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Correct Address 956 Farris Ave East Point GA
GA 15
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? IRA D. L. TAYLOR 956 FARRIS AVE EAST POINT GA
What was your unit and division? D Co 1st Bn 8th Inf Regt. 4th INF DIV
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? UTAH RED. [crossed out] 11 hour [end crossed out] Early The morning of 6th Jun, about 0700 in assult wave #3
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? T/Sgt Platoon Sgt
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 19 Were you married at that time? Yes (She left me) What is your wife's name? Flora K (Present) Did you have any children at that time? Not then (Have 4 now)
What do you do now? Branch chief G-I Sect. Hq 3d US Army A CAPTAIN with only 2 years to go before retirement.
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? About Jun 4th after we left England on ALST in the Channel
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 water was rough and I was sea sick. but we laughed and joked and made bets as to where we would land
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). We also heard the above.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name
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? Yes, I had several men wounded on the Beach by gun fire. I was a mortar Platoon Sgt and talked to all of them, making them spread out and setting up the mortars on the sea wall.
Were you wounded? No not on D Day
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? NA
Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it may not have seemed funny at the time? Yea I had a kid in my platoon whose name was Abe Isenstark from NY and as we were waiding ashore he was carry a [crossed out] base platr [end crossed out] ByPod for the mortar and was walking beside me and suddendly disappeared. I started looking for him and I saw him coming out of the water with the byPod still on his shoulder. What happened was he stepped in a shell crater and the bypod kept him on the bottom and he kept walking untill the water was shallow again (by the way he was a wonderful gunner)
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? Yes one of my gunners were hit by the sea wall and his leg was all torn up and twisted and still able to talk in a calm voice as he look at him self all torn up.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name IRA D. L. TAYLOR
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? I had one man named Joe Webber who was leading my platoon as contact man between us and the Rifle Co in front who went to sleep and lost contact only a couple of hours after we landed We were at this time in a mine field, in order to catch up and be able to support my Bn I ran my platoon through the mine field without a single casualty. I dont know how we did it.
Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? On a LSY in the Channel
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? Some where in Normandy France scaired to death.
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? Capt Sam L Cochran Jr Ft Jackson S.C. I am sure I could Furnish more if at home but I am in the office at this time.
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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July 14, 1958
Captain D. L. Taylor 935 Ferris Street East Point, Georgia
Dear Capt. Taylor:
A history of D-Day, June 6, 1944, to coincide with the 15th anniversary of the Normandy invasion next year is being prepared by Cornelius Ryan for publication in the Reader's Digest and in book form. It is being written with the complete cooperation and assistance of the Department of the Army and the Department of Defense. This will not be another strategic history of invasion day, but a story of the twentyfour hours of D-Day as people lived and remembered thcm. For this, we can only go to the men who were there and, if they are willing, invade their memories. Having learned of the part which you played in the invasion, we hope very much that you will be interested in the project and agree to help us.
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 literally hundreds of people, we have found it necessary to develop an individual file on each person who agrees to help us. Therefore, we hope that if you are interested in the project, you will complete the enclosed record and return it to at your earliest convenience. 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 during the next few months. We want very much to tell the story of your unit, and in order to do that we need your personal account. We look forward eagerly to your reply.
Sincerely yours,
Frances Ward Research Department
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