Page 2

[inserted] AB-I

Lt. Benning GEORGIA [end inserted]

For Cornelius Ryan
Book about D-Day

[inserted] LL GA 14

Key man
in 82nd
Lull of
stories, +
sound like
a really
fine guy [end inserted]

THOUSANDS OF MEN, ON LAND AND SEA AND IN THE AIR, PARTICIPATED IN THE
INVASION OF NORMANDY BETWEEN MIDNGIHT JUNE 5, 1944 AND MIDNIGHT JUNE
6, 1944. IF YOU WERE ONE OF THEM, PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

What is your full name?
Colonel William E. Ekman
What was your unit and division?
Commanding Officer, 505 Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division.
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time?
Landed by parachute in Normandy at about 0120 hours, 6 June 1944 in the
vicinity of Neuville - au - Plein, which approximately four (4) miles
north west of Ste. Mere Eglise.

What was your rank on June 6, 1944?
Lieutenant Colonel.
What was your age on June 6, 1944?
31 years of age.
Were you married at that time? Yes
What is your wife's name?
Iris Welch Ekman
Did you have any children at that time?
Yes -- a boy, Michael, then age 5; and a girl, Sandra, age 3.

What do you do now?
I am currently serving as Director of the Airborne-Air Mobility Department,
Unites States Army Infantry School, Fort Benning, Georgia.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion?
I was briefed (BIGOTED) about 25 March 1944 as to the actual mission of the
505, although I had known much longer than that that in any invasion the
Airborne troops would be involved.

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?
The trip was rough, and the plane was overcrowded and overloaded. There was
quite a bit of flak in certain spots. Although there was a moon, it was
quite cloudy, and the moon was often covered and we flew through a great number
of cloud banks. I recall no specific conversations as my mind was on the
mission of the unit, and how the mission could be accomplished under the
variables which we were bound to encounter. I recall some conversation as
to whether it would be better to stand or sit in order to furnish a smaller
target for the flack. The plane was a c-47, flying supposedly in formation,
although it lost formation after hitting the Normandy coast. Captain (now
Lt Colonel) Robert M. Piper was my Adjutant and was with me in the plane. We
both had to sit on the floor at the rear of the plane; the door was open, and
as a result of the wind, we could not very well conduct a conversation.
(Continued on attached page)
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).
There were no rumors on our plane or, so far as I know, any of the planes.
All members of the regiment had been completely briefed on their missions,
had been carefully instructed on scaled sand tables, aerial photographs and
maps. Every officer and enlisted man knew exactly what he was to do no matter
where we landed. We were concerned about the possibility of anti-Airborne
personnel devices such as poles, wires and mines on the drop zones, since
similar devices had been erected around the town of Ste. Saveur le Vicompt,
our original objective. Due to these devices, and for other reasons, our
initial objective was changed to Ste Mere Eglise.