Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 010, folder 04: Leo Henry Schweiter

SCHWEITER, Leo Henry 101st A.B. Pa 2 PENNA BOX 10, #4

If wish to interview, check with Franny Ward of Reader's Digest for correct address

For Cornelius Ryan Book about D-Day PA - 2

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? LEO HENRY SCHWEITER

What was your unit and division? HQS 101st ABN DIV

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? BEHIND UTAH BEACH ABOUT 0100 HOURS 6 JUNE 44

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? CAPTAIN

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 27

Were you married at that time? NO

What is your wife's name? VIRGINIA PFLAUM SCHWEITER

Did you have any children at that time? NO

What do you do now? U.S. ARMY OFFICER

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? JANUARY 1944 - SHOURTLY AFTER JOINING THE 101st ABN DIV 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? FULLY DESCRIBED BY THE[?N?] S/SGT THOMAS BRUFF (NOW CAPTAIN I BELIEVE) IN "RENDEZVOUS WITH DESTINY", THE HISTORY OF THE 101st ABN DIV. ONLY OTHER CONVERSATIONS WERE WITH THE[?N?] COLONEL T.L. SHERBURNE (NOW MAJOR GENERAL) WHO JUMPED NUMBER 2 IN MY STICK MOSTLY PERTAINED TO BUSINESS AT HAND. SPENT MOST OF TIME STANDING IN DOOR LOOKING AT ENGLISH CHANNEL AND AIR ACTIVITY

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). NONE.

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name L. H. SCHWEITER

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? NO

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? YES

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? NO

Were you wounded? YES

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? FELT NO PAIN, BUT FELT HEAT AND BLOOD RUNNING NOT SUSPRISED

Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? NO

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? NOTHING SPECIFIC, HAVE GENERAL IMPRESSIONS OF SEVERAL INCIDENTS BUT WOULD NOT CATEGORIZE ANY OF THEM AS ABOVE.

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name L. H. SCHWEITER

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? NO

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? AIRBORNE ENROUTE FROM ENGLAND TO NORMANDY

Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? BEHIND UTAH BEACH

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? Fort Campbell is another good sourcepoint

COLONEL J. J. HATCH FT. CAMPBELL, KY MAJOR BUD RAINEY " " " ", " COLONEL H.W.O. KINNARD " " " ", " COLONEL S.N. HOMAN HQ V CORPS - GERMANY SEVERAL OTHERS WHO WERE ASSIGNED TO 101sT ABN DIV AND WHO ARE STILL OFFICERS IN THE ARMY. SOME OF THEM ARE AGAIN ASSIGNED TO THE 101st ABN DIV AT FT. CAMPBELL, KY. OTHERS ARE AT FT. BRAGG, N.C.

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 HOW; YOUR NAME AND VOCATION OR OCCUPATION WILL BE LISTED.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.

Cornelius Ryan Frances Ward Research, The Reader's Digest

SEARCH REPORT RETURN TO:

TO: The Adjutant General, Washington 25, D. C., ATTENTION: AGPI The Air Adjutant General, Washington 25, D. C., ATTENTION: Commanding Officer, Army Records Center, DODMPRC, TAGO, St. Louis 14, Missouri

INFORMATION DESIRED OR TO BE VERIFIED IS INDICATED BY AN "X" IN APPLICABLE BOX(ES) LAST NAME - FIRST NAME - MIDDLE INITIAL GRADE SERVICE NO. DATE OF BIRTH Schweiter Leo Lt Col 0 34 334

PRESENT ORGANIZATION AND STATION PER REPORT OF CHANGE DATED Student Detachment, United States Army War College, (2/62)

[crossed out] HOME ADDRESS [end crossed out] Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania

PLACE OF ENLISTMENT OR INDUCTION DATE OF ENL OR IND ACTIVE DUTY DATE DATE OF RANK

LAST DUTY STATION TYPE OF SEPARATION DATE OF SEPARATION

BRANCH ENLISTED FOR MOS NO RECORD ABOVE INDIVIDUAL CANNOT BE IDENTIFIED

DATE CLERK ROOM NUMBER

REMARKS

VERIFIED ON LAST ROSTER (Date) CLERK DATE ROOM NUMBER

DD FORM 14 1 APR 56 REPLACES DD FORM 14, 1 FEB 55. GPO: 1956 O - 384451