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Palmerton, PA LL Letters? PA 32
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? Siegfried Frank Kratzel
What was your unit and division? Co. L 8th Infantry Regiment 4th Division
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time?
To the best of my knowledge, at about 0630, in the St. Marie Eglise area.
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? S/Sgt.
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 28 years of age
Were you married at that time? Yes
What is your wife's name? Mrs. Catherine Mae Shupp Kratzel
Did you have any children at that time? One
What do you do now? Work for the U.S. Post Office in Palmerton, Penna.
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion?
To the best of my recollection, I knew definitely that I would be a part of the invasion, the night before we left our base.
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 two day trip was a cramped, restless, sleepless, period. Conversations revolved mostly around the oncoming invasion. One matter i remember mostlywas the confession and communion I made after many years of negligence to my Catholic Faith.
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). The one rumor in my memory was that the 8th Reg. was merely to establish a beachhead and the oncoming troops would fight there way inward.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name Siegfried Frank Kratzel
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 became casualties?
I remember on.y giving an order to occupy acertain position.
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?
Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time?
We were heavily fired upon in the town of St. Marie Eglise , and i remember returning fire with the rest of the men from a most unusual place. That of the familiar outdoor latrines they have there, although I didn't know what they were at that time, it seems funny to me now to [crossed out]pitu[end crossed out] picture myself crawl- ing around on their floors, to find cover.
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else?
I recall one of the paratroopers that had landed the previous night, sitting up against a building, with his whole lower jaw blown off, and simply ignoring all of the fighting going on around him; his look seemed to say it just can't be any worse.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name Siegfried Frank Kratzel
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? Altough Utah beach was the easiest of the beachheads to establish, and very little resistance was met, i must give credit to the efficiency in which the landings went.
Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944?
Since we were on ships, I don't know whether we were in Plymouth or out in the Channel.
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944?
I managed to get up on deck of the ship we were on, and saw some of the bombings, in preparation fro the invasion.
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?
All Members of the 4th Division.
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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June 30, 1958
Miss Siegfried Kratzel 274 Lehigh Avenue Palmerton Pennsylvania
Dear Mr. Kratzel:
Thank you very much for your letter and for your willingness to help us with Cornelius Ryan's book about D-Day. I hope you will forgive the delay in replying to your kind offer of assistance; we are grati- fied, but somewhat overwhelmed, by the wonderful response which we are getting as a result of our requests for information.
During the next few months, both in this country and in Europe, Mr. Ryan will be interviewing many of the D-Day participants who agree to contribute to the book. Very probably, he will wish to talk with you during that period. In the meantime, since we are dealing with so many people, we have found it necessary to develop an individual file on each person who agrees to help us. Therefore, we hope you will complete the enclosed record and return it to me at your earliest con- venience. We truly believe that these questions will serve you, as well as us, if they can help to crystallize some hazy memories and to indicate the sort of information which we are seeking.
I should be most grateful to know as soon as possible when and if you will be available for interview. We want very much to tell the story of your unit, and in order to do that we need the personal accounts of the men who were there. We particularly look forward to your reply.
Sincerely yours,
Frances Ward Research Department
FW:IL Enclosure