Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 013, folder 03: Ernest C. Adams

1st Eng Sp Brig WASH DC 12 ADAMS, Col Ernest C. 4th [crossed out]Pa 6[end crossed out] 4th Div

Box 13, #3

[*WASH DC 12 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? Ernest C. Adams

What was your unit and division? 1st Engineer Special Brigade (in support of the 4th Infantry Division)

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? UTAH Beach, central portion, at about H- 1 1/2 hours, which would have been about 7;30 AM on 6 June.

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Lt. Col.

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 31

Were you married at that time? Yes

What is your wife's name? Ruth

Did you have any children at that time? One son, age 4.

What do you do now? Have been a Regular Army Officer since 1937. Am currently a student at the U S Army War College, but after 25 June, 58 can be reached at the f following Pentagon Address: Office of the Director of Installations ODCSLOG, Dept of the Army, Washington 25,DC.

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? In early December, 1943, when my unit was ordered up from the Mediterranean area (Italy) to begin planning and training for 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? My unit had abo ut 5000 men in the assault echelo n ; I took in half of ou r Brigade Advance Headquarters on an LCI (with the other half on another to make sure some got thru). We were rather seasoned from our Mediterranean landing operations ( Oran, Sicily, Salerno), and I suspect were largely preoccupied with discussion of operational details and the matter of how the weather, which was critical to our operations o n the beach, would shape up. We spent two nights on the LCI because of the 24 hour postponement, and the weather still looked bad when we sailed.

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). Our main concern was with how the beach obstacles , underwater mines, and land mines would shape up against the intelligence and latest photos that we had; also as to whether or not the Germans might open certain flood-gates and inundate a swamp area that lay landward of our beach. I don't recall that any serious credence was given to any rumors, or that there were any really good ones afoot.

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name Ernest C. Adams

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? May have my official scratch "Journal"; one tends to keep a fair hasty record of official actions and events in such circumstances.

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? 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? Later in the day, during a German straffing run in the beach area, two fellows dived into my foxhole, leaving me out in the open. I came off best, because the first one in had h is ankle splintered by the second.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? The stoic and matter of fact efficiency of the officers and men of my outfit constitutes the most lasting impression. In the emotional realm, I was most affected by an early report that one of the two ju nior staff officers th at had worked most closely with me from the beginning of the war had been killed, and by the subsequent reporting in of that officer unharmed.

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name Ernest C. Adams

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? Neither; as n oted above, my outfit was well seasoned in similar previous actions, and the typical performance was matterof fact and resourceful.

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? On an LCI in Plymou th harbor, ready to sail - sailing was postponed.

Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? On the same LCI; I do not recall the exact sailing hour of the LCI flotilla.

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? My Brigade Commander was Eugen e M. Caffey, now a retired Major General, living , I believe in Tucson, Ariz. He, with little regard for the publish ed schedu le, landed with General Teddy Roosevelt, Jr. in one of the first landing boats ashore, and was the first to recognize that the landing h ad been made almost a mile south of the planned location. He and Gen. Roosevelt were both awarded the DSC for this and their immediately subsequent actions in reo rienting and directing the troops first ashore.

I would be able to produce the names and current addresses of quite a number of people who were there on D-Day.

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

Student Detachment U.S. Army War College Carlisle Barracks, Pa

Miss Frances Ward Readers Digest 230 Park Ave New York , N.Y.

Dear Miss Ward: In response to official notice of your interest in interviewing participants in the Normandy Assault on 6 June 44, I would be pleased to help in any way that I can. I was Executive Officer of the 1st Engineer Special Brigade. My unit had some 5000 troops in the assault echelon with the 4th Division, and handled such tasks as obstacle and mine clearance as well as the assistance of personnel and movement of material accross the beach. I participated in all planning and operational aspects of the operation, landing on the beach at about H + 2 hours. Sincerely, Ernest C. Adams. Col. C.E.