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Roanoke, Indiana

For Cornelius Ryan
Book about D-Day IND 9 Medics O

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? John D Willett Jr
What was your unit and division? medical detachment 115 Inf 1st Battalion 29th Division

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time ?
I landed on Omaha beach at 10:00 oclock on D-day morning

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Private first class

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 21
Were you married at that time? No
What is your wife *s name? Doris O Willett

Did you have any children at that time?
What do you do now? Work for General Electric at the Fort Wayne works

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion?
we knew we were going to be in some invasion about 6 mos from the training were getting we done all of our training in England In May we moved for sure

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?
The trip was something you would never forget all you could see any place you looked was ships The weather was a little rough a few get sick I dont think anybody worried to much about what was coming up

What were the rumors on board the boat, ship or plane in which you made
the crossing? (Some people remember scuttlbbut to the effect that the
Germans had poured gasoline on the water and planned to set it afire when
the troops came in ).