Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 007, folder 34: Denver Albrecht

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ALBRECHT, Denver Amer Int 82nd AB Div. 508th PIR, Co.1 Box 7, #34 Co I 508

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Interview with Warrant Officer Denver Albrecht:

He was called "Denver Dick". A few days before the invasion his battalion commander had him up on charges for drinking beer while on duty. His case came before Gavin. "All I had was a few beers before the exercise. General." "Well you know you're not supposed to do that, Lt. After all it's a bad example to the men." said Gavin quietly. Denver said, "I know, sir, but the other officers were having a few beers before the ex-ercise." Gavin, "Well now, settle down, don't let it happen again." Denver has been in army since he was 16. He fought his way up from the ranks. He was later in Bastogne and Korea. Wound up as Captain, but because he was more than 20 years in service, he was expected to retire. He did — for 17 days. Then he rejoined as a master sergeant and today is a warrant officer.

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Mr. Ryan: What was your name Denver Albrecht Mr. Ryan: Albrecht. And you were a second lieutenant at D-Day You were with the 82nd Division Airborne 508 Parachute Company I Albrecht: Company I Mr. Ryan: Now if you were like any of the other para troopers that dropped, you dropped from about 300 ft. didn't you. Pretty low. Albrecht: No No real high no, I wouldn't say it was 300 ft. It was closer to 800. I was up a good length of time in the air Mr. Ryan: Do you remember any of the fellows that were with you on board that plane that day Albrecht; I can't remember the names Mr. Ryan: Now were you carrying regular equipment or were you carrying anything extra besides your regular parachutist equipment Albrecht: We were carrying M one rifle - 3 bandoliers (sounds like) of ammunition I think four or five hand grenades - a gamin (sounds like) grenade and then one mine Mr. Ryan: And one mine Albrecht: Plus rations I think we had three days rations K rations and salt rations - one day of slat and two days of K, I believe Mr. Ryan: Now tell me first of all, how did you feel about this, was this your first jump Albrecht: No Mr. Ryan: I [crossed out][illegible][end crossed out] your first combat jump Albrecht: First combat jump [crossed out][illegible][end crossed out] yes. Mr. Ryan: Were you married at the time Albrecht: Oh yes Mr. Ryan: Any Children Albrecht: No. Mr. Ryan: What was your wife's name Albrecht: Ailen Mr. Ryan: And did she know [crossed out] that [end crossed out] you'd be in the invasion Albrecht: No

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DENVER ALBRECHT (continued) ~2~ Mr. Ryan: No, [inserted] but [end insert] what I mean did she suspect Albrecht: No, well I imagine she knew I was overseas and she ... well when the invasion came up I imagine she felt that the Airborne dropped, I was there too, I don't know Mr. Ryan: Had you received any mail from her the day before, anything like that Albrecht: No, the day before the invasion, I don't think so, about a week before maybe Mr. Ryan: Had she expressed [inserted] anything [end insert] in her letters to you her fears, hopes... Albrecht: No, no Mr. Ryan: In other words she... Albrecht: She was a young kid and not too worried about anything Mr. Ryan: When it was all over did you aske her what her feelings where when she heard that the 82nd had gone Albrecht: I hadn't bothered Mr. Ryan: She's a regular soldier's wife Albrecht: No, its just a matter that I didn't think it was any of her business Mr. Ryan: Just like my wife Albrecht: Well, thats the way I felt anyway Mr. Ryan: What did they call you, whats your nickname, the fellows call you in your unit when you jumped that day, you had a company Albrecht: No, I was a platoon leader Mr. Ryan: Platoon, what [crossed out] was it [end crossed out] did the fellows call [crossed out] ed [end crossed out] you I mean did they have a nickname for you Albrecht: Well Mr. Ryan: You're not opposed to... Albrecht: I don't recall those... I don't recall [crossed out] anything [end crossed out] nickname Mr. Ryan: Well [crossed out] i [end crossed out] now, what [crossed out] is [end crossed out] was your own personal feeling about this thing, you're one of the first people thats going to land in the invasion. What is your own feeling were you a little worried or scared about it on this your first combat jump Albrecht: Well no, not worried, same as any parachute jump, don't believe anybody was worried, they're more interested in doing the jump, they're more interested

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DENVER ALBRECHT (continued) -3-

Albrecht: in getting out of the plane than staying in. Thats what I understood anyway. Mr. Ryan: When you flew across [inserted] / now [end inserted] how long roughly do you think it took you to get from Englandacross to your drop zone, the point you want to jump... a couple of hours Albrecht: I'd say 2, 2 1/2 hours, I'm not sure Mr. Ryan: Well the jump takes place and you find yourself slowing down do you have any... Do you think about anything other than [inserted] what you did [end inserted] whats ahead Albrecht: No. well, not in this particular case - this is a good one Mr. Ryan: What happened to you when you landed Albrecht: Well there's more of that than, landing is actually when we were flying over the coast of France CL|f QAJ 4 IU-Q by gettin near the drop zone when you had the red light on, all the flak starts coming up and machine gun fire - you could pretty the skies are/red with tracers and coming in - yes sir, a plane on our left see were got hit - this is where we ME near the D2 Mr. Ryan: Did it go down Oh yeah - it went down Albrecht: Mr. Ryan: The plane It was burning - when I was in the air I could see it burning - it was going in - it went into the brink (sounds like) well into the Were any of your friends on board then in Oh yes, there was a platoon out of my outfit/there Albrecht: •• » Mr. Ryan: Albrecht: Mr. Ryan: Which platoon there was a push on the platoon of the personal headquarters I don * t recall Albrecht: •• * of a mixed unit and I know some of the lads that got killed in that one Snooky Smith is what we called him -just a kid - he happened to be one of them # • # I remember - I aon * t know how many were in that plane a half a dozen, a dozen I don * t remember - but some were still under the water after• # ••

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