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THE READER'S DIGEST PLEASANTVILLE NEW YORK
May 22, 1958
Dear Doctor Rosson:
Thank you for writing to us concerning Cornelius Ryan’s forthcoming book about D-Day. Since Mr. Ryan is now away, and has been away from New York for the major part of the last month, he has asked me to write you ex- pressing our mutual thanks and our mutual hopes that you will continue in your willingness to help us.
As your source of information may not have clearly indicated, this book will not be another strategic history of the invasion operation, but a story of the twenty-four hours of D-Day as men lived them and remembered them. For such a story, we can only go to the men who were there, and if they are will- ing, invade their memories. Thus Mr. Ryan hopes ultimately to interview many of the people who agree to help us, and so I should be grateful if you would let me know whether or not you would be available for interview at your pres- ent address during the period between now and the end of July of this year. * I should be grateful also if you would be willing to complete the enclosed record and return it to me at your earliest convenience. We have assembled these questions in the hope that they may serve you as well as us, by help- ing to recall some long-forgotten incidents and indicate the sort of material which we are seeking. We need the answers to them as a basic file of [illegible] statistics on each of our informants, and also, as a means of preparing for interviews for Mr. Ryan, these sheets will serve as a reminder of salient facts and references which he will wish to pick up later on.
We know that the story of D-Day is the story of many men and many units. Mr. Ryan wants very much to do justice to your outfit, and in order to do so he needs your help and the help of any others to whom you can direct us. We shall look forward very eagerly to your reply. Thank you so very much for any help that you can give us.
Sincerely yours, Frances Ward LL Frances Ward Research Department
[*Will be glad to talk to Mr. Ryan & also turn over to him my combat logs. W.R.*]
Dr. Walter E. Rosson 515 East Houston Street San Antonio 5, Texas
* or at your convenience.