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Vernon Augustine Thompson Belt 2 - 6 A

Ryan: I mean what branch

Thompson: Baptist

Ryan: Baptist - do you have any particular prayer that’s close to you

Thompson: No I guess I always make up my own prayers - the way I...

Ryan: Yeah - did you get sick that night emotionally - did you feel sick that night
after all that day

Thompson: I felt awful nervous - in fact - pretty nearly all of us were pretty well shot -
as far as our nerves were concerned when we got back and the only thing I remember
is getting back in and I gave them some pills and we took them and went off to
sleep - because we hadn't had any sleep the night previous to that - we had gotten
up to make the run and back and...

Ryan: What did you do with the flag just before you went to bed that night - where did you
put it

Thompson:

Ryan: What do you do now

Thompson: I’m a sporting goods salesman

Ryan: Where

Thompson: Goldsborough, North Carolina

Ryan: Goldsborough - well looking back on it now how did it strike you - do you remember -
what would you say was the most courageous thing that you saw that day of memorable
things

Thompson: Well courageous - of course I didn’t see too much of that, but the most memorable
thing to me there has always been on my mind was the boat setting through the
water and chewing the boys up but - courageous - I don’t think - I think everybody
done a wonderful job that they could do but on that particular one we weren’t
in advance so there wasn’t too much anybody could do