ryan_box024-tld_f15_02

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 -
Your name Donald Maxwell Fowler

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day?
ONLY IN MY MIND.

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or
during the day?
YES

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became
casualties?
I RECALLED TALKING WITH BERT BOX [insert] GLEN 1ST KILLED IN ACTION [end insert] ON THE COAST
OF ENGLAND WHEN THE SOUTH WAS BEING PREPARED AND HE JOKINGLY
SAID "GAD I SHOULDA JOINED THE NAAFI. (NAVY ARMY & AIRFORCE INST.)
ALLUDING TO NAAFI GIRLS.

Were you wounded? NICKED BY SHRAPNEL ON THE FOREHEAD FROM A BOMB BUT
NOT HOSPITALIZED. A FREAK ACCIDENT.

Do you remember what it was like--that is, do you remember whether you
felt any pain or were so surprised that you felt nothing?
PREVIOUSLY EXPLAINED SOMEWHAT.

Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even
though it may not have seemed funny at the time?
I RECALL AFTER I LANDED HEARING THE BOYS WERE
DOING WELL AT "CALVADOS" WHICH I LATER LEARNED TO BE
THE MOST POTENT BREW EVER DEVISED BY THE MIND
OF MAN. I WAS INTRODUCED TO THE STUFF BY
AN AUTHORITY - ONE DOUG LALONDE ALSO A BANDSMAN WHO
WAS MOST ADEPT (WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF CALVADOS) AT STEALING
GERMAN COMMAND CARS AND RACING LIKE HELL ALL OVER
THE COUNTRY LOOKING FOR WOMEN AND SOMETHING STRONGER
TO DRINK. WE NEVER FOUND ANYTHING STRONGER TO DRINK.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic or simply memorable, which struck
you more than anything else?
[insert] Post D-Day [end insert]
[crossed out]
Yes - SEEING MY FIRST REAL SHOCK VICTIM, AN
RCAMC (MEDICAL CORP) AMBULANCE DRIVER LAYING COMPLETELY
DORMANT. EXCEPT WHEN STARTLED BY NOISE. I.E. SHELLS
BURSTING. HE HAD WORKED NIGHT AND DAY FOR
ALMOST TWO WEEKS WITH ONLY OCCASSIONAL CAT NAPS
TO RESTORE HIS [crossed out] NERVOUS [end crossed out] ENERGY,
AND LATER
THREE DEAD HITLER JUNGE IN A TRENCH ALL BLAST
VICTIMS. THE FLYS WERE BEGINNING TO GATHER AND
I RECALL WONDERING HOW THREE YOUNG KIDS COULD
LOOK BLOODY MOTIONLESS. I RECALL FEELING
NAUSEOUS WHEN I REALIZED THEY WERE LESS THAN MY AGE.
[end crossed out]