Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 016, folder 29: Ernest Herman von Heimburg

WAY

11 Amphibian unit Von HEIMBURG, Ernest Herman Wis 1

Box 16, #29

Wisconsin Sept. 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. Write all men suggested here What is your full name ? Ernest Herman von Heimburg What was your unit and division? Chief of Staff , Group II, Eleventh Amphibious Force, U. S. Navy Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time ? Off Omaha Beach about 2:00 a.m June 6 , 1958 Aboard USS Amer What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Captain, U. S. Navy What was your age on June 6, 1944? 47 Were you married at that time? Yes What is your wife's name? (was) Eleanor Phelps Glassford von Heimburg (since divorced) Did you have any children at that time? Yes , two daughters What do you do now? Commander , Naval Reserve Training Command When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? November 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? The trip was rather uneventful. I personally was tremendously interested in the navigational instruments designed for the crossing. Precise navigation was necessary to insure that the ships would arrive at their proper anchorages off Omaha Beach and that all the small craft with no navigational gear to speak of were safely escorted across the channel. ( Navigation was difficult because of the the English Channel.) It was a form of Loran, a British version similar to what is used in navigation today. I was in the ANCON (now running between New York and Panama) which was the flagship in the van. We had on board a large delegation of correspondents including Ernest Hemingway and a man named Hicks who tlae next morning gave the play-by-play broadcast of the landing from the ANCON and was heard throughout the United States. 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 gasdine on the water and planned to set it afire when the troops oame in ). The only rumor we heard that might have interfered with the landings was the amount of beach obstacles which the Germans had laid off the Normandy Beaches. We had pretty good intelligence but the Germans had been working feverishly and we were not sure just what they had and what the effect would be on the landing.

- for Cornelius Ryan £ - Your name E.H. von Heimburg Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? No Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? Yes , Eugene C. Carusi Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they beoame casualties? No 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? No Do you remember seeing- or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time?

Yes. About the second or third night a German plane was shot down. It was hard to tell what ship made the kill although the ANCON was in on the firing. The pilot, a young German names Rudolph was captured by one of our DEs and brought aboard and spent several days aboard. He was allowed the run of the wardroom and each evening as darkness set in, he kept looking at the clock until about midnight or 2:00 a.m. and then would take off his shoes and turn in. It didn't take the ship's officers long to know that the young German apparently knew the operational plans and knew when the air raids were through for the night. They followed suit.

Post D-day

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? On June 19, I remember the date because it was my birthday, I went shore with Admiral Kirk , Commander of the U. S. Naval Forces , and Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsey, Deputy Commander under General Eisenhower of all Allied Naval Forces.X The artificial harbor had just been (completed and we took a position on a bluff overlooking this project. Admiral Kirk turned to me and said, "Von, come ashore tomorrow and get pictures of this , both movies and stills." I never made it. During the night the storm came up which lasted four days and just about demolished the artificial harbor and brought operations to a standstill.

- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name: E . H . von Heimburg 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? No

Where were you at midnight on June 5 , 1944? Crossing the channel , USS ANCON

Where were you at midnight on June 6 , 1944? Anchored off Omaha Beach , USS ANCON

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? Rear Admiral Douglas Jardine , CEC , USN ( Ret . ) 1216 North Cascade Avenue Colorado Springs , Colorado ( in charge of large barges equipped with huge outboard motors )

Vice Admiral L . S . Sabin , Jr Chief of Staff and Aide Supreme Allied Commander , Atlantic Fleet Post Office Norfolk , Virginia

( Beach operations ) Rear Admiral Chauncey Camp , USNR( Ret . ) 1745 Hobart Street , N . W . Washington , D . C . ( beach operations )

Captain W . L . Harmon , USN Commander , Naval Training Center Great Lakes , Illinois (Commander of DEs and anti - E -boat operations

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 STORY ON SEPARATE SHEETS IF WE HAVE HOT 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

June 13, 1958 Admiral Von Heimburg Recruiting Station Fort Omaha, Nebraska

Dear Admiral Von Heimburg: A history of D-Day June 6, 1944, to coincide with the 15th anniversary of the Normandy invasion next year is being prepared by Cornelius Ryan for publication in the Reader's Digest and in book form. It is being written with the collate cooperation and assistance of the Department of the Army and the Department of Defense. This will not be another strategic history of invasion day, but a story of the twenty-four hours of D-Day as people lived them and remembered them. For this, we can only go to the men who were there and, if they are willing, invade their memories. Having learned of the part which you played in the Invasion, we hope very much that you will be interested in the project and agree to help us.

During the next few months, both in this country and in Europe, Mr. Ryan will be interviewing many of the D-Day participants who agree to contribute to the bock. Very probably, he will wish to talk with you during that period. In the meantime, since we are dealing with literally hundreds of people, we have found it necessary to develop an individual file cm each person who agrees to help us. Therefore, we hope that if you are interested in the project, you will complete the enclosed record and return it to me at your earliest convenience. We truly believe that these questions will serve you, as well as us, if they can help to crystallize some hazy memories and to indicate the sort of information which we are seeking.

I should be most grateful to know as soon as possible when and if you will be available for interview during the next few months. We want very much to tell the story of your unit, and in order to do that we need your personal account. We look forward eagerly to your reply.

Sincerely yours, Frances Ward Research Department

FW:LL Enclosure