Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 007, folder 50: James J. Coyle

- 6 - D-Day - 75 MM artillery pack Nothing came down the road - skirmished Coyle: American kid lying on the road - Krauts looked at body after Turnbull came back Moved up to the road - kid GI lying - Krauts came down the road opened fire - got between us and Turnbull - mortars - Krauts coming to the left - sent Sent runner to the town Tony: ring around command post - Ekman - went to a barn saw Hable, wire from his pack went through his back 95% of 2nd battalion landed on drop zone tripod on a light - 7 of them to form a T Run out to light - turn on switch Coyle: shot in the bivouac THIS is it for Mrs. McClean's little boy. Jack: South of St. Mere Eglise on the right, saw first planes 11-12 noon. Sam Durbin injured and killed - sprained ankle on the drop Coyle: heard crash gliders on top of him - in pieces - went forward - hit the ditch - stopped with the wing staring in face - shock - half dead St. Mere Eglise in reserve Crawled out from half of wing - split a tree - glider came in explosion crash - British glider, splintered, jagged edges - just before dark on D-Day McCIean - gliders had it pretty rough. Keller and Beck spent night on rubber raft - in middle of field Fr. Connelly address - Holy Cross Abbey, Cannon City, Colo.

March 1, 1959

Dear Mr. Ryan:

I just received a call from my former Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. B. F. Vandervoort, of Alexandria, Virginia, who told me that you had seen him and that you were interested in an attack we made at Ste. Mere Eglise in Normandy. I don't know how much detail Colonel Vandervoort gave you but I will give you as much as I can remember and hope that some of it may be of help to you.

Th attack was made along the main road north out of Ste. Mere Eglise toward Neuville au Plain. The platoon which I commanded was made up of personnel of E Company, 505 Parachute Infantry Regiment, plus odd members of other units which had landed in our area and could not rejoin their own outfits. I had the left flank in the attack. On our right was the 1st Platoon of E Company led by Lt. T. L. Peterson. On their right was the main road and across the road a platoon of D Company, 505, led by Lt. T. J. McClean.

We were under fairly heavy small arms and artillery fire as we moved up to the point where we were to begin the attack. I was to contact the 8th Infantry of the 4th Division on my left flank, but by the time we had to move out they had not arrived at the line of departure.

Although we would have to attack with the left flank exposed, we had two Sherman tanks working with us that could cover us. There was so much fire coming across an open field through which our platoon was to move, that instead of crossing the field I took them up a small road which led in the direction of the attack. Ditches along the road provided cover for the men and the road made it easier going for the tanks. We had not advanced more than 200 years when we came to a small road at right angles to the one on which we were moving. The Germans were in a ditch behind a hedgerow bordering this road. Fortunately they had not covered their flank. There were no enemy covering the road up which we were moving. By a lucky break we had them trapped. We moved into position and opened fire with everything we had. After about ten minutes of heavy firing, we saw a white flag raised in the ditch. We ceased fire and Lt. Woosely, Exec. officer of E Company and I went up to accept what we thought was a formal surrender. When we got up near them two "potato-masher" hand grenades came sailing out of their ditch and Woosely and I hit the ditch on the other side of the road. No one was hit but we were pretty shaken up and plenty mad. However, as I look back on it I don't believe that this was a case of planned treachery. It was simply that some of them wanted to quit fighting and some die hards wanted to hold out to the end.

We returned to the men and opened fire again and this time we kept it up until suddenly they all jumped out of their ditch at once and ran back into an open field behind them with their hands in the air. We had no idea of how many were in the ditch and this is where we got a jolt. There were at least 100 of them in the small area right in front of us. And I only had about 20 men with me. I figured that we had better disarm them completely and round them up fast or if they found out how few we were they might want to take us on again. As I jumped into their side of the hedgerow, one of the "die hards" (there has to

be one in every crowd) cut loose with a machine pistol and shot me in a very embarrassing spot. However, the fight was gone from them and we were able to round them up , seven officers and over 100 men, and send them back to Battalion Hq. The first platoon and D Company collected a large batch as well. I don't know how many there were altogether as I was shipped back to the hospital as soon as we had them all rounded up but I would estimate well over 200 prisoners plus many dead and wounded that remained in the ditch. We had caught them just as they were getting ready for an all out attack on our positions in Ste. Mere Eglise and by another lucky break , we had beaten them to the punch.

If I can be of any further help , please call.

James J. Coyle (formerly Lt. Co. E 505 Parachute Infantry, 82nd Airborne) 37 Berkshire Road Hicksville, N. Y. Wells 5 -7874

May 2, 1958

Dear Mr. Coyle:

A book about D-Day, June 6, 1944, is being prepared by Cornelius Ryan for publication in The Reader's Digest in book form on the 15th Anniversary of the Normandy invasion in the spring of 1959. This will not be another strategic history, but the story of the twenty-four hours of invasion day as individuals lived them and remember them. For this we must find the men who were there and, if they are willing, invade their memories. The story of the 82nd Airborne is obviously among the proudest, and therefore we were delighted to learn from General Gavin that someone is keeping a Company news sheet. We consider ourselves most fortunate in having received from Mr. Lassen a copy of his mailing list for the "E Company Poop Sheet." We understand from him that not all of his readers were necessarily members of E Company, 505th Regiment, and that not all of them did necessarily go into Normandy on June 6, 1944. We write to you in the hope that you were in Normandy on D-Day, and more especially, in the hope that if you were there you will be willing to help us.

Mr. Ryan hopes ultimately to interview most of the people who agree to contribute to the book. These interviews will probably be conducted in the late spring and early summer of this year in the course of a crosscountry trip which Mr. Ryan plans to make. In the meantime, since we are literally dealing with hundreds of people, we are finding it necessary to keep an individual file on each person who expresses a willingness to help us. Therefore we hope that if you are willing to help us, you will complete the enclosed record and return it to me at your earliest convenience. We truly believe that these questions will serve you as well as us, if they can help to crystallize some hazy memories and to indicate the sort of information which we are seeking.

We will look forward to your reply with great anticipation. We want very much to tell the story of the 82nd, and in order to do that we need you. Thank you so very much for any help which you can give us.

Sincerely yours,

Frances Ward Research Department

Mr. James J. Coyle 37 Berkshire Road Hicksville, New York