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Miami, Florida V-E FLA 15 Sounds as if he may've been quite a soldier
For Cornelius Ryan Book about D-DAY
THOUSANDS OP MEN, OH 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 Yi/ERE ONE OF THEM. PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.
What is your full name ? Salvatore Cirinese
What was your unit and division? 8th Infantry Co. L. of 4th Infantry Division
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? At [crossed out] Omaha [end crossed out] UTAH Beach about 5 AM ?
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? My rank on June 6th was that of Private first class.
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 30 years old at the time of the invasion
Were you married at that time? Yes (continue on another sheet)
What is your wife!s name? (Present wife Mary) (first wife Violet) (con't)
Did you have any children at that time? No. I didn't have any children at that time.
What do you do now? I am a shoe repairman, the same trade that I have always been doing since I learned the trade when I was 10 years of age.
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? I did not know that we were going to invade France, all we knew was that we were going on a boat ride, and had to be prepared for the worst. It wasn't till around 3 AM that we all knew.
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 ? Our trip across the channel, was the same as the other boat trips previously. At this time it was not a dry run. We went about our daily routine as another trips. our conversations weren't too many, as we passed our time playing cards when not on duty & our idle hours.
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). The rumors on board we're all different ¬ one were alike. Rumors such as that the Germans had mines as big as house buried, & would set off many miles of beach and inland. Also rumors that U.S. was also being invaded by Germans & Japanese. There were millions of rumors, but as far as I recollect, none of them were ever true
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-for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name Salvatore Cirinese
13 Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? You wouldn't need a diary. Your memory was the one a life was more important than keepin a diary.
14 Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? yes, about 20 of them during the entire day We didn't rest till about 3 days later, during the day, when relief came. It was then when about 20 of them were known
15 Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? I'm sorry but conversations with them were impossible, due to the fact that our company traveled in platoons, + several who were with me, were kind of silly, such as, what a mess we got into, and others close to that effect, but real conversations were out for we had time to catch up + had to be on the move + lookout at all times. We traveled mostly in pairs at isolated spots. In platoons on the march.
16 Where you wounded ? yes. I was wounded twice. Once by shrapnel, + one in hand to hand combat.
17 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 didn't feel any pain whatsoever, but I do remember a sting in my back just like a mosquito bite. I didn't know till daylight, when I began getting stiff somewhat on my right shoulder that I was wounded when I put my left arm around as if to scratch a bite till I saw blood on my arm
18 Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? yes, it was when three of us buddies were pinned down by enemy gunfire, such as a machine gun. With only a small opening in the hedgerow, one buddy decided to go through. He made it perfectly, but the Germans zeroed into that position later another buddy tried it + I told him not to. But went anyway + went through at the same time with the gunfire. I was the only one left + was pinned down good. My knapsack was caught in the broken tree branches + was un able to move
19 Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? Same as #18 of this page, I should of read it through first and the above should be 19 onside of when I was stuck in branches. however another incident was when we were counter attacked, it was about high noon + I was having having some of my C ration so was the rest of the company when it happed I seen both sides fall + I shot at one, but another got me at the shelter I had made + everything went black. It wasn't till almost dark that I came through, about7 P.M. I was almost burned in the debris + evendently
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- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name Salvatore Cirinese
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? I do not remember of those things, but I know that I have done all of them, can't think of them at present, but possibly will come to me at different times
Where were you at midnight on June [crossed out] 5 [end crossed out] 6, 1944? about five mile in, I believe on a high hill trying to capture it.
"Where were you at midnight on June [crossed out] 6 [end crossed out] 5, 1944? Sorry I wrote #6 on #5. At midnight June 5th we were on the English channell, watching the shelling of a city by air & by the navy. I don't recall the name of the city. But it was prior due to the invasion.
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? The only ones that I know at present is on at, in fact, several. 1. Mr. John Gammell 6 Cross St. Greenfield, Mass. 2. A. Kirscner 7324 20th Ave. Brooklyn, N.Y. 3. Theodore J Gresnick 626 N. 7th St. Steubenville, Ohio. 4. J. C. Malone Rt. 1, Lancaster, Tenn. 5. John a Bollinger, 304 Biedman Ave. Camden, N.J. 6. A. F. Neuser 117 Amy St. Syracuse, N.Y.
#1 I still correspond with John Gammell, the others I do not know if they still live at that address, you can try & might find new address if they have moved.
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 IP 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 ^ Digest
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Page one For Cornelius Ryan
ans. to question #6 Yes, I was married, doing the invasion of France. It was my first marriage, + being a long story, it doesn't matter anymore.
answer to question #7 My first wife, first name was Violet, + my wife at the present time is Mary. We have been married 9 nines come July 17th and we have two lovely children. No children with the first wife. It was during the war while in combat that my first wife asked me for a divorce while in combat. imagine that, it was not legal hower till about a month after my discharge in 1945. However I lost all my allotment checks during that time. For divorce papers you can write to the city of Erie Pennsylvania for information on that. I was single when entered the army, married New Years Eve of 1941. Entered service on June 20th 1942 in Erie, Penna.
answer to question #18 (continued from original sheet) back + forth or even to the side of me. But everytime I made a movement, bullets would (cont)