The Night of the Bayonet Poem

The night was filled with dark and cold,
When Sergeant Talbert the story’s told,
Pulled out his poncho and headed out,
To check the lines dressed like a Kraut.

Upon a trooper our hero came,
Fast asleep; he called his name.
“Smith, oh Smith, get up, it’s time
To take your turn out on the line.”

Private Smith, so very weary,
Cracked an eye, all red and bleary,
Grabbed his rifle and did not tarry,
Hearing Floyd, but seeing Gerry.

“It’s me!” cried Tab. “Don’t do it!” and yet,
Smith charged toute de suite with bayonet.
He lunged, he thrust, both high and low,
And skeweth the boy from Kokomo.

And as they carried him away,
Our punctured hero was heard to say,
“When in this war you venture out,
best never do it dressed as a Kraut!”

Written by Erik Jendresen from Band of Brothers
based on the research from the Veterans of Easy Company

Military terms: Coup de grâce

The Coup de Grace is given to young French Collaborators | Artist:Carl Mydans

The expression coup de grâce ( /ˌkuː də ˈɡrɑːs/; French: [ku də ɡʁɑs], “blow of mercy”) means a death blow intended to end the suffering of a wounded creature. The phrase can refer to the killing of civilians or soldiers, friends or enemies, with or without the consent of the sufferer.

It is often used figuratively to describe the last in a series of events which brings about the end of some entity; for example: “The business had been failing for years; the coup de grâce was the sudden jump in oil prices.

Listen: The phrase “coup de grâce” pronounced by a native French speaker

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Winters: These men have been through the toughest training the Army has to offer, under the worst possible circumstances, and they volunteered for it.
Buck: Christ, Dick, I was just shooting craps with them.
Winters: You know why they volunteered? Because they knew that the man in the foxhole next to them would be the best. Not some draftee who’s going to get them killed.
Buck: Are you ticked because they like me? Because I’m spending time to get to know my soldiers. I mean, c’mon, you’ve been with them for two years? I’ve been here for six days.
Winters: You’re gambling, Buck.
Buck: So what? Soldiers do that. I don’t deserve a reprimand for it.
Winters: What if you’d won?
Buck: What?
Winters: What if you’d won? Never put yourself in the position where you can take from these men.

– from Band of brothers

WW2 Poem by Alun Lewis : “The Sentry”

I have begun to die.
For now at last I know
That there is no escape
From Night. Not any dream
Nor breathless images of sleep

‘Parachute Jump’ : Between Discipline and Good Judgement

Neither Ashlock nor any other man in the plane had ever used a parachute.Or been trained on how to do it. McGovern had said to a veteran pilot at Mountain Home Idaho, “Colonel, we’re about through with our training and none of us have had a parachute jump. Shouldn’t we be trained in that?”