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Ashtabula, Ohio (806 Center St) GREEN O-21
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? CHARLES RUSSELL WARD
What was your unit and division? 3892 TRK. CO., ATTACHED TO 29 DIVISION FOR THE LANDING
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? EASY RED SECTOR, OMAHA BEACH
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? - CORPORAL
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 32
Were you married at that time? No
What is your wife's name? MARY REILLY WARD
Did you have any children at that time? No
What do you do now ? INVESTIGATOR FOR THE OHIO DEPT. OF LIQUOR CONTROL
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? MAY, 1944
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? REMEMBER FOR THE CONDITIONS AS WE LEFT ENGLAND AND HOW SOLIDERS WERE INTERESTED IN HAVING PICTURES TAKEN BY PHOTOGRAPHER FROM LIFE MAGAZINE.
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 olanned to set it afire when the troops came in).
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-for Cornelius Ryan 2Your name CHARLES RUSSELL WARD
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? 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 thought it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? SOME ONE TURNED THE LIGHTS ON AS TRUCKS WERE BEING UNLOADED FROM THE LST TO RHINO-FERRY IN THE EARLY DAWN OF JUNE 6, 1944.
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else?
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- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name CHARLES RUSSELL WARD
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? DRIVER OF TRUCK LOADED WITH GASOLINE WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF FEAR AND HAD TO HAVE HIS TRUCK DRAGED OFF LCI. FIRE RESULTED FROM BRAKE NOT BEING RELEASED [illegible] BUT FOR DRIVER ON DOZER, CLEARING LANE THROUGH OBSTACLES, TRUCK WOULD HAVE BURNED.
Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? -ENGLISH CHANNEL OFF OMAHA BEACH ON LST. Where were you at midnight on June 6 , 1944?- OHAMA BEACH ATTEMPTING TO LAND FROM LCI WITH 2 TRUCKS LOADED WITH 11 TONS OF GASOLINE EACH
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? HERBERT SIMPSON, OAK HILL, OHIO ERVIN WHITE, PETERSBURG, VA
PLEASE LET US HAVE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT TIE CAN INCLUDE YOUR EXPERIENCES IN THE BOOK. WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE YOUR STORY ON SEPARATE SHEETS IF WE HAVE HOT 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 Digest
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July 2 1958
Mr. Charles R. Ward 806 Center Street Ashtabula, Ohio
Deer Mr. Ward:
Thank you very much for your letter and for your willingness to help ns with Cornelius Ryan's book about D-Day. I hope you will forgive the delay in replying to your kind offer of assistance; we are gratified, but somewhat overwhelmed, by the wonderful response which we are getting as a result of our requests for information.
During the next few months, both in this country and in Europe, Mr. Ryan will be interviewing many of the D-Day participants who agree to contribute to the book. Very probably, he will wish to talk with you during that period. In the meantime, since we are dealing with so many people, we have found it necessary to develop an individual file on each person who agrees to help us. Therefore, we hope you will complete the enclosed record and return it to me at your earliest convenience* We truly believe teat these fuestlcms will serve you, as well as us, if they can help to crystallise some hazy memories and to indicate tec sort of information which we are seeking.
I should be most grateful to know as soon as possible teen and if you will be available for interview. We want very much to tell the story of your unit, and in order to do that we need the personal accounts of the men who were there. We particularly look forward to your reply.
Sincerely yours,
Frances Ward Research Department
FW:LL Enclosure