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Sewickley LL Pa 8
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 ? Kenneth W. Lamar
/ What was your unit and division? LST #27 US Coast Guard
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time ? Omaha Beach, June 6, 1944 anchored 500 yrd. off beach. June 8, 1944, made landing.
What was your rank on June 6 1944? Fireman i/c
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 19
Were you married at that time ? No What is your wife's name ? Did you have any children at that time ? No What do you do now ? US Coast Guard (regular)
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? June 1, 1944
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 trip across the channel seemed long, 3 days actual time, entire time was spent at General Quarters, a lot of bombs -c- flares were dropped.
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). Rumors were that most of German Army was consentrated in the Normandy area, and also some word on the heavily mined beaches, which was true.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name K. Lamar
Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? Yes
Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? No
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? The feeling of dependence on one another seemed to prevail.
Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? [crossed out] Some [end crossed out]
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? The US Infantry's action has always stayed with me as brave, heroic and memorable.
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- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name
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? English Channel
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? English Channel, anchored
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? Do we want this? Have complete list of crew /c address of LST #27 crew members. I can be contacted either at or through this address between now and the end of July.
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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UNITED STATES COAST GUARD May 1, 1958 210 Orchard Lane Sewickley Pa
Miss Frances Ward Readers Digest 230 Park Ave New York, N.Y. HA 2 5700
Dear Miss Ward, In response to your appeal to locate Coast Guardsmen that participated in the DDay Normandy invasion I will be glad to cooperate. I served aboard Coast Guard manned L.S.T. #27 operating in the E.T.O. and participating in the Normandy invasion. Yours truly, Kenneth W. Lamar, Enc. U.S. Coast Guard Chief Engineer