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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? WILLIAM M. Marsden (Redtop)
What was your unit and division? Intell & Redd plat of 8th Regt HQ of 4th Div.
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? UTAH- advance command post; about 7:
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? [insert] 1st [end insert] Lt
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 24
Were you married at that time? Yes
What is your wife's name? ---
Did you have any children at that time? 1 son
What do you do now? Asst State C. Def. Co-Ordinator for St. of Va.
When did you know that you were going to he part of the invasion? Around Jan '44 from U.S. spent last night in New York getting tight.
What was the trip like during the crossing of the Channel? remember, for example, any conversations you had or how you passed the time? Lt. Col. [crossed out] Carl S.[end crossed out] Fred A. STEINER, Exec of 8th Inftry sat up on back of LCT his arms folded. "Well he's asking for it. "I'm going to kill them before they kill me." On April 21st 1944, Eisenhower told the 8th Rgt. "when you get to Berlin the Champagne
What were the rumors on "board the boat, ship or plane in which you made the crossing? (Some people remember scuttle-but to the effect that the Germans had poured gasoline on the water and planned to set it afire when the troops came in). is on me." A sgt standing beside Mansden sd "That'll be a cheap party -we'll all be dead." Biggest fear was mines "one leg will go one-way; the other one somewhere else" on D-Day found himself walking this mine field without noticing them.
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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? no friends wounded.
Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties?
Were you wounded? No
Do. you remember what it was like—that is, do you remember whether you felt any pain or were so surprised that you felt nothing? -
Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it may not have seemed funny at the time? About midday Marsden & 6 men [insert] patrol [end insert] Sgt & 5 pots got to outskirts of Chef du Pont. Found 13 paratroopers [insert unclear] and a lot of wounded. He found a white sheet used blood to paint a cross on it & took out 12 men. Brought them back in the civilian truck. Didn't think they'd get to C du Pont. Paratroopers very glad to see them.
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 from D-day?
Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? [crossed out] St. N [end crossed out]
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? St. Mene Eglise
Do you know of anybody else who landed within the 24 hours of D-day, 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 NOWj” YOUR NAME AND VOCATION OR OCCUPATION WILL BE LISTED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
Cornelius Ryan
Frances Ward Research, The Reader's Digest
