- Two young American Soldiers in WWII step beyond their radically different ethnic backgrounds to build an unlikely friendship based on the common tune of a music box, then encounter an even more dangerous enemy than the Nazis they fight against; an intolerant Army doctor conducting devious and secret medical experiments on unknowing black soldiers.—Kent Taylor
- The story opens with André, a master toy maker in war-torn France, reflecting on the words his father taught him when he was a boy. "When you are afraid, make a special gift and give it away. Love always conquers fear and God can use that gift to touch people in ways you may never understand." As André works on his masterpiece, A German artillery round destroys his shop.
Two members of the artillery battery are Irwin, an eleven-year old boy forced to serve in the German army and his commander, the field artillery team leader who is caught up in the national pride of his country. Irwin is looking for his purpose in life. The battle-hardened team leader has shut out his past dreams. He is strict and intolerant of mistakes, but his team knows that is the reason they can evade the Allied forces. He keeps an especially watchful eye on Irwin. They both have a calling, but sense that something is missing in their lives.
Three days later, Staff Sergeant Rob Prine's infantry squad is on a mission to find weak points in the enemy defenses. They encounter a German machine gun bunker and take cover using the ruins of a building near the edge of Moncourt, France. One of Prine's soldiers is Private Ronnie Lawrence, a klutzy GI who happens to have an exceptional mastery of weapons. It's his skill that finally defeats the machine gun team. Afterwards, Prine hears a faint voice calling for help from under the rubble. It is André who has been buried alive. The toy maker is thankful to be rescued and gives Prine the music box in appreciation. Prine has been looking for the perfect gift to give his three-year-old son, Rob Junior, when they meet for the first time. The gift is exactly what he has been searching for. Prine treasures it and often listens to the music as his source of private comfort but keeping the gift safe for his son is no easy task.
In the weeks and months that follow, the music box gets broken during a racially motivated fight involving Sergeant Roy Brenin, Staff Sergeant Edward Rios, and other members of the 761st Tank Battalion; the first ever African-American armor unit to serve the US Army. They are heroes no one will recognize because of the color of their skin. Despite the deep-rooted prejudices of the time, Prine decides to reach out to the combat tankers and in the process, learns a valuable lesson in humility and trust. Their first meeting is cut short after an elite German unit infiltrates the area attempting to steal fuel. When the raid is accidentally discovered, the SS officer, Major Keffen Thäler, sets one of the 55-gallon barrels of gasoline ablaze. The ensuing mayhem allows the German team to escape into the night.
In the battle of Morville-les-Vic, Prine's infantry squad is pinned down by intense enemy fire. Sergeant Brenin maneuvers his tank into the village to help his friend, but the tank is hit and immobilized. Brenin is severely wounded escaping the burning vehicle. Prine ignores his own safety to rescue the tank crew. Even though several infantrymen died in the rescue attempt, their action broke the barrier of prejudice and is lauded as a beautiful demonstration of comradeship.
Throughout the story, Prine must deal with Doctor Haman, an Army Surgeon attached to the unit who is opposed to Prine's beliefs and consistently challenges his faith. During a stay at the hospital, Prine discovers Dr. Haman has a dark side. Prine tries to alert the authorities on what the doctor has been doing. His integrity nearly costs Prine his life, but the Lord intervenes on his behalf. Later, Dr. Haman's criminal activities get him busted, but interference from several high-ranking officers block the court martial proceedings and Haman is reassigned as a medic with Prine's squad.
On Easter Sunday, April 1st, 1945, the paths of the main characters cross in the exciting climax of the story. In the morning, the bells of a church in a nearby village begin to ring out the same tune as Sergeant Prine's music box. Irwin hears the bells and remembers the words to the song because his mother sang it to him when he was a little boy. We discover that the strict artillery commander is Irwin's father and they both realize what has been missing from their lives. Prine's squad is assigned a reconnaissance mission, but during a river crossing, Private Lawrence's clumsiness nearly brings the mission to a disastrous failure. However, the mission is not a complete fiasco because, the SS officer, Major Thäler, who led the fuel raid earlier in the story is unexpectedly captured. He holds valuable intelligence information pinpointing the exact location of German units, including where Irwin's artillery battery is hiding.
Later, Prine's squad is chosen to find the German artillery guns and call in an air strike to destroy them. The starting signal for the attack is prematurely set off and a massive firefight erupts. Prine is seriously wounded in the battle and in the aftermath searches the area for his squad. The young Irwin is the sole survivor on the German side. He is in shock and decides to go home but runs into Prine and before he realizes what is happening, finds himself pinned to the ground with Prine's bayonet ready to take his life. At that very instant Prine's music box miraculously begins to play. Realizing Irwin is just a boy, Prine decides to spare his life. Sergeant Prine pulls the music box from his pack, not knowing an unfinished letter and a picture of his son fall out at the same time. Prine gives the gift to Irwin, and then walks away. He is disoriented from the loss of blood and unknowingly walks into a minefield.
Irwin then vows to find Sergeant Prine's son, the rightful owner of the music box, and return it to him. It took him 12 years after the war, but he finds Robert Junior and a lifelong friendship is established. It becomes their annual Easter tradition to wind the key to the music box and honor the man who made a difference in their lives.
On January 13th, 1997, they get together for a different reason. On that day, President Bill Clinton holds a special ceremony to present the Congressional Medal of Honor to seven African-American soldiers who were never recognized for their valor in World War II. One of the recipients is Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers, from the 761st Tank Battalion, who will be awarded the medal posthumously. The families gather at the nursing home where Robert Prine Jr. works. Dr. Haman is also there. He too survived the battle but has been catatonic for 52 years. Today, God will give him a second chance at life. Even though fear and hate tore their world apart; a simple gift helped put it back together again.
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