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Avondale, PA
For Cornelius Ryan
Book about D-Day
PA 63 LL GREEN

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? Delbert F. Jones

What was your unit and division? Co. B 502nd Prcht. Inf. Regt.
101st A/B Division

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? We jumped at the
village of St. German-de Vaneville, France, at
0015, June 6, 1944. The first ten men to set foot on
French soil and started the invasion of Normandy.

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? My rank at that time was
Private first Class

What was your age on June 6, 1944? I was twenty-three years
of age.

Were you married at that time? no

What is your wife's name?

Did you have any children at that time? no

What do you do now? I guess you have heard of mushrooms?
Well I am self employed and engaged in the
mushroom business as a grower.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? I guess in
was in the middle or near the last part of May. Then when
we were paid in francs we knew it was going to be France.

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? The trip across
the Channel wasn't bad at all. We flew at a very low level
over the Channel until we hit the French Coast; then we
raised up to fifteen hundred feet to just before we hit the
deep zone we drop to five hundred feet for the jump.
We enountered some Anti aircraft fire and our
plane was hit several time: I was glad to
get off it

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). I don't think there was any rumors
on our plane: we all knew where we were going and
what we had to do after we got there. Our job
depend on the success or failure of the whole
invasion and we just land to do our job or
bust. We were expendable and could be replaced: but
Our mission Couldn't at that time