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82 AB MONT 1 O'LOUGHLIN, Dennis G. PF [crossed out]Mo 2[end crossed out] Box 8, #26
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AB-TE Pathfinder 82nd For Cornelius Ryan MONT 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 ? Dennis G. O'Loughlin What was your unit and division? Co. E 505th Prcht Inf. 82nd A/B Div. Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Near St Mare Igles June 6, 1944 at 1:20 am What was your rank on June 6, 1944? — P.F.C. What was your age on June 6, 1944? -25 Were you married at that time? no What is your wife's name? none Did you have any children at that time? —no What do you do now? Work on construction, with Power shovel, Bulldozers etc When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? June 2, 1944 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? Took off from North Witham , England at 10:30 PM June 5, 1944 3 leading plane loads of us (Pathfinder teams) Remember no special conversations- Trip not too rough but plenty longslept a little. Came onto Normandy from south as near as I could figure. Some streaks of AA fire just before we jumped but mostly a little latebehind us. 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). Plenty of pointed posts with brabed wire + mines strung between 'em.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name D. G. O'Loughlin
Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? -yes Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? not for sure Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties ? Were you wounded? - no 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 ? It took me nearly an hour to climb out of a large drainage canal I had to cross. I had one arm + leg partly paralized from the jump - The sky was blue in the dark & I didn't care if the whole German army heard me
Do you recall any incident, sad -or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? A regular U.S. Army Colonel boarded our plane just before we took off from } England. He was wearing a jump suit & carrying a } (who?) parachute. Said he'd never jumped before, asked if } he could go along with us & if we'd show him how to put on his parachute & use it. He made it
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- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name D. G. O'Loughlin
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? - few- maybe. Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? somewhere off Normandy-over water Vtfhere were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? in a ditch near St.Mare Igles , Normandy
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? Perhaps some members of the airforce who flew us in- if ya can find 'em.
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 5/1/58 Frances Ward Research, The Reader’s Digest