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24th QM Co APO 112, N.Y. For Cornelius Ryan n Book about D- Day
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. Letters? *was shot down taken prisoner 9 June
What is your full name ? Major James Melvin Wade
What was your unit and division ? 507 Air 82d Abn. Div.
Where did you arrive in Normandy , and at what time ? Carentan France at 0234 6 June 44. What was your rank on June 6 , 1944? 2d Lt What was your age on June 6 , 1944 ? 26 yrs. Were you married at that time ? yes What is your wife's name ? Vivian P. Wade Did you have any children at that time ? yes. 1 girl and 1 boy What do you do now ? Major U.S. army When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion ? Approx. 10 May 44 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? /Birthday party on plane-who?/ We took off by plane approx 2200 hours and flew to Normany. One of my men had a birthday 0001, 6 June 44 we passed a box of candy around and sang happy birthday , no one ate any candy, most of out time was spent in checking out weapons and equipment
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 had photos of over which indicated build up by the enemy. We heard that the enemy was capable of flooding the jump zone and had built obstacles against airborne troops which we found to be true.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name Wade, James M.
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 Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they beoame casualties? yes. my plane was shot down and only four (4) of us got out. We were hit with flak, but from the flight and later shot down near Carenten. We were finally captured 9 June and removed from the area by the Germans to the rear. 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? only one sting and ache
Do you remember seeing- or bearing anything that seems funny now, seem amusing at the time? though it did not, of course, /shades of Ulysses/ upon landing we were being shot at, when I landed in a field about six or eight cows surrounded me to see what I was, they were very tame and were not afraid of me. I got out of my chute and with my Carbine in one hand I crouched by the side of one put my arm around its neck and hit it in the rump with my carbine, and got it to move over to a hedge row where I hid.
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? When we were surrounded and finally captured after a fire fight a Sgt. Thordsen who had a hand grenade in his right hand with the pin pulled was shot through that hand and held onto the grenade not releasing the grenade, after we were captured some time we replaced the pin, making the grenade safe and his hand was treated and wrapped.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name Wade, James M. 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? One of the boys, who was shot in the leg prior to us being captured, attacked about 20 Germans and was killed. It was apparent he just woke up and probably didn't know we were surrounded Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? In flight to Normany Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? Dug in and hid in a wheat field near Carenten 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? Lt. Col. Jake Joseph Asst toVll Corps
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