The surviving crew, who have been together since the North African Campaign, belittle the new recruit upon meeting him, both for his lack of experience and for his reluctance to kill Germans, especially the teenagers of the Hitlerjugend; a decision which results in the death of their platoon leader, Lieutenant Parker, and the destruction of his tank and crew. In an effort to 'educate' him to the realities of war, Wardaddy orders Norman to kill a captive German artilleryman. When Norman refuses, Wardaddy forces the gun into his hand and executes the prisoner by pulling the trigger over Norman's hand.