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- for Cornelius Ryan 2 -
Your name THOMAS P. MULVEY

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day?
Yes, but I have since mislaid it. I landed by myself at 0117 hours and didn't
see a soul until 0715 the same morning. About 1100 hours I contacted a scout
from the 4th Div. [crossed out]This was a rather.[end crossed out] (See below )

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or
during the day?
Yes, as I mentioned in my first letter, quite a few of my people were killed
and wounded during the first day.

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became
casualties?

One boy, who was to be left behind because we were overstrength , kept imploring
me that he be allowed to jump. I finally took it up with Col. R. F. Sink, the
regimental commander, who said: "Hell, if he wants to be a hero, take him along."
He went, and he was found the next day, still in his parachute harness, hanging
high in a tree, with seventeen bullet holes in him.

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? Reference the scout from
the 4th Div (above ) - I was walking along a dirt road trying to orient myself,
when a soldier with a rifle popped into view from the edge of the bushes, about
75 yards ahead. We both dived [crossed out]back[end crossed out] into the brush. We came out again, rifles
at the ready, and stared out each other for a few seconds. He appeared to be a
GI to me, so I yelled "Flash", and he came back immediately with " Lightening " - [*Thunder?*]
the challenge and password for the day. He directed that I drop my rifle and
advanced with arms raised. I suggested that he do the same. This went on for
several go-rounds, with neither one breaking down. Finally, I decided to change
it, dropped my rifle and advanced as he originally ordered. He turned out to
be a scout from the 4th Division, and we shook hands and slapped each other on
the back.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck
you more than anything else?
No