Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 008, folder 44: James Cornelius Spiers

SPIERS, James 82 AB JACKSON Miss 6 NEG BOX 8, #44

325th

D + 1 Dead File

GL-N Picayune Mississippi For Cornelius Ryan Book about D-Day MISS 6

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? JAMES CORNELIUS SPIERS

What was your unit and division? 325th Glider Inf. 82 Airborne Div.

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Some where near Montyburge - after midnight or near dawn, am not sure

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Private First Class

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 33

Were you married at that time? no

What is your wife's name?

Did you have any children at that time?

What do you do now? I am a Cattle Rancher

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? We were told several weeks before the invasion that we were to be a part of it.

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? The beginning of the trip was like many others we had been in - dry runs, and a few not so dry. We ran into a good bit of AntiCraft fire over the French Coast. The land where we droped was flooded with about four feet of water.

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). We knew where we were going, and also about what to expect, for we had maps and pictures of our landing zone also that our landing would not a suprise, for we were in the second wave. [inserted] Group [illegible] [end inserted]

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name JAMSE C. SPIERS

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, a very large percent.

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? I talked to a good many during the day, especially while we getting to gather after landing. I also talked to some of the wounded. The company commander was one of them.

Were you wounded? Yes.

Do you remember what it was like--that is, do you remember whether you felt any pain or were you so surprised that you felt nothing? I was hit by shrapnel and had some concussions.

Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? The were a good many veterans of Africa, Sicily, and Italy in the outfit so we know one another very well. There was many funny thing happened.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? One of the worse times the landing it self. There were so many casualties we felt we were badly out numbered. I was [?imprisoned?] with the French under ground how soon they joined us after we landed.

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name JAMES C SPIERS

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? Most of the men were like they were in traing, or anywhere else. Some got a little worried, but did not fail to carry their part.

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? at an Airport in England.

Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? I think I was either over the Channel or the French coast.

Do you know of anybody else who landed within those 24 hours (midnight June 5 to midnight June 6) as infantry, glider or airborne troops, or who took part in the air and sea operations, whom we should write to?

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

Picayune, Miss April 15, 1958

Miss Frances Ward Readers Digest 230 Park Ave New York, N.Y.

Dear Miss Ward, I have tried to persuade my husband in answering your request for information concerning D-Day. Of course my husband like many other men who went through it feel like there are others who could give you better material than he. So I would like to give you a short run down or a few things He was in the 325th Glider Regt. of the 82nd Airborne Dive - He was in the Div. when it was found in La. as an inf. Div. and later made into the airborne Div. After having served in North Africa