ENPages
Page 2
Pathfinder 101st
For Cornelius Ryan 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.
What is your full name? Henry J ames Billings
What was your unit and division? Pathfinder Team 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Near Hiesville around Midnight This is about 10 Miles Inland
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? I Corp
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 25
Were you married at that time? yes
What is your wife's name? Mary
Did you have any children at that time? No
What do you do now? Chief Warrant Officer USA Army__ Position is Chief of Records Branch A G Section Second United States Amy Fort George G Meade Maryland
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? March 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?
Flew Close to the Water to Dodge Enemy Radar Could almost pat the White Caps Dosedd Most of the Men did we Were Tired we Hadnt Slept too Much in the last couple days D day had been the 5th but had been put off 24 Hours. The pilot of our plane pulled up the nose of the plane when we hit the French coast and the noise was terriffic Imade the Remak that he must of woke all the Jerries between nere Berlin. I Stood up And watched out the Door Red Flame was all I Could see Coming Toward us, I Said to Lt Faith (Our Stick leader) You know they Are Shooting at Us He Looked out and said So They Are About this time the Red lighte Came on an Lt Faith Stood the Rest of the Stick up The green light and Jumped the first thing I Saw and heard was a German Soldier running down a road Yelling Actung Actung the Moonlight was Bright and I Could See fairly well Or Something was Making it light enough to see. I pulled my Risers and Drove for a Little Field Hit Like a ton of Bricks.
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).
None We were well informed as to what the enemy had and about the country we were going into we had escape kits and ‘Weren’t too Worried as we Knew what we were in for all the pathfinders were VOLUNTEERS from the Volunteers the Parachutist:
Page 3
- for Cornelius Ryan 2 -
Your name- Henry J Billings
Did you by any chanoe 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? Suwarski in the Jump He Jumped behind me. MeDougale in the Morning By Rifle fire Lt Faith got hit in the Chin by a ricochet
Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? Suwarshi wanted to borrow a pound off me before we left England And i Didnt Give it to him ecause i Told him he wouldnt make it because only the good die young and He was the first to go.
Were you wounded? Not on D Day
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? Sharp Pain
Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? Seeing Lt Faith Go Down Like an ox when ho got hit The Germans digging in amachine Gun in A Hedge row 20 to 30 feet away from me while I Was laying out in the middle of the field waiting for the Troopers to come in. Be Fore this Faith said Billings you get out and set up and we will protect you they all piled in a ditch next to the Hedgerow opposite the German postion What Protection?
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else?
Several What?
Page 4
- for Cornelius Ryan 3 -
Your name- Henry J Billings
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? Some
Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? Nomandy C Drop Zone
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? Near St Marie DuMont
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 Faith is still Living Dont Know his Address The only other one I Know in the Pathfinders was Hunt He Was a Member of the 82nd a Couple Years ago the rest of the Stick are Gone General Taylor was there Col Sink I Saw Him the Next Morning Major Then Lt Stanley Was in XVIII Airborne Corps The Last I heard from him. He was with H Company 501 during the war
1 July 58 I Am moving to Glen Bumie. 111 Olan PIaza Drive FemGlen Glenbumie Maryland
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
Page 5
Reader's Digest 230 Park ane New York, New York
Dear Sir:
In the "Army Times" your personal Paragraph asking for information of anyone participation in the June 6, 1944 - D- Day Invasion is of interest to me since I was a pathfinder Who jumped about midnight on 5 June 1944 with the 101st airborne Division and the 501st parachute Infantry Regiment our outfit dropped to mark and bring in [plan?e] for "C" [f?ild].
The troops Consisted of 1 Battallion of 501 2 battallions 506 1 battallion 502- By accident
and division Headquarters We helped bring in Gliders on the Lz at 0330
It was believed that the first man killed during the Normandy invasion was Suwarski [crossed out]as[end crossed out] he was struck by gun fire in mid-air before he hit the ground.
Sincerely yours,
Henry J. Billings, By (Mrs. Henry J. Billings)