Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 007, folder 22: William Bevan Williams

[?Frank?] calling

Equipment usednow finished

D-Day Book WILLIAMS, William Bevan

Release

29th DIV

Conn 3

Release [?D?]PG

Box 7, #22

Newhaven, CONNECTICUT

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? WILLIAM BEVAN WILLIAMS

What was your unit and division? 116TH INF. DIV. (COMPANY B) of the 29th div A/A report

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? D-DAY JUNE 6, 1944 H+30 - SUPPOSED 6:30 A.M., ACTUALLY ABOUT 7:00 A.M.

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? 1ST LT.

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 27

Were you married at that time? YES

What is your wife's name? CORA HELEN BENNER WILLIAMS

Did you have any children at that time? NO

What do you do now? SEC.- TREAS.- THE ACME WIRE CO. HAMDEN, CONN.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? HARD TO RECALL EXACTLY- PROBABLY FALL OF 1953.

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? RELATIVELY UNEVENTFUL- IT SEEMED STRANGE THAT GERMAN PLANES WEREN'T ATTACKING THE CONVOY WITH THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CHANNEL SO CLOSE, AND SO MUCH ACTIVITY THAT THEY MUST HAVE SURMISED WHAT WAS HAPPENING. SLEEPING THAT NIGHT WAS DIFFICULT WUTH THE INVASION ON MY MIND, AND WITH CLOTHING ON AND EQUIPMENT PILED ABOUT. WE ALL CARRIED SO MUCH EQUIPMENT THAT WE DIDN'T SEE HOW WE COULD DO MUCH FIGHTING.

What wrere 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). WE HEARD THAT SEVERAL OF THE AIR CORPS SATURATION BOMBING MISSIONS SCHEDULED FOR OUR LANDING AREA HAD BEEN [crossed out] SO [end crossed out] CANCELLED- AND NATURALLY RESENTED IT.

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name W.B. WILLIAMS

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? NODIARIES WERE FORBIDEEN SO AS TO ELIMINATE POSSIBILITY OF GIVING INFO TO GERMANS IN CASE OF CAPTURE.

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? MOST OF THEM.

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? JUST WISHING EACH OTHER GOOD LUCKMOST OF THE OTHERS DIDN'T HAVE IT.

Were you wounded? YES. SEVERAL TIMES WITHIN A FEW MINUTES

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? RIFLE BULLET HURT WHEN IT HIT; GRENADE FRAGMENTS HAAD MORE OF A NUMBING EFFECT. SURPRISE AND NEED TO ACT FAST [crossed out] VIRTU [end crossed out] MADE PAIN VIRTUALLY UNNOTICEABLE.

Do you remember seeing or bearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? PRINICIPALLY MY OWN ACTIONS AND REACTIONS- THE THINGS I FAILED TO DO BECAUSE I DIDN'T THINK FAST ENOUGH. I WAS SWAPPING GERNADES WITH A GERMAN IN A FOXHOLE. THE POTATO MASHER GERNADES BEING THROWN OUT OF THE HOLE COULD HAVE BEEN A COMIC SIGHT TO A DETACHED BYSTANDER.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? THE COMPLETE COMFUSION, THE NEED TO NOT SO QUICKLY THAT I DIDNT TAKE TIME TO ORGANIZE MYSELF AND MY MEN OR TO MAKE USE OF OUR TRAINING STANDS OUT MOST. ONCE I WAS WOUNDED AND MY MEN HAD GONE ON I SAT ON THE HILLSIDE OVERLOOKING THE BEACH, BUT DIDN'T REALLY GET THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MANY OF THE THINGS I SAW AND HEARD.

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name W.B. WILLIAMS

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? YES - AFTER FINDING THAT MY CARBINE WAS JAMMED- FROM SALT WATER AND SAND - I SAT DOWN IN AN EXPOSED SPOT TO TRY TO GET IT TO FUNCTION. THAT'S WHEN I GOT SHOT. [crossed out] WHEN [end crossed out] A FOXHOLE AT THE TOP OF THE HILL WAS HOLDING UP THE MEN WHO HAD LANDED AHEAD OF US, I TRIED TO KNOCK HIM OUT MYSELF INSTEAD OF BRINGING MY WHOLE ASSAULT TEAM INTO ACTION AGAINST HIM.

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? ON BOARD SHIP [crossed out] IN PORTLAND HARBOR, SOUTHERN ENGLAND [end crossed out] CROSSING CHANNEL.

Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? [crossed out] ON BOARD SHIP CROSSING THE CHANNEL [end crossed out]. ABOARD A U.S. NAVY LST THAT HAD PULLED IN CLOSE TO SHORE AFTER UNLOADING. TO TAKE ABOARD CASUALITIES. GERMAN PLANES DID ATTACK US THAT NIGHT.

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?

ALL OF 116TH INF LT. WM. H. PEARCE COLLWELL RD., MADISON HEIGHTS, VA. ROBERT L. SALES MONROE, VA. COL. FRED McMANAWAY FORT MISSOULA, MISSOULA, MONTANA MAJ. JOHN L. FLORA LAKEWOOD COLONY, ROANOKE, VIRGINIA LT. COL. THOMAS S. DALLAS. - [crossed out] FORE [end crossed out] FORMERLY OF MARTINSVILLE, VA. POSSIBLY STILL ON ACTIVE DUTY. LAST ADDRESS KNOWN TO ME WAS C+GS SCHOOLFT. LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS ABOUT 1950.

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 NOT 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’s Digest

Sorry I delayed so long in answering. correct address now is: CAPT. WILLIAM BEVAN WILLIAMS 0-379493 VILLAGE ST. NORTHFORD CONN.

SEARCH REPORT RETURN TO: TO: The Adjutant General, Washington 25, D. C., ATTENTION: AGPI The Air Adjutant General, Washington 25, D. C ATTENTION: Commanding Officer, Army Records Center, DODMPRC, TAGO, St. Louis 14, Missouri

INFORMATION DE S IRED OR TO BE VERIFIED IS INDICATED BY AN " X " IN APPLICABLE BOX(ES)

LA ST NAME - FIRST NAME - MIDDLE INITIAL Williams William Bevan

GRADE Captain

SERVICE NO. 0 379 493

DATE OF BIRTH

PRESENT ORGANIZATION AND STATION Relieved from Active Duty 14 June 1946

PER REPORT OF CHANGE DATED

HOME ADDRESS 757 Townsend Avenue, New Haven 13, Connecticut

PLACE OF ENLISTMENT OR INDUCTION

DATE OF ENL OR IND

ACTIVE DUTY DATE

DATE OF RANK

LAST DUTY STATION

TYPE OF SEPARATION

DATE OF SEPARATION

BRANCH ENLISTED FOR

MOS

NO RECORD

ABOVE INDIVIDUAL CANNOT BE IDENTIFIED

DATE

CLERK

ROOM NUMBER

REMARKS

VERIFIED ON LAST ROSTER (Date)

CLERK

DATE

ROOM NUMBER

DD FORM 14 1 APR 56

REPLACES DD FORM 14, 1 FEB 55. GPO : 1956 O - 384451