ENPages
Page 1
KURTZ, Michael Pa. in D-Day Book 1st Div. Release
Release with PG Box 12, #5
SLDIER Sailor
M Co [crossed out][illegible][end crossed out]
Omaha Fox Green
16/1
Kurtz
[illegible]
will use again
Page 3
[*H? O--1 PITTSBURGH PA43
New Salem, PA. LL Apparently a real hell-roaring hero__gives details in pages at [illegible] which are terrifically lively, [illegible] rather incoherent & incomplete*]
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? Michael Kurtz
What was your unit and division? 3rd Battalion 16th Reg. Inf. 1st Div.
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Omaha beach 6:15 A.M.
What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Corporal
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 31 yrs. of age.
Were you married at that time? no.
What is your wife's name? Margaret/Married 5/30/53
Did you have any children at that time? no.
What do you do now? Work in a coal mine, shoveling coal into cars. Average days work 15 to 20 ton per day Leckrone Coal & Coke Co R.D. #1 Box16 McClellandtown, Pa.
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? Three weeks prior to invasion. All non - coms were briefed, shown pictures of Omaha, & mum was the word till aboard boat.
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? Sure I remember, but this space isn't big enough for what I would like to speak about. I'll give you the dope on another sheat of paper, & I don't think you'll have to interview me. When I write it down, its authentic & true. The War Dept. knows where I was at
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). Them Heinies didn't need gasoline on the water to set it afire to keep us from coming in to Omaha. They had it all rigged up with land mines setting on posts, two pill boxes with anti-tank guns machine guns, riflemen, & a whole division to boot that were on manuevers at Omaha June 6th 44.
Page 4
- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name Michael Kurtz
Did you by chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? Yes. I lost one at Omaha, & another one I still have of the men that were killed in my company. "P.S." Your not allowed to keep diaries
Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? Yes. [crossed out][illegible][end crossed out] Pvt. Steinberg P.F.C. McCrory. Pvt. Stum. S/Sgt. Dinacola. All killed at Omaha, the wounded I didn't keep track of them.
Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties? Yes, S/Sgt Dinacola said,"What do you make of it Mike"."Tough S--t Deen. We have to get the hell of off this beach, or well drown. Round up a few Joe's that have a rifle, lets get up there on the knoww & get them bastards off of there". He never had a chance. He was rounding up the Joes, exposed himself, & caught a full [crossed out]bull[end crossed out] burst of machine gun bullets right thru his chest & it tore him all to hell. Poor guy, his neighbor from Brooklyn was killed in Tunisia P.S. This space isn't big enough.
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? I didn't give a damn whether I got killed or wounded, I was sick & tired of fighting. Ironically, I never got even a scratch.
Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time? Sure, but your spaces are not big enough to write it down. I'll write it down on a sheet of tablet paper & you can picture it for yourself.
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? Yes, a Lt. Ziblick from K Co. was giving us a class on flame throwers. When he was through talking, he said, " Any questions." One Joe said, "What do I do when I run out of fuel." He was dumbfounded by such a question. He said, "Use your cigarette liter". This was prior to D-Day. This same Lt. was washed ashore at Omaha. He was holding on to a big rock & this Heinie was really chopping him with a Schmeiser machine gun. Pvt. Burton & I were 5 ft. from him & we couldn't get to him till this bastard quit choppin. As soon as he ran a belt off, I told Pvt [crossed out]Buton[end crossed out] Burton, "Now!" We dove for him, pulled him under cover & he had his, either the right leg or left leg shot off from anti-tank fire. He is living to -day & sent a letter to M Co. recommending Burton & Kurtz
Page 5
- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name Michael Kurtz
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? That is something that is hard to explain. Its not guts, its what is in a person I guess. I did so many things, I was called "crazy" by my Lt. or he said, "You've got more guts or your nuts. I got 2 rifle Co.'s out of a jam at hill 609 in Tunisia running combat wire in broad daylight, this can be verified by Lt. John "Mac" McCarthy. I ran right into a German artillery barrage at Eilendorf, Germany, to rescue a woulded medic jeep driver, but he died in my arms. I was chased by a German 88 for a half a mile, fixing a break in a wire in broad daylight. [illegible] He had me, but I feighnted dead, got my breath, & got over a knoll & I was safe. I've had lots of these escapades.
Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? on a liberty ship named "Empire Anvil" Weymouth, England.
Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? On top of Omaha beach. We made about 100 yds. inland. Roughest 100 yds. I ever made in my life
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 116th Inf. Reg. landed to the right of us, 29th Div. I didn't know any one from that outfit. They came in about 6: 45 A.M. To whom you should write. [*out*] Roger Zenoby, Glider pilot Write to In care of Charles Angelo New Salem, Pa.
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
[*My Decorations 1 silver star E.T.O. Campaign medal 1 bronze star Victory medal 8 battle stars Good Conduct medal 2 Pres. Unit Citations Arrow head for invasions*]