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U- TE Ft. Benning
For Cornelius Ryan Book about D-Day GA 9
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? John Frank Ruggles
What was your unit and division? 22nd Inf Regt. 4th Inf. Div.
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Utah beach about 9 AM
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Lt. Col.
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 36
Were you married at that time? yes
What is your wife!s name? Cjar;ptte A/ Rigg;es
Did you have any children at that time? Yes - One boy/
What do you do now? Regular Army Officer
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? About 1 April 1944
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? Rough and dark Seasick part of time. Some conversation remembered. Fires could be seen. We didn't know what they were. Still think they were hit and sinking vessels of some type.
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
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- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name John Frank Ruggles
Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? No - They were forbidden.
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? No
Were you wounded? No
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 bearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? Yes. Unexpected meeting of a long time friend on the beach in midst of small arms & shell fire and conversing with him. Both of us too uninitiated to feel concern for our saety & welfare.
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? Yes. One of first officer casualties was accidentally killed by a battle shook American paratrooper who appeared to be off his rocker.
Get story.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name John F. Ruggles
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. British skipper of my landing craft studied routes to beach used successfully by earlier landing craft then selected what appeared to him to be a mine and obstacle free route in. We made it in OK. I hope he got out OK.
Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? On the Channel.
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? In Normandy in front of German held Crickeque.
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? Yes. Col. Thomas A. Kenan - 2nd Inf Div. Ft Benning, GA
Col. Earl W. Edwards - G-1 Dept of Army, Wash. D.C.
Col. Arthur S. Teague - Cog Railway, Mt. Washington New Hampshire
Lt. Col. "Swede" Henley - Summerville, S.C.
#Chaplain William s. Boice - North Phoenix Christian Church, Phoenix, Ariz.
Col. Howard Blazzard % Adjt. Gen's office D/A. Wash, D.C.
PLEASE LET US HAVE THIS QUEST IONNAIRE 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 HOT LEFT SUFFICIENT ROOM, FULL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WILL BE GIVEN IN A CHAPTER GALLED "WHERE THEY ARE NOW; YOUR NAME AND VOCATION OR OCCUPATION WILL BE LISTED, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
# Can be of great help to you if he has time. Has documented info etc.
Cornelius Ryan
Frances Ward Research, The Reader's Digest
