Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 007, folder 53: Thomas F. Donahue

[inserted] Release - 1st [end inserted] DONAHUE, Thomas F. Nf 77 [inserted] 86 AB

456th Para. Field Artillery 82nd

On detached service to 50 5th lt Co Ramblin Roses of SME Name Battle for SME

Box 7, #53 [end inserted]

NY-77 Bklyn, N.Y. R LL For Cornelius Ryan Book about D- Day Mr. Kerr has interview him- more may be necessary

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? Thomas F. Donahue What was your unit and division? 456th Parachute Field Artillery Bn. Battery "C" 82nd Airborne Div.

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time ? Somewhere outside the town of Ste. Mere Eglise between 2:00 + 2:30 A.M. June 6 What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Private First Class What was your age on June 6, 1944? 24 Were you married at that time ? No What is your wife' s name ? Kathleen Did you have any children at that time ? No

What do you do now? Office Clerk for the Great A & P Tea Co.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? About 3 or 4 weeks before. Although we didn't klnow the nature of it. We knew of a coming mission. 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 ? Don't remember much. Just talking and kidding, smoking and some of us prayed.

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 clamed to set it afire when the troops came in). Don't remember any rumors. We knew we were going to France. What our job was and what was expected of us.

- for Cornelius Ryan 2Your name Thomas F Donahue

Did you by any chanoe 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? one had his leg broken between the knee and hip when he collided with an equipment 'chute in the air Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they beoame 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 you so surprised that you felt nothing? Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? The accidental killing of one of our section by an American trooper who mistook him for a German in the dark

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name [inserted] THOMAS F. DONAHUE [end inserted]

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?

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? [inserted] IN A C-47 GOING TO NORMANDY [end inserted]

Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? [inserted] LYING BESIDE OUR 75MM PACK HOWIZER, AT STE MARE EGLISE [end inserted]

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? [inserted] ALL THESE ARE LAST KNOWN ADRESSES

JOHN CALVERT 112 SO. BOOTH ST TULSA, OKLA }LAST KNOWN ADDRESS

JOHN ANDRES 461 E 144 ST. N.Y.C.

JOE SID BROWN LOVONIA GA.

JOSEPH MONTY PLAIN FIELD CONN BOX 235

HENRY J. LOOMIS 1007 OAK ST GRAND FORKS N.D. [end inserted]

PLEASE LET US HAVE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT WE CAN INCLUDE YOUR EXPRIENCES 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

THOMAS A. DONAHUE - 3rd Battalion 505 (by DK)

165 Russel Street Brooklyn 22, New York

Donahue was an artillery man assigned to the 505. They took off from Cottermore (check spelling) On the 5th, Donahue was very busy loading his 75 m-m packed howitzer in the bomb racks on the C-47 - 13 men in the plan including one medic. Donahue was number 10. Plane came into the Drop Zone high and fast and as he dropped was oscillating in his 'chute saw AA coming at him. It looked as everybody on the ground was firing right at him so he grabbed his risers to dodge the fire. He made a good landing in a small field where he thought he was all alone, but as soon as he stood up, a machin gun opened fire and dropped down again and got out of his [crossed out][illegible][end crossed out] chute. And almost immediately he met John Andrews and they started looking for other guys. They met one who had been hit by an equipment bundle in the air and broke his leg in two places so that he looked as if he had two knees. They couldn't get at the wounded man's morphine so Donahue used his. Then he and Andrews started off out across the fields to get the machine gun but [crossed out][illegible][end crossed out] before they got they heard a grenade go off where they expected to find a machine gun. This silences the gun and they turned back to get their 75 and haul it into position. No doubt by this time Donahue must have met up with other guys since it takes about 7 men to haul the 75 loaded with ammo, pioneer pack etc. See attached a map.

Donahue and Andrews and John Calvert (from Tulsa, Okla) hauled the gun into town. Donahue remembers the beautiful rambling rosses over the houses on the edge of town as they came in. By the end of the day they were all blown off. Donahue's movement are shown in the attached rought sketch. It was baout 0430, when Donahue and his buddies moved in to Ste. Mere-Iglese. At one point they moved up to a forward hedgerow then were told to move back. One fo the men carrying forearms 75 mm ammo when a super 101 stepped out of the hedgerow and hsot him through the throat. Before he realized that this was another American. The 101 man and one of Donahue's group carried the