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ALA 11 Tuscaloosa Ala Green

For Cornelius Ryan
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 JUNE
6, 1944. IF YOU WERE ONE OF THEM, PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

What is your full name?
Theodore S Hamner Jr

What was your unit and division?
Company H 507 Parachute Inf. 82nd AbDiv

Whero did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time ?
near St. Mere Eglise at 2:30 AM about 20 miles inland

What was your rank on June 6, 1944?
STAFF SERGEANT

What was your age on June 6, 1944?
25 years

Were you married at that time?
yes
What is your wife ’s name ?
Mary Violet

Did you have any children at that time?
yes
What do you do now?
Floor Foreman B.F. Goodrich Co

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion?
About a week beforehand

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 ?
we were mostly quiet and men who were to jump together planned how to get together after jump. We flew 50 feet above water until we hit coast of France. as soon as we hit coast plane was to rise to 900 feet. We were fired at on the coast and planes broke formation. After a few minutes the pilot told Lt Stephens that he could not see any other planes and told him we were over land. Lt Stephens told the pilot to slow the plane down and give us the
green light. We then made our jump. There were 18 men in plane, but I have not until today seen but 4 of them. We got together on the ground and started looking for other men.

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 ).
we figured the Krauts would be waiting for us because we had been given $4.00 equt. to French money in Francs. But we knew we had a job to do and we intended to do it.