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Mt. Vernon, NY NY 46 Maybe good man
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 E. VENTRELLI
What was your unit and division? Hqt's BTRY 29 F. A. BAT. 4th INF. DIV.
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? UTAH BEACH I BELIEVE H HOUR WAS MOVED AHEAD FROM 5:30AM TO 6:30AM- I LANDED 7 MINUTES LATER OR 6:37AM
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? LIASON SGT ATTACHED TO THE 2ND BAT. 8TH INF. REG.
What was your age on June 6, 1944? MY BIRTHDAY 28 YRS
Were you married at that time? YES
What is your wife's name? ARLEEN
Did you have any children at that time? YES, 1 GIRL GRACE ANN 1 1/2 yrs OLD
What do you do now? I WORK FOR THE NEW YORK CITY DEPT. OF SANITATION. I AM A FOREMAN.
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? THIS QUESTION HAS MANY ANSWERS, BUT I DEFINITELY KNEW ON JUNE 5, 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? SOME SIX DAYS WERE SPENT ON WATER, WHERE WE WERE DURING THAT TIME? TIME PASSED READING, KIDDING, EATING, PLANNING, HAVING ALERTS, SLEEPING, I DON'T RECALL SEEING LAND DURING THIS TIME.
What were the rumors on board the boat, ship or plane in which you m^de 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). RUMORS WERE THAT THE GERMANS PLANNED TO USE GAS.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 2 -
Your name VENTRELLI
Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? NO
Or any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day?
Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties?
Where you wounded? YES, BUT 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? THERE WERE ABOUT 18 OF US IN A L.C.V.P. WHICH HAD BEEN LOWERED INTO THE WATER AT ABOUT 2:30AM THE WATER WAS VERY ROUGH AND IN SPITE OF PILLS ABOUT 5 OF US DID NOT GET SEASICK. IT WAS ALMOST A PLEASURE TO GET OFF THIS CRAFT IN SPITE OF THE RECEPTION WE RECEIVED. (I REMARKED TO OTHERS THAT IT WAS THE BIGGEST BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION U HAD EVER RECEIVED-
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? UPON COMING OUT OF THE WATER AND ON TO THE BEACH, AN OFFICER WAS RAVING AT ALL WHO WENT PAST FOR NOT STOPPING TO TEND TO THE WOUNDED- (OUR ORDERS WERE TO MOVE INLAND AND LEAVE THAT TASK TO THE MEDIC'S) PAST THE BEACH SAW A DEAD PERSON IN GERMAN UNIFORM IN THE MIDDLE OF A ROAD. THIS SEEMED ODD MORE LIKE A MOVIE50 FT AWAY AND SITTING I SAW A CIVILIAN WITH THE WORD (PRESS) AND I THOUGHT THIS FELLOW A NUT, HE DON'T HAVE TO BE HERE- I ALWAYS THOUGHT THIS
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Your name VENTRELLI
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 ?
"Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? ON BOARD A NAVY CRAFT
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? IN A SLIT TRENCH WAITING FOR A COUNTER ATTACH THAT NEVER DID COME-
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 DO BELIEVE I CAN BE OF MORE ASSISTANCE IF INTERVIEWED, FEEL FREE TO CALL - IF BY PHONE MOUNT VERNON 8-3373 Sincerely William Ventrelli
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 1a
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#2 23 CORTLANDT ST. MOUNT VERNON, NY MAY 26, 1958
READER'S DIGEST 230 PARK AVE. NEW YORK, NY ATT. MISS FRANCES WARD:
DEAR MISS WARD:
READ IN JUNE ISSUE OF the AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE OF THE REQUEST OF AUTHOR CORNELIUS RYAN TO INTERVIEW VETERANS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF JUNE 6, 1944 AND WHO CAN GIVE FIRSTHAND ACCOUNTS OF THE EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE ON THAT DAY. I MAY BE OF SOME HELP HAVING BEEN THERE IN SAID DAY. YOU CAN CONTACT ME AT ABOVE ADDRESS-
YOURS TRULY William E. Ventrelli (Wm. E, VENTRELLi)