Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 015, folder 04: Louis Amber Busby, Jr.

D-Day Quote USS Carmick BUSBY, Louis Amber NY 25 Release

Box 15, #4

Carmick

OMAHA USS CARMICK DESTROYER [*used*] Watertender 1/c

CAPT. BEER AND THE FLAG Our commanding officer had the largest American flag that we carried--a battle flag--hoisted on the stern with the remark: "We wouldn't want the Germans not to know who they're shooting at and we might as well give them something to shoot at."

CAPT. BEER AND GENERAL QUARTERS BEFORE BOMBARDMENT The Captain said, "Okay boys, this is probably the biggest party you will ever go to, so let's get out on the floor and dance." Several people started collecting life jackets, probably with the thought in mind that if one would do such a good job, three or four would be even better.

ADMIRAL KIRK'S PRE BATTLE STATEMENT It was announced over the ship's loud speaker system and goes like this: "I await with confidence the further proof in this, the greatest battle of them all, that American sailors and seamen are fighting men second to none.

CAPT. BEER AND D DAY NIGHT Our No. 1 gun knocked down a German plane with one shot during the night. After the day's action, our captain passed the word to the crew as follows: "Well boys, we sure showed them that we could dance, and to their band, too."

[*FPO N.Y. --I suspect the Med. now off Lebanon Force O NY - 25 LL*]

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? LOUIS AMBER BUSBY, JR.

What was your unit and division? U.S.S. CARMICK, DD 493, DESRON 18; FIRE-SUPPORT GROUP "O"

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? OMAHA BEACH AT DAWN.

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? WATERTENDER FIRST CLASS

What was your age on June 6, 1944? TWENTY-THREE YEARS OLD

Were you married at that time? NO

What is your wife's name?

Did you have any children at that time? NO

What do you do now? CHIEF BOILERMAN, UNITED STATES NAVY STATIONED ON THE U.S.S. SARATOGA, CVA 60

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? THE NIGHT OF JUNE 4, 1944 IN WEYMOUTH, ENGLAND.

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? UGLY WEATHER AND ROUGH SEAS WERE ENCOUNTERED DURING THE CROSSING BUT DESPITE THESE DIFFICULTIES, THE CROSSING WAS MADE ON SCHEDULE.MOST OF US PASSED THE TIME OFF WATCH TOPSIDE WATCHING FOR MINES AND DISCUSSING THE ELEMENTS OF THE FORTHCOMING ATTACK, AND HOW WE WISHED WERE ANYWHERE BUT THERE. WEARING LIFE- JACKETS WAS A CONSTANT REMINDER THAT THINGS COULD GET ROUGH AND PROBABLY WOULD. PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF THAT HAD BEEN IN A SEA ACTION BEFORE WERE KEPT BUSY ANSWERING QUESTIONS OF THE YOUNG SAILORS, AND THAT PROBABLY HELPED MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE TO KEEP OUR MIND OFF OF THE FUTURE. TO THE FIRST TIMERS [inserted]th[end inserted]IS WAS SOMEWHAT OF A LARK, BUT TO US IT WAS A DEADLY BUSINESS. OFFHAND I WOULD SAY THAT MOST CONVERSATIONS CENTERED AROUND THE COMBAT READINESS OF THE SHIP, AND EACH MAN WONDERED IN HIS OWN MIND HOW HE WOULD STAND UP UNDER THE STRESS AND STRAIN OF ACTUAL COMBAT.

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). SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE RUMORED WERE AS FOLLOWS: (1) GERMAN SUBMARINES WERE LYING IN WAIT FOR THE ATTACKING FORCE (2) THE GERMANS WOULD USE GAS WARFARE, USING PLANES ON THE SHIPS (3) THAT HITLER WOULD STOP US IN EXACTLY NINE HOURS

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name LOUIS AMBER BUSBY, JR.

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? NO I DID NOT. DIARIES WERE FORBIDDEN BY ORDER OF OUR COMMANDING OFFICER. THE ONLY OFFICIAL DOCUMENT WOULD BE THE SHIP'S ACTION LOG.

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? I HAD SEVERAL FRIENDS WHO WERE WOUNDED AND KILLED ON THE U.S.S. CORRY. I HAD MANY, MANY FRIENDS IN THE 17TH INFANTRY WHO WERE KILLED IN ACTION ON THE BEACH. THIS UNIT I HAD DONE DUTY WITH WHEN I WAS IN SUMMER CAMP IN 1939.

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? SOME OF THE PEOPLY ON THE CORRY I HAD KNOWN AND TALKED WITH BEFORE THE ACTION, BUT THIS HAD BEEN BEFORE THE TASK UNITS WERE ASSIGNED. I HAD FRIENDS ON THE SHIPS OF THE GROUP THAT I WAS ATTACHED TO WHICH WERE THE FRANKFORD, DOYLE, MCCOOK BALDWIN, HARDING, SATTERLEE, AND THOMPSON. WE HAD ALL DISCUSSED THE PROBABILITY OF AN ATTACK ON FRANCE BEFORE WE WERE BRIEFED. THESE CONVERSATIONS HAD TAKEN PLACE WHILE WERE WERE FUELING AND TAKING ON STORES.

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?

[*Capt. R.O. Beer*] Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? YES. OUR COMMANDING OFFICER HAD THE LARGEST AMERICAN FLAG THAT WE CARRIED WHICH WAS A BATTLE FLAG HOISTED ON THE STERN WITH THE REMARK, "WE WOULDN'T WANT THE GERMANS NOT TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE SHOOTING AT, AND AFTER ALL WE MIGHT AS WELL GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO SHOOT AT." WHEN THE SHIP WENT TO GENERAL QUARTERS THE CAPTAIN SAID, "OKAY BOYS, THIS IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST PARTY YOU WILL EVER GO TO, SO LETS GET ON THE FLOOR AND DANCE." SEVERAL PEOPLE STARTED COLLECTING LIFEJACKETS, PROBABLY WITH THE THOUGHT IN MIND THAT IF ONE WOULD DO SUCH A GOOD JOB THREE OR FOUR WOULD DO A MUCH BETTER ONE.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? FOR ONE THING THE AMOUNT OF SHIP'S IN THE TASK GROUP. ADMIRAL KIRK'S PRE*BATTLS STATEMENT WHICH WAS ANNOUNCED OVER THE SHIP'S LOUD SPEAKER SYSTEM WAS A MEMORABLE THING. IT GOES LIKE THIS: I AWAIT WITH CONFIDENCE THE FURTHER PROOF IN THIS THE GREATEST BATTLE OF THEM ALL THAT AMERICAN SAILORS AND SEAMAN ARE FIGHTING MEN SECOND TO NONE. DURING THE FIRST NIGHT OUR NO. 1 GUN KNOCKED DOWN A GERMAN PLANE WITH ONE SHOT. AFTER THE DAY'S ACTION OUR CAPTAIN PASSED THE WORD TO THE CREW AS FOLLOWS: "WELL BOYS, WE SURE SHOWED THEM THAT WE COULD DANCE AND TO THEIR BAND TOO." PROBABLY THE SADDEST INCIDENT OF ALL WAS THE SINKING OF A TRANSPORT LOADED WITH TROOPS. DUE TO THE SOLDIER'S HEAVY COMBAT EQUIPMENT, ALMOST ALL OF THEM WERE LOST.

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name LOUIS AMBER BUSBY, JR.

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? THERE WAS ONE BOY IN MY FIREROOM WHO WAS SO TERROR STRIKEN THAT HE WAS ALMOST OUT OF HIS MIND. THIS WAS BEFORE THE BATTLE. DURING THE BATTLE HE CARRIED OUT HIS JOB WITH SKILL AND RESOURCEFULNESS. AT THE END OF THE DAY'S ACTION, WHEN TOLD THAT OUR JOB WAS DONE AND WE WERE PULLING BACK, HE FAINTED DEAD AWAY. ONE OTHER MAN WHEN WE RECEIVED A CLOSE MISS WHICH JARRED THE SHIP QUITE A BIT WALKED OVER TO INVESTIGATE THE DAMAGE. WHEN HE REALIZED WHAT HE WAS DOING HE PASSED OUT RIGHT WHERE HE WAS.

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? UNDERWAY ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL FROM WEYMOUTH ENGLAND TO THE COAST OF FRANCE.

Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? LYING OFF THE OMAHA BEACHHEAD.

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 KNOW QUITE A FEW OF THE PEOPLE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE D DAY ACTION, BUT AT THIS TIME I WOULD NOT KNOW WHERE TO CONTACT THEM.OUR COMMANDING OFFICER R.O. BEER MIGHT POSSIBLY BE CONTACTED THROUGH THE CHIEF OF NAVAL PERSONNEL, WASHINGTON, D.C.

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

Watertender First Class Louis A. Busby, Jr. of the U. S. S. Carmick, says:

Our commanding officer had the largest flag that we carried which was a battle flag hoisted on the stern with the remark, "We wouldn’t want the Germans not to know who they are shooting at, and after all we might as well give them something to shoot at."