Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 008, folder 06: Goldman Murray

82 AB GOLDMAN, Murray NY 26

Box 8, #6

noth here -- BLACK Chinnock 8/21

505

Saw dead GI paratrooper & 15 dead Germans around him

AB-TE Bronx-we'd have to talk to get anything from him. For Cornelius Ryan HAS DIARY NY26 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 6, 1944. IF YOU WERE ONE OF THEM, PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

What is your full name ? Murray Goldman What was your unit and division? 505 Parachute Infantry- 82nd A/B Div. Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time ? at 0200 about 2 miles from St Mere Eglise What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Staff Sgt. What was your age on June 6, 1944? 27Were you married at that time ? No What is your wife's name ? Estelle, as of April 10, 1946 Did you have any children at that time? No What do you do now? Sales supervisor for Reddi WIP CORP 80 Bronx Terminal Market N.Y (Whipped Cream) When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? When we left Naples for IrelandWhat 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 crossing was exciting but easy until we passed the French Coast- after that - roughI passed the time away on the way over thinking we were spearheading the biggest thing in the history of the world. 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. We knew the enemy- We knew his capabilities and we knew that we were better.

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? yes- From June 5 thru July 3-

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? yes - Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? yesWere you wounded? yes- but not in Normandy-

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? yes - the blast of the shell exploding made my face feel like putty - numb

Do you remember seeing or bearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? what we thought was amusing at that time would seem atrocious + depraved to the general public at this time

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? yes- several

What [penciled in]

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name Murray Goldman

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 ? yesWhile cutting Normandy in half, I came upon a scene I shall never forget or stop wondering about. A lone G.I. paratrooper lay dead- his B.A.R. empty. The hedgerow, at the head of ---which he lay dead contained the bodies of 15 dead Germans. For this man, alone, outnumbered, cut off + in Enemy territory, to take on the enemy, represents the type of courage one does not often hear of.

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? Airborne + committedWhere were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? In St Mere Eglise- in big trouble

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? yesAngelo G Muley-Tamps, Florida Christopher J. Perry- Kingston, New York. Employed by I.B.M. Newburgh, N.Y. Holds D.S.C. + Silver Star PLEASE LET US HAVE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT WE CAN INCLUDE YOUR EXPERIENCES 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

Staff Sgt. Murray Goldman, 27, of the 82nd Airborne Div. says:

While cutting Normandy in half, I came upon a scene I shall never forget or stop wondering about. A lone G. I. paratrooper lay dead--his B.A.R. empty. The hedgerow at the head of which he lay dead contained the bodies of 15 dead Germans. For this man, alone, outnumbered, cut off and in enemy territory to take on the enemy represents the type of courage one does not often hear of.