Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 010, folder 53: William J. Stivison

2nd Ranger Bn. STIVISON, William J. Pa 1 Box 10# 53 2nd Rangers Pointe du Hoc

Prior to coming in (underlined) (crossed out)"I watched what was probably the greatest display of fireworks ever as the Navies and Air Force opened up on the beaches." (End crossed out)

Coming In (underlined) " I was to give Capt. Harald Slatter the work SPLASH when the duwks hit the water from the LCT over the radio (53G). I was then to give him ERASE 1,2,3, etc. when and if any duwks were put out of action. One was hit. As I started to say ERASE ONE, his operator was saying 'we're sinking, we're sinking, we're sunk.' They were in a landing craft. NOTE. See Kerchner's file for same story. "The men going in sat & watched machine gun slugs hit the water a few feet from the duwks & a couple of 20mm's hit the ladders above their heads. All were as calm as if they had been just running another problem." During Day. "Frank Orapala and John Gillhoulley were with me on a patrol on our right flank to see if we could get an emplacement - which we did not get. On the way out we ran into Sgt. Pyle of E Co. hit in the eye. He had done a fair job of patching by himself .... We continued, running into a minefield with barbed wire. We were held up by Germans moving in between us & our own lines. We were in a shell hole. We saw 3 fellows that had to surrender to a group of Germans. One had a machine gun. I took a head on him, squeezed the trigger, the gun went off & the German & his buddies stood there as though nothing had happend. The rifle I had was not ejecting & I had to step on the ball each round to operate it." Mentions John Gilhouby - so does Stein.

Homer City, PENNSYLVANIA For Cornelius Ryan Book about D-Day PA 14 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. IP YOU WERE ONE OF THEM, PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

What is your full name? William J. Stivison

What was your unit and division? 2nd Infantry Ranger Battalion

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Point de Hoc - 6:25a.m. June 6 194 Rangers landed 7:10

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Staff Sergeant

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 25

Were you married at that time? No

What is your wife's name? Edna (Hensell) Stivison

Did you have any children at that time? No

What do you do now? Postmaster at Homer City, Pa.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? February 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? I was on an L.C.T., with four dawks, with Power ladders the channel was very choppy. Conversation not exciting men were very calm, I watched what is probably the greatest display of fir work ever to be displayed, on June 6 1944 - as the navys and the Air Force opened up On Omaha, and Utah beaches and Point de Hoc. (The rocketts which burst in the air wher U.S. and British plane burning and exploding in the air. The night was very quickly broken by the fl -s from the shelling.

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 recall no rumors - a few men from our Company had been in France with the British commando's on reconn. raids and some of there discriptions resembled our landing area.

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name William J. Stivison Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? only memories 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? A Lad wanted to go on a patrol with me, I ask him to stay behind. he was killed before we returned. Were you wounded? not on D-Day 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? I was to give captian Harold Statter the words "splash" when the dawks hit the water from the LC.t. which I did, over the radio (536). I was then to give him (Erase 1, 2, 3 etc-) when and if any blanks wer put out of actioin, one was hit and as I started to say Erase One (1) his operator was saying, we're sinking, we're sinking, we're sinking, we're sunk. (They wre in a Landing Craft.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? Most incdents, that day was, heroic as far as the men were concerned, and to me morable, many sad.\The men going in sant and watched Machine gun sluggs hit the water a few feet fron the dawk, and a couple of twenty millimeter's hit the Ladders above there head, all we're as calm as if they would have been just running another problem. Frank Orapala and John Gillhoulley were wth me on a Patrol on our Right flank to see if we could get an emplacement - which we did not get - on the way out - - over -

We ran on to Sgt. Pyle of E Co., hit in the eye - he he had done a fair job of patching by himself. I went bac and told a couple of fellows from E Co. we had passed and they came up and took him to the aid station (I guess) We continued - running into a mine field with Barb wire we were held up with Germans moving in between us and our own lines, we were in a shell hole - we saw several of The fellows that had to surrender to a group of Germans, one had a machine gun, on whom I took a good bead, sqeesed the trigger, The gun went off, and the machine and his buddys stood there as if nothing had happened, and to them nothing did, I guess, but it sure gave me a very funny feeling, and on top of that to find that the rifle I had was not ejecting and (crossed out) we (end crossed out) I had to step on the bolte each round to operate it, finding soon that John and Frank was having the same trouble.

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name William J. Stivison

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? All men there showed great ingenuity, in getting themselves up over 100 foot cliffs with there equipment; Then carring on battle. Colonel Rudder was great in his leadership and to me showed much confidence in the men of his battlion.

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? English Channell Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? Point de [?Hoe?] - France.

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? [*175th [?inon?] D + 1.*] [*[illegible]*] James T. Conrad , water street , Homer City, Pa. 175 Inf. 29th Div [*[illegible]*] David walker , Harrison street , Homer City, Pa. 175 Inf. 29th Div. Jack Jones - RD#2 Homer City, Pa 29th Div. Peanuts malestator - Homer City, Pa. 29th Div. Roy [K??nkle] - Homer City, Pa. 29th Div. Wayne Rankin - RD2 Homer, City, Pa. 29th Div. Otto Masney - 3719 Lakeside Drive (Rt 3) (Captian) F.Co. Pewaukee Wis. 2nd Ranger Bn. Co.F. [*[illegible]*] Eugene Elder - (615 w. [*(?)*] ceder st.) Cherokee , Iowa. 2nd Ranger Bn co.F.

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