ENPages
Page 1
This page is not corrected, please help correct this page
Page 2
Gulfport, Miss. MISS 10 LL OUT
I landed glider at daylight, June
For Cornelius Ryan Post D-day out 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 ? Archie Lewis Dickson, Jr. 2401 Cypress Ave Gulfport, Miss What was your unit and division ? 434th Troop Carrier Group, 9th AP
Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time ? I landed my glider near St. Mere Eglese at daylight on June 7th, 1944. There were three glider lifts; one before dawn June 6, one at dusk June one at dawn June 7 What was your rank on June 6, 1944? 1st Lt. AO 391864 - Glider Pilot program was most confused situation in the Army Air Force. No promotion opportunities.
What was your age on June 6, 1944? 27 Were you married at that time ? No
What is your wife's name ? Margaret McWilliams Dickson Did you have any children at that time ? No.
What do you do now ? Life insurance agent, New York Life.
When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion ? About 10 days before, as I dimly remember, when we were all put under restriction and briefed on the invasion.
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 ? My co-pilot, Don Akin of Oklahoma City, and I talked about the glider which we though had intentionally cut loose from the tow plane ahead of us right before leaving coat of England. It turned out he had a mechanical failure and had to cut loose. We were in high spirits- glad to get started - it was supposed to be a milk run- we had been briefed that you "glider pilots have nothing to worry about. We are landing 18,000 paratroopers in the area before you get there. Land your gliders, assemble on the roads and march to Division Hqrs. outpost the hqrs. until the tactical situation permits your relief, then you will get on the boats and return to your base." We flew only a few feet above the channel all the way across and it looked like some gliders were splashing their wheels in the water for amusement
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 ). We all hoped we were catching the Germans by surprise and that what units were in the area would be neutralized by the paratroopers.
Page 3
- for Cornelius Ryan 2 - Your name Archie Lewis Dickson Jr
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 ? Co-pilot was wounded in both legs above the knees, and is now retired and is the Adjudicator, Veterans Admr., Oklahoma City, Okla. Name is Don H. Akin. Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties ? He and I were busy observing the activities of ships and pointed out to each other things observed, like a C-47 tow plane in the water just off shore. We were over land only a couple of minutes before cutting loose.
Were you wounded ? Yes. (see picture, N.Y. World Telegram, June 12th, 1944)
Do you remember what it was like — that is, do you remember whether you felt any pain or were so surprised that you felt nothing ? Yes- very surprising but felt like something had hit a very hard blow to the middle part of my right lower leg. It was a dull numb feeling.
Do you remember seeing or hearing anything that seems funny now ^ even though it may not have seemed funny at the time ? The other glider pilots dipping their wheels in the channel was amusing. We had an air sick infantryman on the trip across the channel. While we were being given First Aid a couple of French men and a French woman came over to see how we were doing and swapped us a bottle of wine for cigaretts and K rations. It was the best anesthetic I ever had. When I was in the clearing station set up on the beach we were strafed by a a German plane. Our helmets were so big that I crawled up in mine so far only my feet were sticking out.
Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else ? The Sergeant who have me First Aid was a real hero. He told me that he had been blown in a hole by a shell or grenade ( I don't remember which) but he sure looked like he had been hurt considerably. His name I believe was Sgt. Tom Sargent from Arkansas. After I was placed aboard ship, underwater explosions kept recurring , and I was told that the ships on each side of us had been sunk by mines. Later when we pulled out to get in convoy. the ship that moved in where we were anchored was blown up by a mine. I was greatly surprised when on my way to the beach on a stretcher on a jeep we stopped at a cross roads where some para troopers were under small arms fire, this fellow walks from the side of the road and asked if he could take my picture. He should have had a [illegible]
Page 4
- for Cornelius Ryan 3 - Your name Archie L. Dickson J.
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 from D-day? My co-pilot was laying on his stomach out beyond the tail of the glider and a German soldier had come over from the hedgerow to check our glider's contents. When Don started raising up and looked back at the glider the German started raised his gun to shoot him. Don saw this and plopped back on his stomach and started beating the ground with both hands and hollowing "wounded" "wounded"! Just then someone took a shot at the German and he ducked and ran in the direction of the shot and disappeared thru the hedgerow. I think Don was ingenius in inventing sign language on such short notice.
Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? Asleep. Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? probably just getting up to get ready for take-off
Do you know of anybody else who landed within the 24 hours of D-day, June 6, as infantry, glider or airborne troops, or who took part in the air and sea operations, whom we should write to? Don H. Akin c/o Veterans Admr. Adjudications Section Oklahoma City, Okla.
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
Page 5
This page is not corrected, please help correct this page