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Staunton, VA. VA 37 For Cornelius Ryan Book about D-Day Nothing
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? RALPH STUART COFFMAN
What was your unit and division? Company L, 116 Infantry, 29th Infantry Division
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? On Omaha Beach, easy green, in boat team number 1 of Comany L at $7:20 A.M.
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Staff Sergeant
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 29
Were you married at that time? NO
What is your wife’s name? [crossed out] [illegible] [end crossed out] Gertrude Moyers Coffman
Did you have any children at that time? NO
What do you do now? Truck Driver for Southern States Augusta Petroleum Cooperative, Staunton, Virginia
When did you know that you were going to he part of the invasion? February 1944
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? Everything was very quiet on our troop transport the Charles Carroll Colonel Cannon, comarder of the 116th Infantry, spoke to us over the P.A. system saying. "Men the eyes of the world are upon you". When you come off of the boat, come off fighting and nothing will be able to stop you.
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). No comment
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- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name RALPH S. COFFMAN STAUNTON VA. RT#4
Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day ? Yes
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 ? Yes
Were you wounded ? Not on D day. AWARDS PURPLE HEARD WITH 2 CLUSTERS ALSO DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS BRONSE STAR
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 ? The biggest surprise of all to me on entering combat was the fact that someone was shooting at you and you could neither see them or the bullet. I was not scared.
Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it may not have seemed funny at the time ?
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else ?
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- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name RALPH S. COFFMAN
In times of great crisis, people generally show either great ingenuity or self-reliance; others do incredibly stupid things. Do you remember any examples of either from D-day?
Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? ON THE TROOP TRANSPORT CHARLES CARROLL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ENGLISH CHANNEL
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? BEHIND A HEDGE ROW IN FRANCE 2 MILES IN LAND FROM OMAHA BEACH SURRONDED BY GERMANS ON ALL SIDES
Do you know of anybody else who landed within the 24 hours of D-day, June 6, as infantry, glider or airborne troops, or who took part in the air and sea operations, whom we should write to?
MR. JOHN H.COCHRAN DAWSON PENNSYLVANIA
PLEASE LET US HAVE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT WE CAN INCLUDE YOUR EXPERIENCES IN THE BOOK, WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE YOUR STORY ON SEPARATE SHEETS IF WE HAVE NOT LEFT SUFFICIENT ROOM, FULL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WILL BE GIVEN IN A CHAPTER CALLED "WHERE THEY ARE NOW;" YOUR NAME AND VOCATION OR OCCUPATION WILL BE LISTED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
Cornelius Ryan
Frances Ward Research, The Reader's Digest