Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 015, folder 11: John Estes Daughtery

Excerpt O DAUGHTREY, John Estes Fla 19 Navy-6th Beach Bn Box 15,#11

Lakeland, FlA FLA 19 For Cornelius Ryan. *Good stuff Excerpt 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? John Estes Daughtrey

What was your unit and division? 6th Beach Battalion - U.S. Navy

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time ? Omaha Beach, about 10 or 11 a.m. June 6, 1944

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Lt. (j.g.) MC USNR

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 27

Were you married at that time? No What is your wife's name ? Mae Did you have any children at that time? No

What do you do now? Practice Medicine - General Surgery

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? About December, 1943, we knew we were going to Europe and as invasions were our only purpose we would undoubtedly be in one. / 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?

See atached

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).

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 -

Your name John Estes Daughtrey, MD

3 Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? No 4 Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? See attached 5. Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties?

Were you wounded? No 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?

7. Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it may not have seemed fumy at the time? See attached

8 Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? See attached

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name John Estes Daughtrey, MD 9 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? See attached

10 Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? On board "Dorothea Dix" 11 Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? On Omaha Beach in German gun emplacement.

12 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?

Dr. Carl P. Haddock 2903 Cleveland Heights Blvd. Lakeland, Florida

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 MOT LEFT SUFFICIENT ROOM. FULL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WILL BE GIVEN IH 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

Embarked at Portsmouth on the "Dorothea Dix” three days prior to D-Day. Quarters aboard were crowded, there were eight of us in a 7' x 10' compartment, and storage of equipment was a problem.

During the early evening of Monday, June 5th, we put to sea. I stood on deck and watched the English coastline disappear. At the time of our departure the sea was calm and for an instant the sun had appeared but was quickly obscured by clouds. The sky remained overcast as we headed out into the Channel and conditions at sea were rough due to high winds.

Our ship was just one of an endless stream led by the minesweepers and remember how reassuring it felt to be protected on all sides by the Allied Navies and Air Forces. A destroyer passed close by and as it drew abreast its general quarters alarm sounded; the decks really came alive as the crew raced to battle stations. I was greatly impressed at this evidence of the destroyers ability to so readily prepare for action. Ernest Hemingway was on board and remember him saying that he would not go in with the men - would leave that to the young fellows.

Since it was impossible to sleep I read, and ironically the book was entitled, "The Uninvited". Breakfast was served at 4 a.m. - they had secured all fires on board, hence cold food, which was no catas- trophe since I had no appetite. About that time battleships and cruisers commenced firing, the bombers had already passed overhead, and rocket ships began moving closer to shore as time passed. Some- time between 8 and 9 a.m. the first wounded were brought back to the ship and as they were being lifted onto one side of the ship we were going over the other side. I remember feeling nervous and tense, anxious to get going and yet not wanting to.

We were to land near the center of the beach designated as Omaha, and were carried near shore on an LCT. A control boat passed along- side and signaled the craft to wait offshore. The beach was visible but I could see no activity as everything was obscured by smoke. Finally another control boat came near, and after finding we were mainly amphibious troops, instructed our landing craft skipper to take us in. About 25 yards from the water's edge we grounded, and the ramp was lowered. We waded in, and many of us had to swim partway because of large holes in the beach.

Shortly after leaving the water I heard a nearby explosion and then another. A demolition crew was working about a beach obstacle and I thought the explosions were from their charges, but when a piece of shrapnel hit near me I realised we were under mortar fire. Our training lessons came back to us and we raced across the beach. I re- member our CPO running ahead with a submachine gun in one hand and three cartons of cigarettes bound with twine like a traveling bag swinging from the other.

The beach seemed endlessly wide then, but later we found it was about a 100 yards wide at low tide. At the high water mark there was a sharp rise covered with smooth rocks. I took cover behind this by a soldier's body. Since I could not determine my position in the