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San Antonio LL TEX9
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? Walter E Rosson
What was your unit and division? 567th Sgn of 389 [illegible] Bombardment Gp. 2nd Dvision of 8th A.F. (B-24)
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Flew over coast at 6:27 AM 6/6/44
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? B24 1st Lt. Navigator
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 26
Were you married at that time? yes
What is your wife's name? Eleonor [illegible] Rosson
Did you have any children at that time? No
What do you do now? Doctor of Optometry
When did you know that you were going to be cart of the invasion? at 8:00 P.M. 6/5/44
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?
[*interesting*] Took off at 0222, formed in dark, using G-130 [?indings], [illegible] smokers and aldis lights from ships ahead. Saw 2 burning B-24s in take-off path. Dawn showed all trains running south, as far as eye could see over England.
Still have combat log of D-Day flights.
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). We landed at 9:15 AM. at base and flew a second bombing mission to St. Lo taking off at 4:45 P.M. Landed at 10:30 P.M Flew a total of 13 3/4 hours on D-Day in 2 missions.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name Walter E Rosson
Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? yes Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? yes Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? No 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? Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? went to Normandy landings in my best dress uniformJune 5th 1944 was a Monday, I had flown missions on June 2 + 3 and on Monday we went to officer mess in full uniform planning to go to Norwich, 7 miles away, to see a movie. But as we left the dining hall, an officer at the exit door with a typed list stopped us and told me to go to Briefing. armed MP's admitted us and so we learned about the coming day. (Didn't sleep that night!) Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? while awaiting takeoff, we were lying under a wing talking, and a .50 cal M.G. on a plane being prepared nearby went off. The bullet passed right over us and we wondered if that was an omen or warning for the flight to come.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name Walter E Rosson
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.
Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? In the briefing room or plotting courses & getting metro data.
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? Asleep in my bunk, after flying 2 missions
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?
My pilot: /LL Judson Gudehus 818 Kipling Drive Toledo, Ohio
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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DR. WALTER E. ROSSON OPTOMETRIST
DR. FRED M. SIEGEL OPTOMETRIST
R AND S OPTICAL 515 E. HOUSTON ST. CA 4-9931 SAN ANTONIO 5, TEXAS
Dear Mr. Ryan: 2 missions, B-24, on 6/6/44. 389 B.Gp. 567 Sqn.
Navigator 31 missions total.
W. Rosson