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- for Cornelius Ryan 2 ~
Your name Tony DeMayo
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
Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became
casualties ?
No
Were you wounded ? No
Do you remember what it was like—that is, do you remember whether you
felt any pain or were so surprised that you felt nothing?
Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even
though it may not have seemed funny at the time ?
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic or simply memorable, which struck
you more than anything else?
During the ride across the channel the boys were wondering what was in store for us being pathfinders the first men to land in France well! we just didn't know what to expect Back in England in the war room when we were briefed we were told that the D.Z. consisted of 3 fields surrounded by hedgerows (that's a laugh) these hedgerows were the highest + biggest you ever saw in your life On the edge of the center field we were told to look for a barn and a haystack (now let's go back to the plane) As we approached the coast-line we were waiting for all hell to break loose at any time but first the red light went on then the green light went on we jumped landed and the planes disappeared in the distance and believe it or not nothing not a sound As I got up to get out of my harness lo and behold off to the edge of the field was the haystack and the barn (was I surprised) Our mission was to set up a set of 7 lights to form a T and a radar to send out a code for the 2nd Bn planes to beam in on After this equipment was set up the radar man was to start sending out his code immediately the light men of which I was one of was to leave the lights off and take cover until we heard the sound of the first planes The rest of the men set up P.T.O.