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NY 57 LL N.Y.C. (but will not return home for [unintelligible] world travel until fall)-- * Commanded USN force
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? KIRK, ALAN GOODRICH ADMIRAL (retired) US. NAVY
What was your unit and division? I commanded entire American Naval Forces -- C.T.F. 122
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? H-Run-D-day (actually about 430 a.m.)
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Rear Admiral
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 56
Were you married at that time? Yes
What is your wife's name? Lydia C. Kirk -- [unintelligible] pf "POSTMARED MOSCOW" (sailors)
Did you have any children at that time? 3
What do you do now? business executive; directorship, "[unintelligible]" such as Friends of City Center New York -- [unintelligible]
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? I was detailed to command the US. Naval Forces for the invasion in Nov. 1943
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? Pretty windy + rough for smaller ships
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). No rumors--everybody [unintelligible] briefed
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- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name Kirk A.G.
Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? Diaries were strictly forbidden + I obeyed the Sectry of Navy's order
Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day?
Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties?
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?
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else?
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- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name KIRK A.G
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?
Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? On board my flagship USS Augusta at Plymouth -- ordering the 24 hr delay to all ships
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? Passing sale of Wight ("Picadilly Percus")
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? See Gen Bradley's Book " RAd Invasion Book " [unintelligible] " 2tcJohn Mason [unintellgible] is good for detail
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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[*copy on reverse side*]
NARRATIVE BY REAR ADMIRAL ALAN G. KIRK, USN Film No. 267 Recorded 22 Aug. '44
Planners of invasion figured Allies' 2 principal assets in terms of forcing a landing were: naval gunfire air supremacy.
Tidal range on Normandy, as on all of the English Channel, is large. Normal daily range of tides is about 22 feet. At springs, about 25 feet. Tide rises and falls at about rate of 1 foot in 15 minutes. At top of tide occurs what is called "high-water strand," which exists for about 2 hours.
Division between eastern and western task forces was the town of Port en Bessin. OMAHA AREA: American beaches lay to west, British to east. Primary beaches of American landings those from Port en Bessin to the estuary of Grandcamp. Here, there is a broad sand beach, sloping about 1' in 250'. At high water mark, there is a steep bank of shingle or small rounded stones, difficult to get through, then a foreshore of about 100-200 yards wide in bearing and depth as the coastline trends; backed by a line of bluffs approximately 100-125' high. The bluffs are pierced by gullies or valleys where small streams ran down, or else roadways.
UTAH AREA: Land flat and sandy; area behind beach line flooded by stopping up canal system etc. so that soggy land [inserted]extends[end inserted] for 1-2 miles in depth, varying with the coast. Across this marshy land were causeways built of stone and filled in with dirt.
Tides were important in the choice of the date for landing because of the beach approach obstacles, which were best cleared if exposed at low water.