Screaming Eagles

Before the Normandy invasion, Mason, Corliss and Talbot are assigned to the 1st Platoon of D Company, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment. Mason immediately clashes with Sgt. Forrest and Cpl. Dreef, setting a tense tone for the unit. Lt. Pauling decides to give him a chance despite the rough start.

As the invasion approaches, passes are canceled and the men are kept in barracks. A drunken Mason destroys the barracks on returning from the mess, shocking the unit. Lt. Pauling chooses to keep Mason in the platoon and offers him another chance.

Lt. Pauling speaks to the platoon about Mason's behavior, and Corliss speaks in Mason's defense. The men decide to take a chance on him, including Grimes, Dubrowski and Foley. The camaraderie begins to turn the tide for Mason.

The 502nd board troop planes for the invasion and receive jump training from Jumpmaster Sgt. Forrest. Their assigned task is to set up roadblocks and hold a bridge near the Douve, with a drop zone a mile beyond the 2nd Battalion. Anti-aircraft fire erupts as the planes approach, and Peterson is killed by flak.

Seconds after the planes pass, the group realizes they did not land in their drop zone. They improvise a rallying point and begin to move out, with Lt. Pauling ordering them not to engage the enemy singlehandedly. They split into three groups to scout the area.

Mason spots a German sentry aiming at Cpl. Dreef and shoots him, triggering a firefight in which Dreef is killed. The unit is unaware of Mason's action at first, and they blame him for the dangerous stunt. The incident strains unit cohesion.

After regrouping, Dubrowski informs the platoon of what happened, and the others react with outrage. Mason's hotheadedness becomes a point of tension within the group as they struggle with loyalty and trust.

During the morning, a German soldier fires at Lt. Pauling, and the flash from the shot blinds him. The platoon must operate under a blind leader while continuing to press forward.

The platoon assaults a German-occupied farmhouse, resulting in the deaths of Lambert, Hernandez and Nolan. The firefight is brutal and costly for the unit as they push deeper into the occupied area.

Inside the farmhouse they find Hans Schacht holding a French girl named Marianne. Marianne volunteers to assist Lt. Pauling, and Hans reveals that about 300 German soldiers lie between the platoon and the Douve.

The platoon hijacks a German truck and forces the driver to take them to a tavern used as a German HQ. Hans uses the truck to broadcast false orders and to let the Germans hear the platoon speaking English. A German truckload invades the tavern, and Hans is killed by friendly fire; Talbot, Foley, Smith and Torren die, while Mason is wounded.

Seven survivors—Mason, Lt. Pauling, Marianne, Corliss, Sgt. Forrest, Grimes, and Dubrowski—escape by truck and link up with the rest of D Company at the intended bridge. Lt. Pauling says goodbye to Marianne before he and Mason are driven to a field hospital.