The Rapid City makes its way back to France to regroup. One night, Dorothy and Irene take champagne out to the gunners who fire cannons into the distance. The gunners let Dorothy shoot the cannon at a target, and then Irene takes a turn. Suddenly, Irene realizes with horror that they are shooting at real people.

Irene notices that as the war goes on, the soldiers’ tendency toward sexual harassment gets worse. Dorothy and Irene learn not to stand too close to the men while serving them. A few days later, Holly returns home. The Rapid City follows their unit into Germany. As they drive, the women find the beauty of the German landscape to be a shocking contrast to the evil of the Nazis. Irene receives a letter from Hans about meeting after the war ends.

At night, Dorothy goes out with the Gray Ghosts, a resistance group she joins within the unit. One night, Dorothy participates in combat for the first time. The Gray Ghosts attack a group of Germans, and Dorothy shoots a German colonel.