If German boys had learned to be contemptuous of violence, Hitler would have had to take up knitting to keep his ego warm.

He once told Allie and I that if he'd had to shoot anybody, he wouldn't've known which direction to shoot in. He said the Army was practically as full of bastards as the Nazis were.

I am a dash man and not a miler, and it is probable that I will never write a novel. So far the novels of this war have had too much of the strength, maturity and craftsmanship critics are looking for, and too little of the glorious imperfections which teeter and fall off the best minds. The men who have been in this war deserve some sort of trembling melody rendered without embarrassment or regret. I’ll watch for that book.

You never really get the smell of burning flesh out of your nose entirely, no matter how long you live.

I never really knew anything about friendship before I was in the Army. Did you Vince?" "Not a thing. It's the best thing there is. Just About.