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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? James J. Coyle

What was your unit and division? E Company , 505th Parachute Infantry,
82nd Airborne Division

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Landed by
parachute about one quarter mile North East of Ste. Mere Eglise at approximately
1 A.M. June 6 , 1944.

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Second Lieutenant

What was your age on June 6, 1944> 25

Were you married at that time? No

What is your wife's name? Ethel C. Coyle

Did you have any children at that time? --

What do you do now? Accountant with the New York office of the
American Tobacco Company.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion?
From a long range educated guess , when the Division sailed from
Naples , Italy to Ireland. We knew that it was a matter of a day or
two when we arrived at the air field at Cottesmore , England about June 4
and noted the security measures in force.

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 ?
As jumpmaster my seat was next to the open door of the C-47 that
flew us in , so the noise of the engines and the prop blast made any
conversation other than shouted commands impossible. At one time in
the flight I recall one of the men got stuck in the door of the latrine
in the rear of the plane , parachute and all , and we pried him out very
gently as I was afraid that he might pop the cover off his chute. If it
had billowed open inside the crowded plane , it really would have
complicated the jump. Most of the time I just watched the bright
moonlight on the water below and "sweated out ” the coming operation.

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