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AB - TE, 0-10, Jamestown, Ohio near Dayton
[pencil in red: Where did he land? How separated? details--]
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? Donald Ivan Jakeway
What was your unit and division? Company H 508 Parachute Inf, 82nd Airborne Division
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time?
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? PFC Machine Gunner
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 21
Were you married at that time? No
What is your wife!s name? • Roselyn F Jakeway, as of June 9, 1946
Did you have any children at that time? No
What do you do now? Bookkeeper, for the Rice Oil Co. Johnstown, Ohio
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion?
From the Day we sailed from New York Harbor, we were inclined to beleive that was our destination.
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?
Due to over-stuffing of dough-nuts, the over drinking of coffee,
and the tension of the thoughts of the on-coming jump, many
ot the troopers were very high strung. For my part, I had to
stand in the door in flight over the channell to keep from being
air sick. It was in fact a relief to get out of the plane. That
was the main topic of conversation, wanting to jump and get it over with.
'
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).
Rumors, which were proven facts later, were the stories of
flooded low-lands, poles driven into the ground to intercept
paratroopers, and the fact that the Germans knew we were coming,
but didn't know when. Facts beings, the Germans were holding
anti-paratroop maneuvers at the very time we were dropped. The
one thing in our favor was the use of wooden bullets instead of
high velocity ammunition, that they were using, effectiveness of
wooden bullets being around 100 ft.