Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 015, folder 09: William C. Cook

COOK, Cdr William C. LCT 588 Cal 28

Box 15, #9

USS St. Paul (CA73) FPO, S.F.

For Cornelius Ryan Book about D-Day CAL 28 LL Letters? #This man in 1 of coneo th near failed to turn back

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? CDR William C. Cook USN What was your unit and division? LCT 588 Flot. 12 Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time ? Omaha beach first wave of landing craft 0600 hours June 6 1944 What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Ensign What was your age on June 6, 1944? 27 Were you married at that time ? yes What is your wife' s name ? Florence Did you have any children at that time ? yes one boy 17 mo. old What do you do how? operations officer USS Saint Paul (CA73) flag ship seventh fleet When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? about two weeks before the invasion as we were training I received briefings waymoth 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! The channel was rough. The original landing was to be on June 5 so we were underway on June 4th got about 2/3 of the way over and then returned to England for a few hours then started back. My LCT a 120 ton vessel was carrying 4-40 ton tanks and 6 jeeps. Had to keep pumping water most of the way to keep afloat, understood from reading on article in Life magazine that we had almost been forgotten to tbe recalled and almost made the landing alone.

What were the tumors 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 had heard a broadcast by Axis Sal in which she said as she signed off "will see you on th ebeaches tomorrow boys"

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name William C Cook

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? I know many of the other officers in my Flotilla of ships only one that I had known for very long was killed . He died on the way to a hospital ship. several enlisted I knew by sight were killed Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? the first army tank that left my ship sunk as it was leaving the ship because a rough water. Believe all were drown. These tanks were especially fitted to swim the last 2,000 yards into the beach. I took the other three tanks on into the beach and landed them at the waters edge. most of the army was so sea sick after the long passage that they just wanted to get ashore any most of the conversation was kidding the army about being sea sick when Do you remember what it was like--that is, do you remember whether you were you so surprised that you felt nothing? I felt no pain was really scared but yet had to stand up in front of my men all the way in to try to show them I was not scared. Had clamped my teeth together for so long during the initial invasion my jaws were sore for a week Do you remember seeing*or hearing anything that seems funny now even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? I think the most amusing thing that I remember seeing was as I turned to my winchman who normally stood up and run the winch to help us back off the beach was lying fown working the foot pedal with one hand and the hard lever with the other but he did a good job in this position getting us off the beach so I said nothing to him. Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? I believe the saddest part of our job daily ^for the first week was to pick up the floating bodies of men killed in or near the beach and were worked out to sea by the change in tide. Also almost nitely a transport would be sunk or mined and we would go along picking up the survivors ^ dead and wounded.

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name William C Cook

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? I will never forget my two gunners on the 20 mm guns. They never panicked but stood there with shells falling all around them but kept fireing from the time we were in range until we hit the beach. on the other hand I saw one had grab another on deck and pull him down with him trying to use his body as a shield.

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? about 20 miles off the Normandy beach head

Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? loading tanks from the transport area about 10 miles out awaiting to take them into the beach first light 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? Believe Chuck Taylor coach at Stanford Univ Palto Alto Calif was in my same group. I do not have addresses of any of the others not have seen them since I left the beach heads in Normandy after three months of unloading cargo from transports.

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

July 1, 1958

Lt. Commander W. C. Cook U.S.S. Saint Paul FPO, San Francisco California

Dear Commander Cook:

Thank you very much for your letter and for your willingness to help us with Cornelius Ryan's book about D-Day. I hope you will forgive the delay in replying to your kind offer of assistance; we are gratified, but somewhat overwhelmed, by the wonderful response which we are getting as a result of our requests for information.

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 so many people, we have found it necessary to develop an individual file on each person who agrees to help us. Therefore, we hope you will complete the enclosed record and return it to me 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. We want very much to tell the story of your unit, and in order to do that we need the personal accounts of the men who were there. We particularly look forward to your reply.

Sincerely yours, Frances Ward Research Department

FW:LL Enclosure