On one maneuver, Guarnere told Pvts. Warren Muck and Malarkey to drop a mortar shell on a 6-foot-square white target situated on a dune about 600 yards to their front. Malarkey fired once, too long. A second time, too short.
At that moment, some staff officers came up, accompanied by General Taylor. One of the staff officers told Guarnere to have his mortar squad fire at the target as a demonstration for the general.
Guarnere told Malarkey and Muck to fire three rounds. In rapid succession, they dropped three rounds down the barrel. Boom, the first hit the target dead center. Boom, boom, the other two came down on top of the destroyed target.
”Sergeant, is your squad always that accurate?” Taylor asked.
”Yes, sir,” Guarnere replied, “my boys never miss.”
Note:
In case you missed it, this was so convenient because the first two misses allowed the soldiers to effectively zero-in on their target. The third attempt was destined to be more successful, and it was just before the third attempt that the general asked for a demonstration.
Source:
Ambrose, Stephen Edward. “Duties of the Latrine Orderly.” Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2004. 55. Print.
Further Reading:
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