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(inserted) VA Arlington VA - 1(end of inserted) 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? Carroll Alexander Ashby
"What was your unit and division? Co.I 116 th Inf Regt. 29th Inf Division.
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Omaha Beach. H-Hour plus 50 Minutes
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Staff Saggeant
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 19
Were you married at that time? No
What is your wife 's name? N/A
Did you have any children at that time? N/A
What do you do now? Unit Advisor for the Army Reserve Unit. (306th Armor Grp,782 TK Bn, 300 th MRU Unit. 102 South Wayne St Arlington Va.)
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? Nothing definate until we were loaded on the boats and ready for the real thing.
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? From the part that I Can really remember only two things really stand out. Sgt John Wohlford Said I Hope I get knocked off the first Day. Sgt Joe Ma Hocko said He Hoped he gotwounded bad enough the first day to go back to the St States. Both of them got their wish.
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). None( All our rumors were squelshed by a speech by our Regiimental Commander (Col Charles D.W.Canham)when he made his speech on board the USS Charles Carroll the night night of the 5th of June, prior to our debarkation on the morning of the 6th June 1944.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - * Your name Carroll A Ashby
Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day?
Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? Yes (inserted) who? (end of inserted)
Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? None on the morning of D-Day
Were you wounded? Yes twice)
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?
I was wounded for the first time on D-Day , It was a small fragment in the right leg and there was not much pain. I was wounded for the second time on the 27th of Sept of 1944 at Brest Prance, It was painfull for a while but it soon passed away.
Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? No
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? No
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- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name Carroll A Ashby
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?
Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944?
On board the USS Charles Carroll in the English Chanhel Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? Co I was able to make about 1000 yds on the the first day, and we were dug in along the road at the forks in the roads at St Laurant Sur Mer.
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?
I had some friends in the 101 st A/B Div. but they were either killed on D-Day or at a later date.
There are still quite a few living in and around Winchester Va, that were in the same company as I. Mifflin B Clowe Jr Dunbar Sale Douglas Orndorff Jennings Marston Jake Colvin Daniel Affleck Roland White
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 SOT LEFT SUFFICIENT ROOM. FULL ACKNOWLEDGEMBNT WILL BE GIVEN IS A CHAPTER CALLED "WHERE THEY ARE NOW; YOUR NAME AND VOCATION OR OCCUPATION WILL BE LISTED.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
Cornelius Ryan (//signed// 4/23/58) Frances Ward Research, The Reader’s Digest
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USAR CENTER NUMBER 8 102 South Wayne Street Washington & Lee Shopping Center Arlington 4, Virginia 7 April 1958
Miss Frances Ward Reader's Digest 230 Park Avenue New York, New York
Dear Miss Ward:
The undersigned is in receipt of a communication from Headquarter XXI US Army Corps (Reserve) requesting that individuals participating in D-Day, 6 June 1944, contact you with reference to information required in the preparation of a history of D-Day, 6 June I944, for publication in Reader's Digest.
This is to advise that the undersigned was an enlisted man assigned to Company I, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Di- vision from 31 January 1941 until December 1944 and participated in the Normandy invasion with that unit.
Any information will be gladly furnished in the preparation of this worthy publication if called upon to do so.
Sincerely yours, (//signed//) CARROLL A. ASHBY 1st Lt, Infantry 01 877 126
Copy furnished: CG, Hq XXI US Army Corps (Res) ATTN: AIXXI-PI