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For Cornelius Ryan - 2
Book about D-Day

Louis Langell

stomacks were feeling heavy, I know mine was. On D-Day every
thing turned out all right for our group, we have no casualty
on the beach or inland that I can recall.

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 gasoline on the water and
planned to set it afire when the troops came in).

We heard all kinds of rumors concerning gasoline, mines
cement casements and pillboxes.

By the time our group arrived on the coast of France, the
forward troops had taken command of the beachs, so we had clear
sailing. We could see masses of barbed wire, mines that were
cleared from the shores were the troops landed, cement casemates
and pillboxes used by the emeny for fortification.

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you
that day?

I did not keep a diary.

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

Cannot recall any one being wound or killed on D-Day.

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before
they become casualties?

There were no casualties that I can recall in our group
on D-Day.

Were you wounded?

I was not wounded on D-Day

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?

N/A

Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seem funny
now, even though it may not have seemed funny at the time?

YES, one of our Corporal lost his steel helmet, looking around
he found a pot with a handle big enough to put on his head, he
called out look fellows, how do you like my steel helmet, even
though we were being shelled by the emeny, we all turned to
see what he was wearing, we could not help but laugh at the
sight of him with this pot pulled down nearly over his ears
and eyes.