Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 010, folder 17: Edgar LeRoy Arnold

ARNOLD, Lt Col Edgar LeRoy Okla 1 Box 10, #17

Co. B 2nd Rangers Omaha "Dog Green"

Material Returned 6/29/59 see special folder.

On beach [*1*] "After reaching the water's edge & [inserted]while[end inserted] running across the beach, I suddenly found my self on the sand as if knocked down by some unknown force. My 1st thought was 'I have had it.' I felt of my body -- no blood, no pain. My carbine had been knocked out of my hands & was about 10' away on the sand. I jumped up, got the carbine & raced across the beach...The forearm stock of my carbine had been knocked off...I found 2 bullets in the ammo pouch which was strapped to my right side, & also 1 bullet which had stuck in my 1st Aid Kit ____" [*2*] "I was struck by the complete chaos on the beach. Dead men seemed to be everywhere." [*3*] "I lost about 1/2 of my company crossing the beach, the other half climbed the cliff (?) & cleaned out or captured the enemy & the machine guns there."

[crossed out]O[end crossed out]R-TE ? OKLA-1 LL For Cornelius Ryan 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? Edgar LeRoy Arnold, Lt Col, Inf, 031902 What was your unit and division? 2d Ranger Bn Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Right portion of Dog Green on Omaha Beach just opposite D1 draw (Vierville). The time was about 0720 hours, D Day.

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Capt, CO Company B, 2d Ranger Bn What was your age on June 6, 1944? 31 years old Were you married at that time? Yes What is your wife's name? Alice Rose Did you have any children at that time? Yes - one son - age, 12 years

What do you do now? Senior Inf Instructor, US Army Artillery and Missile School, Fort Sill, Okla.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? In October, 1943, I shipped to England as a member of the 28th Inf Div. It was on or about this time that I realized that I would probably take part in the invasion.

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? Because of weather conditions, the trip crossing the Channel was extremely rough. Many troops became sea sick. I cannot vividly recall any conversations worth mentioning except one. My first platoon leader kept saying that he would never make it, that he would never get across the beach, that a bullet had his name on it. My job was to try and make him calm. This I tried to do. He was really not afraid to the point that he would back down, He apparently just had a feeling that his days were numbered. Most of the time was spend in going over the plans in which my company was to accomplish its mission, when we would land, where we would land, and how we would advance inland. 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). No particular rumors that I can recall. The men as well as the officers did not talk much. We did mention the beach defenses and wondered if they were actually there as we were told and as indicated from photos. We talked about how soon we would get across the beach once we left the assault craft and reached the waters edge. We wondered if the cliffs would look the same as they did in the maps and photos.

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name Edgar L. Arnold

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? No. Time did not permit keeping a diary on that day or for several days thereafter. Later, I didn't want to recall that day. I wanted to forget it. Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? Yes. Several friends, members of my Company. Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? None other than the conversation with my 1st Plat Leader mentioned on the preceeding page.

Were you wounded? Hit by MG fire, knocked down, but not wounded. [*details*] 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? After reaching the edge of the water and while running across the beach, I suddenly found myself on the sand as if knocked down by some unknown force. My first thought was - I have had it. I immediately felt of my body - no blood, no pain. I realized that my carbine had been knocked out of my hands and was about 10 feet away lying on the sand. My first thought was to get across the Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? No. Contd. from above: beach and to reach cover at the base of the cliff. I jumped up, picked up my carbine and raced across the beach. At the base of the cliff, I found that the forearm stock of my carbine had been knocked off. This I could not understand. On the night of D-Day, I found two bullets in an ammo pouch which was strapped to my right side and also one bullet which had stuck in my first aid packet. Apparently I had been hit with a burst of long range MG fire which knocked the stock from my carbine, two bullets hitting my right hip and sticking in the ammo pouch (2 1/2 lb blocks of TNT were smashed), and one bullet striking my first aid packet. No other damage. Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? The thing that struck me was the complete chaos on the beach. Dead men seemed to be everywhere. I began to get visions of being pushed back into the sea. The fate of the first two waves to hit the beach was not hard to determine becasue of the dead.

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name Edgar L. Arnold

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? One thing that did appear stupid although I didn't give it much thought at the time was a white flag waving on a rifle in the water about twenty feet from the edge of the water. I also remember having lost about one half of my company crossing the beach and how the other half climbed the cliff and cleaned out and killed or captured the enemy machine guns and the enemy fighting from trenches at the top of the cliff. The force consisted of about 25 enemy soliders.

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? Somewhere in the channel. Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? On the outskirts of Vierville just off Omaha Beach (God Green) 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?

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 Frances Ward Research, The Reader's Digest

DECORATIONS AND AWARDS BRANCH Initials [illegible] MILITARY PERSONNEL DIVISION, AGO. Date 22/8/44 RECORD OF AWARD OF DECORATION BY AGENCY OTHER THAN WAR DEPARTMENT

Last Name First Name Middle Initial Serial No. Grade ARNOLD EDGAR L. 01286417 Capt

Organization Foreign Others Infantry

Headquarters Station or APO G.O. No Section Date 1st United States Army 230 28 I 20 June 1944

Type of Award Posthumous DO NOT WRITE IN D.S.C. No COLUMN BELOW

Oak-Leaf Clusters Number Posthumous

By Command of Amended Revoked ARMY COMMANDER: CITATION

For extraordinary heroism in action on 7 June 1944 at *********** France. Ca ptain Arnold personally led his Ranger company in an attack against enemy installations in the face of small arms fire and accurately [crossed out][illegible][end crossed out][inserted]directed[end inserted] enemy artillery fire. Despite this heavy enemy fire, Captain Arnold continued to lead the assault and inspired his men to advance with him even though they were suffering heavy casualties. Captain Arnold's outstanding and courageous leadership is in keeping with the highest traditions of the service.

Entered military services from Iowa.

AGO Form No 079 File In Enlisted Branch