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- for Cornelius Ryan 2 -
Your name Bartley Edward Hale

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day?
No

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or
during the day?
Yes. Lt. Patterson was killed just after the jump and several others
that I learned about later.

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became
casualties?
We had just cross the Merdareth River and were attacking toward
Amferville at about 1500 D day and was hled up temporarily. A boy
(I can't remember his name now) stated that he wanted to get his
damn war over with in hurry and get back and help his dad in the
trucking business. Just as we started to advance again, a German
88 just about tore him to pieces.

Were you wounded?
No. Not in Normandy. I was later wounded in the Battle of the Bulge.
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?

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

I remember two boys in one of the mortar squads, being burdened down
with ammunition(we had no transportation of course), securing a horse
that the Germans had left behind, obtaining a cart and harness from a
protesting French farmer, consoling him with a receipt written on a
messag blank, signed "Uncle Sam".

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic or simple memorable, which struck
you more than anything else?

Yes. At about dusk on D day while enroite to Anferville, we were cuaght
in an apple orchard with an extremely artillery barrage. Little
cover was available and we suffered heavy casuaulties. A medical
officer (Capt.) (I think his was PHieffer) from another battalion
immediately started attending to the wounded before the firing ceased.
I thought that was one of the bravest thigns I saw throughout the war.