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Amesbury, Mass
For Cornelius Ryan LL Book about D-Day MASS 7
THOUSANDS OF MEN, ON LAND AND SEA AND IN THE AIR, PARTI$XPA 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 A Davey What was your unit and division? Armed Guard Navy Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? a.m. June La Havre France 1944. June to July 15 1944
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? S 1/c 3f What was your age on June 6, 1944? 38 Were you married at that time? yes What is your wife's name? Ruth V Davey
Did you have any children at that time? one neice have 3 children of my own since the war, What do you do now? out of work now when i work i own a Polisher and Buffer When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? we did not know untill we got to 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? we was on watch for subs all the time we was crossing the channel all we saw was bodys floating around us and we saw and L.S.T. blowed in half and about 300 men was kille di saw one officer that I knew- but he could not answer me because he was blowen apart. it was nothing but hell 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) that was truw we had orders not leave the ship and not to fire back anything because of the ground crew ahead on land all could do was to set and take it and I am willing to say that i one scarred man
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-for Cornelius Ryan 2-
Your name John Alvin Davey
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? not on my ship but was all around my ship men was blown to pieces Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? no Were you wounded? no
Dc 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? what i saw was not funny or amusing it was a sicking thing to see and I don't like to take about it
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? we tried to save some on the L.S.T. it was so close we could have touched the bow of the L.S.T. but couldn't save any of the men. and i was also on the Bloody Run to Murmansk , Russia, My nerves and stomeck and hearing have not been the same since the invasion have been the Hospital 6 times now.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name John Alvin Davey
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? no I can not remember Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? on the ship Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? La Havre France 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? there was one S 1/c robert Goulet, Manchester NH I have some pictures of the crew when we were on sea on our way to France and also of the crew to Russia and been on 3 theaters of war if these pictures will help you in any way. you can see them any time but wouldn't part with them
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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Legion P. 518046 Post P.6 Frank Boomer Mr. John A. Davey #2 Portsmouth N.H. 4 Spring St Amesbury Mass c 15-781-762 Miss Frances Ward: 230 Park Ave New York I was at Normandy invasion from June 1944 for one month and half (1 1/2) bombed every month, or for twenty -two dayes by planes. Our ship was stuck on a sand-bar was given orders not to fire at any of the planes as we were loaded with supplies for the troops. One of the ships was bombed while unloading. Some of the convoy never returned home. Our ship was reported sunk. It was a liveing Hell while it lasted.