n) with a sheepish smile. “Duty calls.”
As he got up, she called after him. “See you later, Nix.”
She didn’t miss the lack of a ring on his hand, and for the rest of the night, she replayed the enchanting encounter in her mind. How could a stranger seem so familiar? 
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carbone14 · 1 year
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‘The Eagle’s Nest’
(Band of Brothers – Easy Company)
©Artwork by John D. Shaw
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iceman-kazansky · 5 months
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Learned something new about Janovec today. It's actually really shocking and sad, ngl. For those who don't recognize the name; John Janovec was played by Tom Hardy in the BoB series.
(And if you still don't know him, this guy below)
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Annnddd for all you lovely people who can't read that very clearly (I dont blame you it's a shitty picture,) I wrote it out;
"One night Sgt. Robert Marsh was driving Pvt. John Janovec back from a roadblock by a side road. Janovec was leaning on the unreliable door of a German truck. They hit a log. He lost his balance, fell, and hit his head on the pavement. Marsh rushed him to the regimental aid station in Zell am See, but he died on the way of a fractured skull."
Source: Band of Brothers by Steven E. Ambrose, Chapter 18, "A Soldier's Dream Life," page 283
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jump-wings · 10 months
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Joe Liebgott
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For Band of Brothers Appreciation Week
First Day: Favourite Enlisted Soldier
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usafphantom2 · 11 months
Video
Vietnam war
flickr
Vietnam war by Linh Yoshimura Via Flickr: 1960s - 101st Airborne helicopter landing on base.
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ghoulsister1 · 11 months
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☕️🥐Soft Mornings With Albert Blithe Moodboard + Headcanon☕️🥐
Gently running your fingers through Blithe's hair, feeling the soft strands glide through your fingers and Blithe giving hums of approval, enjoying the feeling of your touch and finding comfort in it💛
If it's raining in the morning, you two will just lay a little while longer in bed, Blithe and you enjoying the sounds of the pitter patter of rain on the windows, creating a soothing ambience🌧
When you two are up and out of bed you make breakfast. The two of you take turns in making breakfast, so today it's your turn☀️
You start prepping the eggs and bacon for the frying pan, putting two slices of bread in the toaster, putting some coffee on and getting two glasses out for some orange juice🫗🥓🍳
As you prepare breakfast Blithe will wash up and will go outside to collect today's newspaper🗞
Once breakfast is ready Blithe makes his way to the kitchen, newspaper tucked under his arm and followed by his adopted pitbull puppy "Biscuit"🐕
Blithe preps a bowl of food for Biscuit and sits down to eat with you, casually reading the newspaper from time to time, but mostly making conversation with you💖
You'd smile and giggle when Biscuit comes up to Blithe and just sits by his feet, waiting for Blithe to give him a scrap of his breakfast. Blithe always gives him a few scraps of bacon, one time a full strip of bacon when Biscuit pulled the cutest puppy eyes and whined while pawing at Blithe's leg. He couldn't resist🥺🥓🐕
If it's a work day Blithe will get dressed and give you a sweet kiss and pat to Biscuit before heading out to work, leaving you to freshen up and go about your daily routine and take Biscuit for walkies. Then get dinner ready for when Blithe comes home🐕‍🦺
But if it's a no work week or day, you would freshen up and usually join Blithe back in bed or on the couch🛋
The two of you would either remain in your pjs or change into soft lounge wear to get super comfy. Have lo-fi music on in the background, cuddly blankets and pillows making a big nest of softness. Biscuit even gets in on it, knowing he'll get plenty of attention and love as always from both of you💞
You two would end up watching your favourite TV shows before starting on a new series, then ending up binge watching the whole first season of the new series📺
Usually having a movie or two after. Accompanied by some snacks🎬🧃🥪
You two exchanging little kisses between you, making each other giggle when you two try the Eskimo kiss😘
Soft Mornings with this cinnamon roll is just pure bliss and Blithe loves spending these mornings with the person he loves the most💕 Enjoy these moments with our Airborne soft boy Blithe💗💗💗
Hope you enjoy the moodboard and little headcanon with it! I haven't made a nice headcanon for my beloved Blithe in a while so I'm really happy to write this and make a little moodboard🥰🧡
Hope you all like it!🥰
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Hamburger Hill (1987, John Irvin)
25/03/2024
Hamburger Hill is a 1987 film directed by John Irvin, inspired by the Battle of Hamburger Hill, which occurred during the Vietnam War.
Vietnam, 1969, a group of young paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division, under the command of Sergeant Frantz, is sent to the A Shau valley to try to wrest Hill 937 from the North Vietnamese, which, following the battle, will be nicknamed "Hamburger Hill" (meat grinder hill), due to the significant losses suffered by American soldiers.
Filmed between October and December 1986, Hamburger Hill is part of the Vietnam-movie genre of the period, coming out a year after Oliver Stone's Platoon and at the same time as Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket.
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theworldatwar · 4 months
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A paratrooper from the US 101st Airborne Division examines holes in the front armoured plating of a British Sherman Firefly destroyed in the city of Erp, Netherlands - Sept 1944
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yourspeirs · 28 days
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footprintsinthesxnd · 8 months
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It’s Just Too Late
Pairings: Dick Winters x gn!reader Summary: Dick never realised how much he loved them, until he nearly lost them. But is it too late. Warnings: injuries, graphic details, swearing, lost love, war images
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Dick Winters was a man of many talents, patients being one of them, but as his fingers clashed aggressively against the keys of his typewriter, Dick couldn’t think of anything worse. The reports were stacking up and despite how many pages he’d disdainfully yielded to, it hadn’t even made a dent. The methodical tapping filled the room, each chime of the typewriter indicating another line was complete of the hundreds he had to go. Nixon and Heyliger had visited him several hours ago to discuss the patrol but Dick had barely heard a word they’d spoken, his mind too consumed with the clacking of the keys. The only true distraction he had was Y/n. The young paratrooper seemed to consume his thoughts increasingly more frequently since his promotion. Nixon had always said that ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ but Dick hadn’t believed him until now. It seemed that the less he saw of them, the more he thought of them. Even now, as the keys rattled rhythmically, images of them flashed before his eyes. His fingers only stopped when he realised he’d written Y/n’s name in the middle of his report.
“Shit!” Dick cursed, running his hand forcefully through his red locks, pulling at the knotted strands with his fingers. The soft knock at the door caused Dick to jump, smacking his knee on the desk as a further string of profanities fell from his lips.
“Come in,” his voice was a little harsher than he’d intended, so when the cautious face of Y/n poked around the door his features immediately softened. “Y/n, please come in.” Dick stood from his desk, moving to greet the young paratrooper who had a light dusting of pink spreading further across their cheeks. “Is there something you wanted to talk about?” Dick ushered Y/n towards one of the wooden chairs opposite his desk before sitting beside them. Dick had hated the way his new position seemed to flaunt his authority, putting the soldiers he’d once fought beside on the opposite side of his desk just seemed demeaning.
“What can I do for you?” Dick asked, his voice wavering ever so slightly as he all but choked on the sentence. Y/n watched him, eyes wide and looking as though they weren’t sure why they were there either.
“I…umm I don’t rightly know, Sir. It’s just… well this is the first time I’ll be in combat without you leading Easy and… well I wanted to see you before I left.” Y/n’s lips moved slowly, tantalizingly slowly, their mouth forming each word as Dick’s eyes followed the movements.
“Lieutenant Heyliger is a fine soldier, I’m sure he’ll take care of you all. Just follow his lead and work in a team,” Dick tried to reassure Y/n but he didn’t even manage to convince himself. He’d never worried as much about his company as when he wasn’t leading them. Y/n could sense this and reached a hand forward, gripping hold of Dick’s and squeezing it tightly.
“I know he is but he’s no Lieutenant Winters,” Y/n shot Dick a small smile which he returned almost immediately. The corners of his lips pulled upwards into a soft smile, his eyes watching Y/n’s hand on his own.
“Y/n…”
“Lieutenant Winters…”
“You first,” they both laughed awkwardly. Dick rubbing the back of his neck, nails scratching his scalp as he averted his blue eyes.
“Y/n, I…” Dick froze as Y/n’s lips made contact with his own, soft at first, plump lips moving shakily against his immobile ones. Dick pulled away suddenly, clearing his throat and standing swiftly, his chair scraping across the wooden floor with an eerie screech. Y/n stood suddenly in response, “Sir, I… Lieutenant Winters, I’m…”
“We can’t do this Y/n. I want to but…we can’t. I’m so sorry.” Dick’s heart broke as he watched Y/n’s face fall, the once cheerful smile that graced their lips turned into a small frown and their beautiful eyes watery with unshed tears.
“Sir,” Y/n saluted, waiting for Winter's response before they fled the room. Dick stood frozen, his hand still raised to his forehead as the sound of their boots disappeared into the distance.
Dick’s throat felt dry, tightening uncomfortably as he took in a small breath, his lungs burning for air as if Y/n’s departure sucked the life from him. ‘How could I have been so stupid?’ He thought to himself, a disheartened sigh falling from his lips as he ambled towards the window, a few small flickering lights illuminating Y/n’s figure disappearing quickly into the barn where the other paratroopers had congregated. Dick had to fight every part of his being not to rush after them, to apologise, to kiss them back but his legs remained firm and he couldn’t shift his gaze from the window. He’d wait there all night if he had to, just waiting for their safe return.
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The news came just hours later, with a subtle tap at the door, a low voice declaring enter and a wild-eyed Nixon entering the room.
“Dick, I need you to come with me?” Was all Lewis could say before Dick barrelled past him out of the door, not even questioning why he was needed. Something went wrong with the mission, his men needed him and Dick wasn’t about to let…
“It’s Y/n!”
Lewis’s voice broke through the night, freezing Dick in place, his right foot poised to take another step.
“What?”
“They were injured on the patrol. It’s bad, Dick.”
Dick swivelled around on the balls of his feet to face the intelligence officer. His heart pounding like an enraged man trapped inside of him, hammering to escape through the ivory bars that contained him. “What?” He repeated, unable to process what he’d been told. Y/n couldn’t be injured. No, that was impossible. They were going to come back and he was meant to make amends. How could he make amends if they…? Dick didn’t want to finish his train of thought.
“Take me to them.”
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The ward was loud, seemingly too loud to be filled with injured men. There was laughter and singing, some men were playing cards, others were writing letters, and some were sound asleep despite the barrage of jests that flew above their heads. Dick spotted Easy’s medic, Eugene, helping an injured comrade back to his cot, the young Cajun man smiled sympathetically at the injured soldier.
Dick and Lewis followed a young nurse through the ward and into a more secluded ward at the end. Here the patients were quieter, more subdued, more deathly pale and far more likely to… Dick stopped the thought once again, pushing it deep down inside of him where he hoped it would stay, never to see the light of day.
The nurse ushered the two officers towards a curtained-off area, speaking in hushed tones before pulling the curtain aside so the two men could enter. Dick’s knees buckled and only Lewis’ strong grip on his waist kept him from collapsing at the site. Y/n lay in the bed, their face a mess of purple and green bruises. The right side of their lip revealed a large split and a mass of discoloured bandages hid the rest of their head from view. Y/n’s breathing was shallow, barely moving the sheets that covered their body. Dick’s heart clenched painfully at the sight. Lewis managed to guide Dick to the chair beside the bed, allowing him to collapse into it before pulling another chair up beside him.
“Dick?” He reached forward, but Dick shrank away from his friend's touch.
“This is all my fault, Lew, all my fault.” A strangled sob fell from Dick’s lips as he balled up his hands, rubbing at his cheeks in a futile attempt to stop the tears from falling.
“Why is this your fault? You weren’t even there,” Lewis tried his best to comfort his friend but only managed to make the situation worse.
“Because I should have been there,” Dick snapped, standing swiftly and unintentionally sending his chair flying backwards. “I am their commanding officer and I should have been there. I promised them I’d protect them and…” Dick swallowed the lump forming in his throat. “I… God I’m in love with them, Lew. I’m in love and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.”
Lewis Nixon for once in his life was speechless. He’d never seen his best friend act in this way. The cool, calm and collected Dick Winters balling his eyes out and confessing his love for his fellow paratrooper. Nixon stood, pushing his chair back quietly to avoid further commotion. “I’m going to give you some time. I’ll be back at Battalion CP if you need me.” Lewis gave Dick a sympathetic pat on the back, before leaving him with his thoughts.
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Days passed with Dick glued to Y/n’s beside, his hand never moving far from theirs, keeping a tight grasp as if he could pull them back into the world of the living. Officers back at Battalion thought Dick had gone AWOL but at this point, Dick no longer cared. Nixon came by every day, having smoothed any ruffled feathers at Battalion CP and came to support his friend but Dick barely even acknowledged his existence. By the fifth day, Dick’s eyes were red and sore from all the silent tears he had cried, his heavy lids sliding closed for a few moments of relief until a small movement beneath his hand jolted him awake.
“Y/n?” He leant forward, moving his chair closer to the bedside and running his fingers slowly over their forehead, pushing away the loose hairs. Y/n squinted at him through blurry eyes, their hand coming up to push Dick’s away as they moved to lean on their elbows.
“Hey. Hey, be careful,” Dick moved forward to help but was shooed away.
“What are you doing here?” Y/n’s voice was rough and raspy, their lungs taking seemingly slow, painful breaths. Dick’s brow furrowed as he watched Y/n shuffle further away from him, evidently displeased with his company and causing his heart to break further.
“What do you mean?” His voice was strained now as he bit back the tears that seemed to have appeared, emotions from deep within him that until a week ago he didn’t realise he held for his fellow paratrooper.
“I mean what are you doing? What are you doing here?” Y/n sighed, pushing themselves up to rest against the pillow. “Captain Winters, what are you doing here?”
The use of his official rank hit Dick in the chest, striking him in the heart. He gulped audibly, trying to process what they had asked.
“I was worried,” he replied earnestly, leaning forward again to take Y/n’s hand but they once again withdrew, shaking their head.
“Please don’t,” Y/n looked up at him, tears threatening to fall as they blinked, avoiding eye contact with Dick.
“Don’t what? Y/n, please. I’m so sorry. I… I never meant what I said and I’ve been torturing myself about it ever since.” Dick stepped forward, pushing his chair away and kneeling beside Y/n’s bed. “ Y/n, I realised something very important far too late and I will forever hate myself for what I did to you. I love you Y/n and I’m so sorry I didn’t realise until I thought I’d lose you.”
Y/n watched as the red-headed man in front of them crouched beside their bed, begging for forgiveness and pouring his heart out. Never had Y/n thought they’d hear those words coming from the ‘Great Dick Winters’ and yet here he was and for some reason, they couldn’t say it back. Despite having loved Dick since Toccoa, they couldn’t say it back.
“Captain Winters, I’m sorry but I can’t. I’ve thought over what you said and you were right all along. We can’t be together, this is a war for fuck sake,” Dick cringed at the crude words leaving their mouth but barely it show, too caught up in their words. “I do love you, Dick Winters and I’ll always love you but we’re not right for each other and we both know it.”
“No, don’t say that… don’t give up on us.”
“I’m not giving up on us Dick, I’m just letting you go,” Y/n smiled sympathetically as the normally strong man in front of them fell apart, tears escaped from the corners of his blue eyes and the lump forming in his throat felt as if he was being choked. Dick gasped, opening his mouth but unable to speak, unable to think of anything to rectify the situation.
“Y/n…” his voice spoke weakly but Y/n just shook their head.
“I’m sorry Dick, I truly am.”
A faint knock on the wall drew the pair away from each other. Dick stood quickly, wiping his tears away.
“Am I interrupting something?” Nixon asked cautiously, peaking around the curtain that shielded them from the rest of the ward.
“No, nothing at all Nix.” Dick cleared his throat, “in fact, I was just leaving. Good to see you’re feeling better Y/n.”
Dick’s face burned as he fled the room, he could feel two sets of eyes burning into his back as he fled but he couldn’t bear to face either of them. He knew Nix would ask what happened later and he didn’t know if he could explain it to him without breaking down. He also knew that he’d have to face Y/n again when they returned to the Company but for now, Dick didn’t want to think about that, didn’t want to picture how he’d react when he saw them again. For now, he retreated to the solitude of the office he’d once felt confined by, now seeking sanctuary within those walls and grieving the loss of the love of his life.
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mads-weasley · 8 months
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Epiphany Pt. 2: Out of the Woods
Lewis Nixon x Reader
Masterlist
Series Masterlist
A/N: here's chapter two, guys! thanks to everyone who responded to the first part! y'all made my day! without further ado, enjoy! hbo owns the rights, and this is about the fictional portrayal of easy company on the show. nothing but love and respect for veterans on this blog!
Summary: Operation Overlord is upon Easy Company, and the brave paratroopers get their first taste of war.
Word Count: 3.6k
Warnings: mentions of death, blood
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Hundreds of tents lined the muddy fields surrounding the Upottery Airfield in preparation for Operation Overlord. (Y/n) found a dry spot amongst 2nd platoon and laid out all of her supplies. Looking at the various grenades, mines, and other random items, she groaned. “How am I supposed to put all of this in a pack? It’s ridiculous!”
“Tell me about it! ”Joe Toye scoffed from her right, staring down at his pile. “I’ve got a three-day supply of ‘K’ rations, chocolate bars, charms, candy, powdered coffee, sugar, matches, compass, bayonet, entrenching tool, ammunition, gas mask, musette bag with ammo, my webbing, my .45, canteen, two cartons of smokes, Hawkins mine, two grenades, smoke grenades, Gammon grenade, TNT, this bull, and a pair of nasty skivvies!”
Perconte rolled his eyes, tired of Joe’s rant. “What’s your point?”
“Come on,” Toye fumed. “This stuff weighs as much as I do! Probably twice as much as (y/l/n).”
“Yeah, yeah,” she chuckled as Joe continued.
“I still got my chute, my reserve chute, my Mae West, and my M-1.”
Frank got up and walked past the group, calling over his shoulder with an amused expression. “Where are you keeping your brass knuckles?”
“I could use some brass knuckles,” Toye sighed, sitting back on his heels.
(Y/n) finished readying her pack and attempted to lift it over her shoulder with a grunt.
“You and me both, Joe,” she gritted, failing the first few tries.
The fourth time, it weighed considerably less, and she was able to wobbly sit it on her shoulder without tipping over. A proud smile grew on her face, but when she turned and saw who was there, her lips formed a fake pout.
“Nix, you know I could’ve done that by myself?”
The officer laughed, his bright smile making an appearance. “Sure, I thought watching you fail three times was enough.”
Realizing he just admitted to watching her, he shifted from foot to foot and cleared his throat. “Two years. Two years of training led us here. Crazy, right?”
“Yeah,” she murmured, looking around at all her fellow soldiers. “I can’t believe it’s been that long.”
“Well, time did seem to crawl by when we were with Sobel.”
“Absolutely. I still remember his dumbfounded face when Luz impersonated Major Horton. It was the best day of my life.”
Vest came by with pamphlets, handing them to every soldier, announcing they were from Colonel Sink.
“George,” (y/n) called. “Can you do Sink?”
“Does a wild bear crap in the woods, son? Uh, sweetheart?” He corrected, cringing. “Doll? Your majesty? Great and mighty (y/n)?”
(Y/n) raised her eyebrows at him, smirking. “Nice try.”
Cracking a smile, he held up the paper and began reading it as the Colonel. “Soldiers of the regiment, tonight is the night-,” his voice lowered, becoming serious as he continued. “-of nights. Today, as you read this, you are en route to the great adventure for which you have trained for over two years.”
The message hung in the air as each paratrooper took it in. They were going to war. The realization washed over (y/n) like a bucket of ice water, and her mind flashed with the faces of the men she’d come to call brothers. 
Don, George, Skip, Alex, Frank, Lip…
It could be the last time she saw some of them.
“Hey,” Nix smirked and pointed at the various mohawks Lieb had given some men, oblivious to her anxiety-ridden mind. “I think you should try that hairstyle.”
She rolled her eyes and playfully smacked him on the chest. “Whatever.”
When he didn’t reply, she followed his line of sight to Lieutenant Meehan, who stood atop a jeep. ”Easy Company! Listen up! Gather around me.”
Once Easy was fully gathered, he continued. “Now, the Channel coast is socked in with rain and fog. High winds on the drop zone. No jump tonight!”
Grumbles broke out from the men as they looked at each other in disbelief.
“The invasion has been postponed. We’re on a 24-hour stand-down. Drill sergeants, take charge.”
(Y/n) looked up at Nix as he lit a cigarette, shaking her head with a groan. “Great.”
“What?” He shrugged. “Can’t put up with me for another 24 hours?”
“You know what? You’re insufferable, Nix.”
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JUNE 6th, 1944: UPOTTERY AIRFIELD
The channel cleared the next day, and the jump was back on. (Y/n) removed her helmet and grabbed the grease paint from George’s outstretched hand. 
“I hate this stuff,” she grumbled, twisting off the cap.
She felt someone take the small can from her hand and recognized the culprit by their low chuckle. 
(Y/n) turned to face him with a playful scowl. “Why are you so immature, Lewis?”
“Lewis?” He gasped, a hand flying to his chest. “Oh, I’ve really done it now.”
Her scowl broke as she shoved him lightly. “Shut up.”
“See, I think you’re overthinking this,” he stated, holding up the tin. “All you have to do is get a glob,” he scooped a few fingers into the can. “-And rub it on your face, like so.”
To (y/n)’s dismay, he quickly reached out and smeared the paint down her cheek with a proud smirk.
“See? Voilà.”
Mouth hanging open, she snatched the can from him, hardly concealing her newly formed amused smile. “I hate you,” she deadpanned as she started toward the rest of her platoon.
His hand reached out and grasped her wrist. “Hang on. Let me fix it.”
“Fine,” she huffed.
Lew knew her well enough to see that it was taking all her willpower to keep the corners of her lips from curling into a smile. He thought it was an admirable attempt, but he could see straight through her. 
What he didn’t expect was her glare to drop completely when he lightly tugged her closer by her wrist. An unreadable expression passed over her face, and Lew discovered he might not be able to read her as well as he thought. 
Peering down at her, he softly brushed her (y/h/c) flyaways from her face before leaning down to be at eye level with her. (Y/n)’s breath hitched slightly at the gentle touch, and she looked up to meet his eyes. 
“Don’t make me look like a raccoon, okay?” She whispered, nervousness flowing through her veins.
With a nod, he got some paint on a few fingers and cupped her jaw with his other hand before making lines across her forehead and cheeks. Tilting her face up softly, his touch trailed down her nose down to her lips. Nix’s gaze stayed there for a moment, swallowing thickly as he noticed their curve and the slight pout they were shaped in.
‘It would be so easy to lean in and…stop,’ he caught himself.
“Uh, all done,” he murmured, dropping his hands to his pockets.
(Y/n) blinked, coming down from the high of his touch. “Thank you,” she replied, her gaze locked with his. “Do you need any help with yours?”
Snapping out of his daze, he smiled bashfully. “I’ve got it.”
A few seconds later, Dick approached them, all geared up and ready to go. “It’s time.”
D-Day had begun.
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Staring at the solemn faces of Skip and George across from her, the endless possibilities of what could go wrong flooded her mind as her stomach began to churn.
What if their stick blew up?
What if she was captured?
What if she was killed?
(Y/n) looked up at the sleeping man beside her, admiring his face in the dim light of the plane. Her eyes followed the curve of his nose down to his parted lips as soft breaths passed through them. Even covered in grease in a dark C-47, he was still breathtaking.
What if he was killed?
When they first met in that putrid-smelling mess hall in Toccoa, (y/n) never would have guessed what would become of the pair. The mysterious aura that first drew her to him was quickly wiped away after a few months, revealing a kind, but complicated, man who was sometimes too smart for his own good. 
He was there to vent to when Captain Sobel revoked her weekend pass because her hair was “too long,” and was simply always there to support her. Through the new COs, new bases, and even new countries, he’d been a constant. Over the last two years, he’d been there for her, and she realized that if anything happened to him, she wouldn’t know what to do.
Sure, she was close with the other men in Easy, especially 2nd platoon, but those relationships were… different. Her heart didn’t skip a beat when George Luz or Chuck Grant walked into a room. Their smile didn’t cause heat to rush to her cheeks. 
He was her best friend. There was no other way to describe it. 
But do best friends look at each other the way they do?
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Her thoughts continued to run rampant for the next hour as the paratroopers got closer to their destination. To her left, Tab was deep in thought, as well, pulling at his bottom lip as he usually did when thinking. Pulling herself from her thoughts, (y/n) nudged him with her shoulder. 
“So, I heard you got a present from home.”
He dropped his hand to his lap and grinned as he fished something from his bag. “Yeah, courtesy of the Kokomo police department.”
Floyd showed her the revolver with a proud expression. “It feels good to have a little bit of home with me.”
“That’s great, Tab. I’m glad you’ve got support like that from home.”
“What did your folks have to say about you joining up?” He asked.
(Y/n) took a deep breath before answering, willing the memory from her mind. “They weren’t thrilled, that’s for sure.”
He elbowed her side gently with a chuckle. “Well, we’re all real glad you decided to join this mess. Who else is gonna keep all of us straight?”
Laughing to herself, (y/n) leaned her helmet back against the rumbling wall of the plane, wishing sleep would welcome her soon. Her eyes shot open after a few minutes when the aircraft shook with turbulence. Nausea crept up her throat at the movement, and she groaned at the realization she wasn’t going to get any rest.
Time seemed to stretch on forever sitting on the hard metal seat of the plane. Some of the other men started to rouse and have small conversations around her, but all she could think about was her parents. Could they stand to lose another child?
Tears burned her eyes as her mind replayed the moment they heard the news about Pearl Harbor and her brother’s fate. Her mother’s wails when she collapsed onto the floor beside the radio. The deep ache in her chest didn’t seem to go away with time, and she doubted it ever would.
(Y/n) was pulled from her thoughts by a gentle hand on her shaking knee.
“You’re gonna be okay, (y/n/n).”
Lew.
“Yeah,” she sighed, furiously blinking away her tears. “I’m not worried about myself, though.”
“Don’t worry about me, alright? Stay focused on yourself.”
(Y/n) smirked and raised an eyebrow. “What made you think I was worried about you, mister ‘yale know-it-all?’”
At that moment, Nixon was thankful for the dark plane, for she couldn’t see the flush that crept across his cheeks. “Only by the kind way you speak to me,” he retorted, rolling his eyes. 
Within seconds, his face became serious. “But I mean it, (y/n). Please be careful.”
“I will, Lew. You too, okay?” She replied, grasping his hand atop her knee.
Their conversation was cut short by the red light flashing on beside Dick. Nodding at each other, they prepared for what was about to happen.
“Get ready!” Lieutenant Winters yelled above the rumble of the plane. “Stand up! Hook Up! Equipment check!”
Following orders, they stood, hooked up, and started checking their helmets, followed by pulling on the harnesses of those in front of them. George stood between Nix and (y/n) in line, separating the pair.
“Don’t enjoy this too much,” George jeered back to her as she checked his equipment. 
Through his humor, she could see the fear that each of them felt. 
Dick’s voice filled the plane again. “Sound off for equipment check!”
“Ten okay!”
“Nine okay!”
“Eight okay!”
“Seven okay!”
Hearing her heartbeat in her ears, (y/n) attempted to push her fear deep down. 
“Six okay!” Chuck yelled, tapping her on the shoulder.
(Y/n) repeated the motion for George, shouting. “Five okay,”
“Four okay!”
“Three okay!”
“Two okay!”
“One okay!” Winters finished, looking out the jump door.
Within seconds, the cloud cover dissipated, and explosions filled the air, violently tilting the plane sideways. (Y/n) lost her balance and fell back onto her seat with a curse. Luckily, Chuck grabbed her harness and hoisted her back on her feet in front of him. 
As the plane continued to shake beneath their feet, she looked through the small window at the stick beside them just in time to see it get hit and go down in flames. Her mouth went dry at the sight, and she prayed that they wouldn’t share the same fate.
“Let’s go, let’s go!” Someone yelled at the back of the plane.
Lip turned behind him. “Does that light look green to you?”
The man didn’t get to respond as gunfire ripped through the plane, peppering him with shrapnel.
“I’m hit!”
Among the chaos, the green light flicked on, and Winters called out to them. “Let’s go!”
Without hesitation, he jumped out the door, followed by Gene, Lew, and George. Following Luz, (y/n) didn’t even look before pushing herself out the door.
The first thing she felt was the wind whipping at her equipment as she fell through the air. Anti-aircraft shells exploded around her, adding to the deafening cacophony surrounding her. Explosions, screams, gunfire…it was a sound she’d never forget.
Even with her parachute deployed, the ground was fast approaching. To her panic, she couldn’t see her DZ anywhere. To make matters even worse, the wind guided her toward the dense forest instead of one of the many open fields surrounding her. She tried to pull up on the risers to change her direction, but it was too late. Within seconds, she flew into the tall European oak trees she tried so desperately to avoid.
All air left her lungs as she slammed into a tree, sending her falling through the branches. The sound of snapping wood filled her ears and she hissed at the sharp stings that covered her body as she fell. 
With a jolt, her descent was abruptly stopped, causing her to swing into a nearby trunk with a thwack. (Y/n) groaned at the impact, feeling pain seep into her already bruised and battered body. 
“Great,” she hissed, looking up at the tangled chute. “Of course, I landed in a freaking forest.”
Seeing she was only a few feet off the ground, (y/n) let out a sigh of relief and reached for her knife. When she looked down, she cursed at the missing bag that was supposed to be attached to her leg. 
‘At least I didn’t put anything important in there,’ she thought.
The (y/h/c) quickly cut herself free of the chute and fell through the air again, landing on her feet with a wince. Even though she couldn’t see herself, she knew she had to look rough. The stinging from various cuts and scratches torso, arms, and legs were a dead giveaway to her appearance. 
Pulling out her M1, she quietly made her way to a clearing better illuminated by the moon. She stayed near the edge, wary of being seen, and used her compass and map to try and figure out where she was. After a few minutes, she discovered she was a few miles west of the rally point. Just as she was about to move, a drip of red on her map stole her attention. (Y/n) took off her helmet and began to run a shaky hand through her grimy hair when a sharp pain flared from her temple, making her groan at the searing sensation. Pulling her hand away, she gasped to see it covered in dark red. 
The paratrooper quickly grabbed a bandage and gritted her teeth, tying it the best she could.
“Head wounds bleed the most,” Doc Roe had said in a medic seminar. “You’re gonna go through bandages quick.”
 She gently placed the helmet back on her head and took a deep breath. “You can do this, (y/n),” she muttered under her breath as she started moving east toward the rally point. “You can do it.”
She’d made it to the ground, but she wasn’t out of the woods, yet.
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D-Day Plus Three: Sainte-Mère-Eglise, France
Since Nix finally made it to Sainte-Mère-Eglise on June 7th, his eyes searched the crowd for one face. Every day, he kept a constant check on who arrived and who they’d seen or heard from, and for two days, he couldn’t rest.
On the third day, he overheard some men from the 82nd.
“Did you see the broad?”
On instinct, he rushed out of the makeshift company CP onto the street filled with exhausted paratroopers, ignoring the concerned looks from the men as he quickly made his way to the front of the town. 
“Thank God,” he whispered, seeing her wobbly figure from a distance. 
Her downcast eyes didn’t see him approach as she dragged her feet in the mud, too tired to even pick them up.
“You’re late to the party,” Lew chuckled, trying to mask his relief.
Despite the ringing pain in her head, her eyes shot up to meet his. When their gazes met, she let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. He made it.
A tired smile grew on her blood and dirt-covered face. “Nice to see you, too, Lew.”
Extending his arm out to her, Nix pulled her into a tight embrace. It was like his mind needed physical reassurance she was there. 
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” he murmured into her helmet.
Leaning into his chest, she let the rhythm of his heart calm her fear. Even in a warzone, she felt safe in his arms. “I was worried about you, too.”
A chuckle reverberated through his chest. “So you were worried about me, huh?”
Pulling back to look at him, (y/n) smirked. “I take it back.”
His playful expression changed to concern as he noticed her pale face and the blood beneath her helmet. “Hey, what happened? You’re bleeding.”
(Y/n) ducked her head to the side. “I’m fine, Lew. Really.”
“Come on, let me see,” he urged, gently unclasping her helmet. 
A hiss left him, seeing the blood-soaked cloth haphazardly tied around her head. 
“(Y/n),” he sighed, one hand tilting her jaw to see the wound while the other peeled back the bandage. The gash ran from her right temple to just above her ear. “This is deep. You’re gonna need stitches. Let’s go to the aid station.”
His tender touch left her speechless. “Ok-okay,” she whispered, following him to the medic tent.
The coppery smell of blood hit her like a ton of bricks the second she entered the tent. Men were lying on cots, missing limbs, and crying in agony. (Y/n) froze, unable to tear her gaze from the carnage before her. A guiding hand on the small of her back urged her to keep walking. 
“Come on, (y/n/n). This way,” Lew muttered.
He led her into another tent that was less crowded and sat her down on a nearby cot. “I’ll go find Doc. Stay here.”
Laying back on the cot, (y/n) allowed her body to fully relax for the first time in almost three days. Soreness gnawed at her muscles, leaving behind a dull ache that drained all of her energy. Within a few minutes, her eyes began to droop, and sleep finally welcomed her.
“She’s in here,” Lew said, Doc Roe in tow. “She’s got a nasty cut on her head.”
The cajun nodded. “Alright, I’ll take a look. You know head wounds bleed a lot.”
Walking into the room, their expressions softened at her curled-up form on the cot. “Is it okay if she sleeps,” Nix asked, crouching next to her.
Grimacing, Roe shook his head. “I really should check her head, sir.”
With a nod, Lew gently shook her shoulder. “Hey, (y/n/n). Doc’s here to check your head.”
She weakly groaned and sat up slowly. “I think I could sleep for a week.”
Chuckling, Gene held his index finger up in front of her face. “Follow my finger.”
After a few seconds, he sighed, grabbing a suture kit from his satchel. “Doesn’t look like you have a concussion, but that cut’ll need stitches.”
Roe carefully cleaned the wound as (y/n)’s eyes screwed shut. “You ready?” He asked.
Keeping her eyes closed, her hand shot out beside her, grasping onto Nixon’s hand tightly. “Lew, please talk to me. Say anything, I don’t care, just talk.”
He squeezed her hand in response as she let out a hiss when the first suture pulled through her split skin.
“When I was in college…” 
With Lewis Nixon’s warm and reassuring hand in hers, along with his distracting words, the pain became bearable. In the small medic tent in Sainte-Mère-Eglise, Eugene smiled to himself, witnessing the intimate moment between the two.
“Ce sont des idiots.” He muttered to himself. “Des idiots en mal d’amour.”
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carbone14 · 7 months
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Le soldat Clarence C. Ware de la 101st Airborne division (Sreaming Eagles) applique un maquillage inspiré des Indiens d'Amérique au soldat Charles R. Plaudo en vue de l'Opération Albany (opération aéroportée menée par la 101e Division aéroportée dans le cadre plus large de l'Opération Overlord) – Angleterre – 5 juin 1944
©National Archives and Records Administration - 111-SC-193551
©Colorisation de Marina Amaral
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