Page 29

md
0-1
MD-1
May 19, 1958
Co A - 116th 29
OL 4.4807

Miss Frances Ward
The Readers Digest Research Department
230 Park Avenue
New York 17, New York

Dear Miss Ward:

It was indead a pleasure to receive your letter of 9 May, 1958 and
to learn of Mr. Ryan's book. It would be a pleasure to talk with Mr.
Ryan and you can rest assured that I would be glad to give any assist-
ance possible.

I have made an attempt to complete the record that you enclosed
with your letter and am returning it for your files. It is almost
impossible to record all of the happenings on D-Day in this report. If
Mr. Ryan would like to have any further discussions I would be very
happy to arrange an interview at his convenience.

I joined the 29th Division on 15 January, 1943 as a replacement
officer. I was originally assigned to Company C, 116th Infantry. I
was later assigned to command the Ammunition and Pioneer Platoon of
Headquarters Company, 1st Batallion, 116th Infantry. About three months
before D-Day I was transferred to Company C, 116th Infantry and placed
in command of an assault section to land in the first wave on Omaha
Beach. I am the only officer in that Company who went in with the first
wave who was not killed on the beach. This was due primarily to the
fact that our LCA sank about 300 yards off shore and it was several
hours before I could get to the beach. The details of which although
still fresh in my memory are too lengthy to discuss here.

As you are no doubt aware, Omaha Beach suffered greater losses
than any other landing area. This was due to a combination of things,
two of which were the rough water and the addition of one German regi-
ment which happened to be holding manuevers in that area on the day of
the landing.

Although it is impossible to recall all of the events that took
place that day I still recall a good portion of it. A landing such as
that and the severe losses that we took are something that one does not
forget.

As I stated in the record , my mother kept a very complete scrap

Good man
to interview?
(See notes
on Co. A
from A/A
reports)