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[*IVY LEAF Div LL GA 4*]
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? MAJ. GEN. RAYMOND "TUBBY" BARTON
What was your unit and division? C.O. 4th Div
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time?
What was your rank on June 6, 1944?
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 54 (Birthday 26th Aug)
Were you married at that time?
What is your wife's name? MARRIED 1922 - CLARE FITZPATRICK.
Did you have any children at that time? Son - RAYMOND O. jun Dgt - CLARE
What do you do now? Ret'd - SOUTHERN FINANCE CORP (Real Estate)
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion?
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?
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).
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Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day?
Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day?
Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties?
Were you wounded?
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?
Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time?
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else?
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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?
Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944?
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944?
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
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MAJOR GENERAL RAYMOND O. BARTON Commanding Officer of the 4th Infantry Division which landed on Utah Beach.
Interviewed Saturday, June 7, 1958
Notes:
Barton nicknamed "Tubby” was 54 at the time of the invasion. He is a handsome looking man of about 5 Ft. 7 in. grey mustache, well cared for, bushy eyebrows, quite tough, unmotional, very much the soldier.
He had two assistant division commanders, Gen. Roosevelt and Gen. Barber. Roosevelt insisted on going in on the first wave - Barton when Teddy made his request was against it - reason being first of all that he was a Roosevelt, secondly that he was pretty high in the Republican Party, thirdly he had [inserted]been[end inserted] the former Governor of the Philippines and lastly, he was not very well. Teddy Roosevelt was getting on in years and was suffering greatly with among other things, arthritis.
Barton turned him down but Roosevelt asked permission to write a letter explaining why he should be allowed to go ashore with the first troops (letter is beautiful, we should pick it up and include it).
Barton and his staff were on board the Coast Guard vessel BAYFIELD. The same vessel which had Barton's commanding officer, General Collins, commanding the [crossed out]fleet[end crossed out] 7th corps.
Several incidents occurred prior to the invasion which affected Barton. The first was the least important but it shows how tense Barton was the night before D-Day. Barton had always been accused of favoring Company I of the [crossed out]8th Infantry of the)[end crossed out] 1st Battalion of the 8th Infantry Regiment under General Van Fleet - one of the outfits due to land first.
Barton, his aide Lt. William York, from Utah, his driver Staff Sgt. James Richards, Memphis, Tenn. and a former Company Commander of Company I drove down to Torquay in Southern England on June [crossed out]5th[end crossed out] 4th to see this company off. The LST on which this company was on was tied up at the pier with the men crowding the rail. Barton and his group got out of the car. And suddenly to Barton's consternation they began booing him. Barton was almost sick at this unexpected [inserted]and[end inserted] bitter greeting. He was so hurt that he did not know what to say or do. He glared at the men, climbed back into his car and drove away,back to Southampton and boarded the BAYFIELD.