Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 014, folder 12: Russell P. Reeder, Jr.

REEDER, Russell P., Jr. NY 18 Interview - Chammock Box 14, #12

Noon 12 A Inf, T and Green

Red Reeder --- good stories ful You'll love to call him

LL U-1 NY 18 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 TORE ONE OF THEM, PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

What is your full name? Russel P. (Red) Reeder, Jr. What was your unit and division? 12th Inf. Regt; 4th Inf. Div. Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? D-Day at about 11:30 a.m. What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Col. What was your age on June 6, 1944? 42 Were you married at that time ? Yes What is your wife's name ? Dorothea D. Reeder Did you have any children at that time ? Yes; 4

What do you do now? Ass't Graduate Manager of Athletics at West Point

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? Mar. 27, 1944 (Because I worked in the pentagon I also knew the week D-Day was to be.)

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? Yes- prefer to relate orally.

What were the rumors aboard 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). prefer to relate orally--- (M/R: story of Pvt. Nardulli " " Capt. Holton " about the damned escape kits.)

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name Red Reeder

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? Wanted to but it was against orders

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? Yes-prefer to relate

Were you wounded? Yes- at Montebourg-- 6th day-- lost leg

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? Terrific pain I am a poor Episcopalian, a Catholic priest helped me when I reported to my Div. Commander- Gen. Barton at the first aid station

Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? Yes-- (M/R-- about giving Lt. Col. Jim Luckett a pistol that was too heavy to carry.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? Yes-- heavily burdened Inf. crossing flooded area.

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name Red Reeder

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? Yes-- 2 examples (M/R- runner at the house) "in a meeting engagementthe side that acts first wins."

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? On an L.C.D Inhere were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? With 2nd Bn., 12th Inf. rgt- getting ready to sleep.

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? I have already answered part of this Re-gliders: Brig. Gen. R.P. (doc) Eaton % Secty, Ass'n Graduates West Point, NY + mark: (please forward)

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

COLONEL RED REEDER

Quarters #1003, West Point, N. Y., 17 April 1958.

Mr. Cornelius Ryan, Readers' Digest, New York City.

Dear Mr. Ryan:

I was a member of the 4th Infantry Division landing at Utah beach at about 12:30 p.m. on 6 June 1944. The regiment to which I was assigned as commanding officer, the famous 12th Infantry, was the third regiment of our division ashore that day. I feel that this regiment has not had its story told. On arrival at the beach under light artillery fire it plunged across the lowlands, which the Germans had flooded, met the enemy, and, by nightfall it was the furtherest regiment inland, accord- ing to General Bradley's maps.

I was particularly proud of our American foot soldiers when they went through the flooded areas. In preparation for D-day my regiment hiked with "full pack" until the medicos asked me to stop it because the heavy loads we were carrying were breaking down the arches of our foot soldiers. The Germans had dug trenches with bulldozers before flooding the lowlands, and it was a great tribute to American courage to see extremely heavily laden men struggling through chest-high water and depths over their heads — at the same time hanging onto their equipment. Use of life preservers was hardly enough to reassure men who could not swim.

Just before we departed from England the division commander said to me, "Spies have informed us that the Germans have a way to put inflammible material on the flooded areas. Tell the men what to do if this happens." (I'm still searching for answer.)

I was wounded on the sixth day of the fighting, at Montebourg , and lost my leg.

I do hope your history of D- day will be most successful, and I am looking forward to reading it. If you are interested in stories and anecdotes about this project I will be glad to talk to you.

Sincerelyyours, Red Reeder ( Colonel R. P. Reeder, Jr., USA ret )