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NY 76 APO NY (TRIPOLI)
LL good for AF note excerpt fr. diary green/

Cornelius Ryan
For Book about D-Day

THE THOUSANDS OF MEN, ON LAND AND SEA AND IN THE AIR , PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF NORMANDY BETWEEN MIDNIGHT JUNE 5, 1944 AND MIDNIGHT JUNE 6 , 1944. IF YOU WHERE ONE OF THEM, PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

What is your full name ?
Robin Olds, Colonel USAF 10128A
What was your unit and division ?
434th Fighter Squadron, 479th Fighter Group 8th Air Force
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time ?
flew cover for invasion fleet late afternoon and evening of
5 June- flew cover missions from dawn to dark on 6 June
and for many days following P-38s
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? 1st Lieutenant
What was your age on June 6 , 1944?
21
Were you married at that time ? No
What is your wife's name ?
Did you have any children at that time ?

What do you do now?
Colonel, United States Air Force- Command USAFE
weapons center - Teach all USAF tactical forces (fighter & missile) in Europe
techniques & procedures for delivery of atomics and conventional ordnance.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion ?
From the very beginning. but specifically when we went out one
morning and found our beautiful P-38 aircraft had been painted with
ghastly black and white stripes overnight. That was about the 5th of June as
I recall
What was the trip like during the crossing of the Channel ? Do you remember ,
for example , any conversations you had or how you passed the time ?
Flew aerial cover. No conversation. Expectancy
Weather (our point of view) horrible - low could, poor visibility-
Naturally good for armanda.
What were the rumors on board the boat , ship or plane in which you made
the crossing? ( Some people remember scuttlebutt to the effect that the
Germans had poured gasoline on the water and planned to set it afire when
the troops came in ).
No rumors. We knew "this was it" and were elated. We did expect fierce Luftwaffe
resistance and were prepared to protect shipping at all costs. I remember
an acute disappointment at the failure of the G.A.F. to show up, but
you may charge that to youthful exuberance and the high sense of
adventure that we fighter pilots felt.