More than 20 years after the miniseries premiered, a confusing moment in the Band of Brothers episode "Bastogne" still has some fans questioning why a U.S. military plane would shoot at its own troops. When the miniseries debuted in 2001, it became a critically acclaimed hit for the cable network. The 10-episode World War II epic about the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division fighting in war-torn Europe spanned from Operation Overlord to V-J Day. Viewers were taken aback by the characters featured, portrayed onscreen by Scott Grimes, Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston, and Donnie Wahlberg.

Based on the book of the same name by Steven E. Ambrose, the series highlighted the stories of a parachute infantry regiment called Easy Company. Every episode began with interviews with real-life survivors of the war. Although a true story, Band of Brothers fictionalized some events in each episode for theatrical impact. Many questions about what was real and what was made-up for the series have come up on discussion boards, social media, and watercooler conversations for the last two decades. One lingering question has to do with Band of Brothers episode 6, "Bastogne", where a plane shot members of Easy Company in what appeared to be possible friendly fire.

During the scene, Doc understandably asked Lipton why U.S. military planes would shoot their men, and curiously, Lipton told him to be quiet before signaling to the others to hold their fire. Even 20 years after Band of Brothers' run, this incident is still being discussed as there are no easy answers to the question—but based on the events of the episode, there are some prevailing theories. More than likely, the plane was trying to clear the drop zone to prepare for a supply drop, while also determining if the troops below were friendly or hostile.


In the episode in question, the shooting from the plane begins when the soldiers on the ground run out into a clearing lit up by red flares. After two planes fly past the celebrating troops, another opens fire on the ground, nearly hitting some of the men below. Some troops begin returning fire, but Lipton immediately yells at them to stop. During World War II an incredibly high number of casualties came from friendly fire due to difficult conditions, the weapons and technology of the day, and numerous other situations. Because of this, it may have been common practice for U.S. military planes and Band of Brothers' Easy Company to clear out drop zones in this way.

Shooting at an area from above the ground was likely a strategic choice for the U.S. military, as it provided them a way to distinguish the Americans on the ground from the Germans. Not wanting to deliver supplies to the enemy, the plane most likely shot at the soldiers to see if they would shoot back, signaling enemy combat versus members of one's own side. This would account for why Lipton told Doc to be quiet and the other men to stop shooting, as he wanted to make sure to indicate to the plane that they were in fact on the same side. While there is no definitive answer, this is the most likely explanation as to why the plane in Band of Brothers shot at its own men.