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RCA
203880 Sgt
E.R. Cresine

EXCERPT

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 WERE
ONE OF THEM, PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

What is your full name? ELLIS RAYMOND CRESINE

What was your squadron, station, unit? 13th FIELD REGT RCA
3rd DIVISION
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time?
GRAYE-SUR-MER [crossed out] 0730 [end crossed out] [inserted] 0700 [end inserted] HRS 6 JUN 44 WITH ADVANCE PARTY "THORNEFORCE"
What was your rank en June 6, 1944?
GUNNER
What was your age on June 6, 1944?
21 YRS OLD
Were you married at that time? NO

What is your wife's name?

Did you have any children at that time? NO

What do you do now? RCAF AIRFORCE POLICE

When did you know that you were going to be part of the
invasion? 2300 HRS 5 JUN 44

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? TIME PASSED MOSTLY THROWING-UP
THE TRIP WAS VERY ROUGH, PERSONNEL WERE
SEA SICK IN LCI AFTER LEAVING SHIP THAT
AM, WHICH WAS ANCHORED OFF COAST
OF FRANCE. MORALE WAS VERY HIGH
A PIPE MAJOR FROM A SCOTTISH REGIMENT
PLAYED THE BAG PIPES UNTIL WE HIT THE BEACH
What were the rumors on board the boat, ship or plane in which
you made the crossing? (Some people remember scuttlebut to the
effect that the Germans had poured gasoline on the water and
planned to set it afire when the troops came in).
I CAN'T RECALL ANY RUMORS, ONLY
FACTS, WHICH WE WERE ALL BRIEFED,
THE PREVIOUS EVENING. [crossed out] Rum [end crossed out]
I WENT IN WITH THE SECOND WAVE,
PRACTICALLY ALL PERSONNEL WHICH
WENT IN ON THE FIRST WAVE, IN THE
LCI WHICH I WENT IN, WERE EITHER
WOUNDED AND RETUNED TO THE SHIP
OR KILLED. THE WOUNDED [crossed out] WRER [end crossed out] [inserted] WERE [end inserted] REMOVED