Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 013, folder 06: Donald D. Anderson

ST. PAUL OR 4th Div NEG MINNEAPOLIS ANDERSON, Donald D. Minn 3

Box 13, #6

Northern Minn - have to get him to Minneapolis St Paul 200 [illegible]

[*U -- N Effie, MiNN. LL MINN 3 Medic Utah*]

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? Donald D. Anderson

What was your unit and division? Speical Troops Medical Detachment 4th Infantry Division

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Utah Beach, shortly after noon on June 6, 1944

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Sgt.

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 25

Were you married at that time? no

What is your wife's name? Elizabeth

Did you have any children at that time? no

What do you do now? I am a dealer in timber products

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? We received amphibious training at Camp Gordon Johnston, Florida. Then the rumors had it that we would invade Europe. When waiting in England we particapated in beachhead landing maneuvers. We were first officialy told we would be in the invasion force about the 1st of June when we were restricted to our marshalling area.

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? We loaded on ships and started accross the channel but [crossed out]tu[end crossed out] turned back once when the invasion[crossed out]e[end crossed out] was postponed from June 5 to June 6th. We were on an LST, the first invasion boat to leave Dartsmouth. We were shortly joined by hundreds of other vessels. On the evening of June 5th we were told to get some sleep, but sleep would not come with the excitement at hand. At midnight we stood on deck and watched the anti aircraft bombardment on shore and later our naval guns bombard the shore. This was a most spectacular sight. We passed the time by playing cribbage and holding cribbage tournaments when on board ship.

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).

Romurs persisted that U-boats and E-boats had been sighted. We did see one floating mine that sharpshooters on board exploded by rifle fire.

- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name Donald D. Anderson

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? No, but I did [crossed out]wrwite[end crossed out] write a letter of 2000 words or more explaining my experiences of that day later on which I still have.

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? Yes. A former Commanding officer, a medical doctor was [inserted]killed[end inserted] [crossed out]hit[end crosssed out] by a direct hit of a German 88. He had reached saftey once but had returned to give aid to a wounded truck driver. Many acquaintances were either killed or wounded in the invasion

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? This medical officer in training taught us much of the first aid treatments we had learned. He was probably the best liked commanding officer I ever had. His actions that day were really over and above the ordinary line ofduty.

Were you wounded? I received a very small shrapnel cut above my left ankle. The shrapnel went through[crossed out]t[end crossed out] my legging and shoe and grazed along my foot for about 2 inches.

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? I felt a warm tug at my foot but did not realize I had been hit for an hour or so when the excitement died down and I discovered my shoe was soaked inside with blood.

Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? In the course of crossing the beach, we as medical men stopped on the beach to assist in caring for casualties that had occurred and were occurring at a very high rate from artillary fire. We were all excited and our commanding officer was no exception. With dozens of wouned men on stretchers and on the ground around us, Major K. M. McPherson turned to his top Sgt. and said, "Goble, go to the truck and bring me the Purple Heart Decorations" In his excitement, he was thinking more of the decorations than medical attention for the wounded.

In another instance during a particularly heavy bombardment another Anderson and I jumped into a shallow trench not knowing that it was made by the Germans for another important function. A shell burst right at the edge of our [crossed out]tent[end crossed out] trench and covered us with sand. We muzzeled right into the sand altho the smell was not at all pleasant or conditions sanitary.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? Watching the first shock troops going over the side of our ship on rope ladders was touching to me. Then [crossed out]wawm[end crossed out] when we went in we saw floating bodies, some of which probably were those same boys who had gone over the side that morning. To me that was very touching. My own feelings were somewhat numbed. The full impact of what had happened did not seem to strike me until that night when we were safely accross the beach and had time to relax and take note of what we had just been through. I can remember of sitting against the trunk of a tree that night and fairly shaking. It seemed impossible that I and my buddies could have come through as well as we had.

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name Donald D. Anderson

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? Gen. Theo. Roosevelt, Jr. was asst. Division Commander and accompaniied us on the invasion. His courage andleadership was incredible. He was an experienced warrior and seasoned to battle while almost all of us were under fire for the first time. His actions and words kept our soldiers at their posts where they might have otherwise given up and tried to flee.

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? On board an LST watching the enemy anitaircraft firing at our planes carring in the paratroopers.

Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? safely back of the beaches in a partialy wooded area in comparative quiet. We did move our CP one time in the eary morning hours of June 7th.

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

May 22, 1958

Dear Mr. Anderson:

Thank you for writing to us concerning Cornelius Ryan's forthcoming book about D-Day. Since Mr. Ryan is now away, and has been away from New York for the major part of the last month, he has asked me to write you ex- pressing our mutual thanks and our mutual hopes that you will continue in your willingness to help us.

As your source of information may not have clearly indicated, this book will not be another strategic history of the invasion operation, but a story of the twenty-four hours of D-Day as men lived them and remembered them. For such a story, we can only go to the men who were there, and if they are will- ing, invade their memories. Thus Mr. Ryan hopes ultimately to interview many of the people who agree to help us, and so I should be grateful if you would let me know whether or not you would be available for interview at your pres- ent address during the period between now and the end of July of this year. I should be grateful also if you would be willing to complete the enclosed record and return it to me at your earliest convenience. We have assembled these questions in the hope that they may serve you as well as us, by help- ing to recall some long-forgotten incidents and indicate the sort of material which we are seeking. We need the answers to them as a basic file of vital statistics on each of our informants, and also, as a means of preparing for interviews for Mr. Ryan, these sheets will serve as a reminder of salient facts and references which he will wish to pick up later on.

We know that the story of D-Day is the story of many men and many units. Mr. Ryan wants very much to do justice to your outfit, and in order to do so he needs your help and the help of any others to whom you can direct us. We shall look forward very eagerly to your reply. Thank you so very much for any help that you can give us.

Sincerely yours,

Frances Ward Research Department

Mr. Donald C. Anderson 1405 Community Avenue Edwards, California