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LL ITAL3 Congressional Medal of Honor Winner ITALY
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? Carlton W,Barrett
What was your unit and division? 18th Inf,1[inserted]Sst[end inserted] Inf Division.
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Sainte Laurent Sou Mer. San Laurent Sur Mer. Take You'r Pick
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? PVT.
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 24 years.
Were you married at that time? No.
What is your wife's name? X
Did you have any children at that time?XX
What do you do now? Soldier USArmy.
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion?About 2(Two)Weeks
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 Channel was rough, Most everyone on bord ship was calm,stayed by themselvs or was in their rack or sack .
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). This Question is rather hard to ans,because I went in with 16th Inf, one toher boy and myself,all the other troops were strangers to me, and ont too much was said, I believe I can explaine much better to Mr Ryan , than on paper.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name Carlton W Barrett
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 :One Killed &One Wounded.(Altough Their was a number of others that I had no contact with, You see I had to stay on the Beach.
Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? Yes: The Boy that was killed come in about an hour after me ,he [crossed out]wanted[end crossed out] WONDERED how bad things were, [crossed out]ti[end crossed out] in a fue minuts the Germans swept the beach with Art,He got his head blown off ,I got hit that was the end of Barrett.
Were you wounded?Boath legs ,Buttox,Lelt foot.
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? There was no Suprise,because as I said they x swept the Beach form time to time,You only had to be luckey. When I was hit I couldnot feel anything or I would not have ran over 200 yards up the Beach and then swam out to an LCI.
Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? Well at the time I was in or below deck on the LCI there was an LST along side x of us with Ammo that caught afire, one boy there said "Gees"the Krouts are driving us out into the Channel,That went on all day & night ,the next day [crossed out]were[end crossed out] we were Trans to an LST.
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? I do remember one medic that picked up an Ml and thretaned two Sailors in an LCVP (Small Craft ) if they did'ent pick up the casuals on the Beach ,The Sailors picked them up.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name Carlton W Barrett
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? Their must have been a number of these fates but xIdont reacl any at this time.
Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? Abord the Samual Chase.
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? Abord One LCI .
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? Sorry Ican't help in that Department.
Their is a Book (Valor ) The history of the Medal Of Honor Year 1948 ,Ibelive it will give you all the Info in reguards to CW Barrett RA 12005025 . [inserted]and others[end inserted]
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
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attacked. Each time Private First Class Squires ignored withering enemy auto- matic fire and grenades which struck all around him and fired hundreds of rounds of rifle, Browning automatic, and captured German Spandau machine gun am- munition at the enemy, inflicting numerous casualties and materially aiding in repulsing the attacks. Following these fights he moved 50 yards to the south end of the outpost and engaged 21 German soldiers in individual machine gun duels at point-blank range, forcing all 21 enemy to surrender and capturing 13 more Spandau guns. Learning the function of this weapon by questioning a German officer prisoner, he placed the captured guns in position and instructed other members of his platoon in their operation. The next night, when the Ger- mans attacked the outpost again, he killed three and wounded more Germans with captured potato masher grenades and fire from his Spandau gun. Private First Class Squires was killed in a subsequent action.
IV__MEDAL OF HONOR.--By direction of the President, under the provi- sions of the act of Congress approved 9 July 1918 (Bull. 43, WD, 1918), a Medal of Honor was awarded by the War Department in the name of Congress to the following-named enlisted man:
Private Carlton W. Barrett (Army serial No. 12005025), Headquarters Com- pany, • • • Infantry, United States Army. For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 6 June 1944 in the vicinity of St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France. On the morning of D-day Private Barrett, land- ing in the face of extremely heavy enemy fire, was forced to wade ashore through neck-deep water. Disregarding the personal danger he returned to the surf again and again to assist his floundering comrades and save them from drowning. Re- fusing to remain pinned down by the intense barrage of small-arms and mortar fire poured at the landing points, Private Barrett, working with fierce determina- tion, saved many lives by carrying casualties to an evacuation boat lying offshore. In addition to his assigned mission as guide he carried dispatches the length of the fire-swept beach; he assisted the wounded; he calmed the shocked; he arose as leader in the stress of the occasion. Hi coolness and his dauntless, daring courage while constantly risking his life during a period of many hours had an inestimable effect on his comrades and is in keeping with the highest traditions of the Army of the United States.
V__ SILVER STAR.--By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved 9 July 1918 (Bull. 43, WD 1918) and the act of Congress approved 15 December 1942 (Bull. 61, WD 1942), a Silver Star was awarded by the War Department to the following-named individual:
Richard M. Day, accredited war correspondent. For gallantry in action while accompanying our combat forces at Wakde Island on 28 May 1944. Mr. Day was a passenger in one of the landing craft in the first wave when intense enemy small-arms and 20-mm fire was encountered. The coxswain of the boat was killed and without hesitation Mr. Day took control of the landing craft although under intense fire from the enemy-held beach. After relinquishing the wheel to the engine man he assisted in lowering the hand-operated ramp when the craft arrived at the beach. In this landing Mr. Day's prompt and courageous action was of great assistance to our forces.
VI__AIR MEDAL.--By direction of the President, under the provisions of Executive Order No. 9158, 11 May 1942 (Bull. 25, WD, 1942), as amended by Executive Order No. 9242-A, 11 September 1942 (Bull 49, WD, 1942), an Air
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