ENPages
Page 2
Brentwood, Missouri AB-E MO 5 LL For Cornelius Ryan Book about D- Day
[*Chaplain with 82nd Is he incoherent or am I imagining so?*]
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.
[*CORRECT ADDRESS 9159 WRENWOOD LANE BRENTWOOD 17 MO.
What is your full name? Robert Mansel Hennon
What was your unit and division? 507th Parachute Regiment, 82 Airborne Div.
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? One of 13 Chaplains that jumped into Normandy. Hit the ground about 12 30 AM June 6 or about 6 hours before H-Hour. Planes had been dispered and a sgt who was 15th in stick frozen in the door and lt who was 16th and Major Pearson who was 17th had to take with us. As a result on the back aziumith it took Red 20 minutes to find me and the two of us 20 minutes to find the sargent. We were alone near Grubesville for about [?half?] before locating some men of Co. F.
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Chaplain (Capt.)
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 31 years old
Were you married at that time? Yes
What is your wife's name? Elizabeth Duncan Hennon
Did you have any children at that time? No
What do you do now? social worker casework supervisor Evangecial Children's Home
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? 8 days prior to June 5 when we were closed-in at Barkston Keith and Air Field in England
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 in our plane at 9 PM June 5. Spent two or three hours in roundavoue before going across Channel. Our trip was a deep quite hour with baptism of fire from Gernsey and Jersey Islands. I remember exactly what I said to Red Pearson and his response- well Red I'm nothing but ready Red reply after a stout hand clasp was "Chap, let hit it a lick.
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). Ours were mostly cold facts - the flooded areas and the spikes. Reality fear of a gory way to die to a paratrooper. There was a decided shift in the favorite expression of the men from "Thats all Broter you have had it" or "sweating it out" to a short and snappy "Bleed Brother bleed
Page 3
for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name
Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? Yes - also maps. It will take some doing to unearth them but if you follow through I will dig them out.
Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? Many - of 2300 troops only 610 returned to Tollerton Hall outside Nottingham - after 30 days of combat
Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? Yes - will work on the recall if I find all my material.
Were you wounded? No - captured on D+4 - Missing in action to my wife & folks until Oct 1944
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? [*tie-in w/Red Smith*] About 4 AM when Major Pearson, Capt. Smith & myself had gathered about 30 men together. They took about six French civilian men that were holed up in the house. I was with them as they tried to interogate them. We had the blue vocabular books. I sat off to a corner busting out laughting to see Red & Capt Smith rant & rave with no communication. They ended up leaving them be because they were not going to be of any help. They were more ready to shot the chaplain than they were the most like pro [ ?], that they were getting nowhere with the little blue book.
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? June 3 when Col James Gavin address the regiment his parting (we were ready to take off June 4 when invasion delayed a day. words were happy hunting Mine to a much smaller no of around 100 at religous service were: "So long Jim take care of yourself. Godwatch between me and thee while we are absent one from the other." I am the only one alive of the Chaplain Corp of the regiment I never saw them but though absent they are the deication] of my life along with the other 1000 or so that layed down their life for their friend. Corp Jim ORouke Chaplain assistant June 6 1944 Chaplain Verret Killed January 1945 Chaplain Faulkes Killed jump over Rhine, my replacement Corp Bruce Davis killed " " " my assistant
Page 4
- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name Robert Mansel Hennon 9159 Wrenwood Lane Brentwood 17 MO 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? In a C_47 approaching Gersey and Jersey Island a last look at England.
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? An isolated aid station with 20 wounded men pactched up enough that I was ready to take off on a given azminth by myself toward Amperville
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? I will work on preparation of a list of known present address of men from the 507th that I know present addresses
I want you to know that I will help if in any way it will give a recognition to the airborne that drew the enemy inland and reduce casualty 80% on U. Beach as to what they were on "O" beach.
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
Page 5
June 17, 1958
[*Robt M*]
Mr. E. Mansel Hennon 729 N. Prospect Avenue Park Ridge, Illinois
Dear Mr. Hennon:
A history of D-Day, June 6, 1944, to coincide with the 15th anniversary of the Normandy invasion next year is being prepared by Cornelius Ryan for publication in the Reader's Digest and in book form. It is being written with the complete cooperation and assistance of the Department of the Army and the Department of Defense. This will not be another strategic history of invasion day, but a story of the twenty-four hours of D-Day as people lived them and remembered them. For this, we can only go to the men who were there and, if they are willing, invade their memories. Having learned of the part which you played in the invasion, we hope very much that you will be inter- ested in the project and agree to help us.
During the next few months, both in this country and in Europe, Mr. Ryan will be interviewing many of the D-Day participants who agree to contribute to the book. Very probably, he will wish to talk with you during that period. In the meantime, since we are dealing with literally hundreds of people, we have found it necessary to develop an individual file on each person who agrees to help us. Therefore, we hope that if you are interested in the project, you will complete the enclosed record and return it to me at your earliest convenience. We truly believe that these questions will serve you, as well as us, if they can help to crystallize some hazy memories and to indicate the sort of information which we are seeking.
I should be most grateful to know as soon as possible when and if you will be available for interview during the next few months. We want very much to tell the story of your unit, and in order to do that we need your personal account. We look forward eagerly to your reply.
Sincerely yours,
Frances Ward Research Department
FW:LL Enclosure