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CONN 9
Bristol, Conn

For Cornelius Ryan
Book about D- Day
THOUSANDS OF MEN, ON LAND AND SEA AND 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? ERNEST RILEY BLANCHARD

What was your unit and division? 505th Regimental Combar Teal 82nd Airbone Div.

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time ? We dropped in Normandy (St. Mere Eglise) at 0015 hour June 6. St Mere Eglise was the first town on the Continent to be liberated in the invasion.

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? P.F.C.

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 30

T V Were you married at that time ? No

What is your wife's name ?

Did you have any children at that time ?

[Notes in pencil] saw a man explode heard tell HQ 505 Capt Boyd landed in [unclear] in square
[Notes in margin] John Brogan samples Radio operator supposed to set up light assembly

What do you do now? I am a machinist by trade in the E. Ingraham Clock Co. Bristol, Conn

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion?
Actually we assumed that we were going into something real
big in May of 44 but as to actually be axact on the
time we did not know until we were in the C-47s on our way.

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?
It was a rather weird trip we all seemed
to sense that this was going to be a real
rough operation. As for the talk on our
ship I would say it was down to a minimum
level. Were all doing a great deal of sweating
this thing out. I smoked quite a few cigarettes
I remember that. It was around a three hour trip.

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)
Well we had heard rumors and
more rumors. Some of them were that this
was a sham that's a big invasion
was going off in Norway at the same
time we dropped in Normandy. We also
heard that the Jerries had all kind of