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Vernon Augustin Thompson Belt 2 - 4 A

Thompson: Because we went in back later on the beach was down and we didn’t have too much
trouble - on the beach we went down - when we hit the beach in the afternoon
At that time an[crossed out] d [end crossed out]...the only thing we were doing was sight seeing more or less

Ryan: It was still shelling - wasn’t it

Thompson: Oh yea - it's still shelling but in our particular area they were in

Ryan: Wasn’t there terrific...debris on the beach...burning tanks

Thompson: I don’t remember seeing any tanks on the beach -the only thing I remember seeing
was quite a few men laying around and guns and helmets and that type of stuff
a few pillboxes

Ryan: Did you talk to anybody on the beach at all

Thompson: No I didn’t - the only thing we did was to try to pick up - I guess - everybody
a souvenir type because we knew that was our last trip over and

Ryan: What did you pick up

Thompson: I picked up a flag - a German flag

Ryan: Behind the beach

Thompson: I guess somebody must have riddled It with holes or something because it was torn
pretty well torn but one of the boys went in where they had these fine mesh mines
and he went in and he stepped on one and [crossed out] I think [end crossed out] he got his leg blew off

Ryan: Who was he

Thompson: Souvenir hunter - Gee... a kid from Brooklyn - can’t remember his name

Ryan: What was he - on the boat

Thompson: He was the coxwain

Ryan: He was the coxwain - and what was the boat loading up - wounded - was that it

Thompson: Wounded - that's all I can figure