Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 018, folder 10: Robert Frederick Hunter

TULSA 336 Eng Com BN HUNTER, Robert Frederick Okla 4

Box 18, #10

5th Engr special Brigade 336th Engr Combat Bn. Omaha 8-9 A.M.

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? Robert Frederick Hunter

What was your unit and division? 336th Engineer Combat Battalion 5th Engineer Special Brigade

Where did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Arrived at Omaha Beach right flank between 8 & 9 a.m., 6 June 1944. The balance of the unit scattered throughout various small landing craft all ashore by about 11:00 a.m.

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Major

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 43

Were you married at that time? Yes

What is your wife’s name? Mrs. Omar Bradley Hunter

Did you have any children at that time? None

What do you do now? Civil Engineer

When did you know that you were going to be part of the invasion? January 1944 - cleared for "Top Secret Bigot" at that time.

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 landing at Weymouth near Dorchester was planned and carried on very smoothly. All the engineer troops involved were fully aware that the operation was real because of the difference in equipment from the many previous exercises such as "Lion" & "Tiger". All unit Commanders had been fully briefed by Senior Commanders including Montgomery who announced that he was in command. Some conversation covered the hope that American Commanders would pay little or no heed to Montgomery. The main time was taken up by briefing and rebriefing all troops to make sure that all were well aware of their individual or collective job on landing.

Balance of the time spent in looking over the tremendous fleet that filled the channel

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).

Slight rumor on the gasoline fired plan of the Germans. The rumor was chiefly that this procedure would be used in front of pillboxes rather than at the water’s edge.

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Your name Robert Frederick Hunter

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? Too busy to keep a diary which is frowned on anyway in event of capture.

Were any of your friends killed or wounded either during the landing or during the day? Several.

Do you remember any conversations you had with them before they became casualties?

When taking leave of Captain Cox of the 37th ECB prior to embarkation in England I said "I’ll see you in France”. He said. “I doubt it because I’ve a feeling I’m not going to make it”. This was dismissed as a morbid outlook and probably should remain untold.

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?

Do you remember seeing- or hearing anything that seems funny now, even though it did not, of course, seem amusing at the time?

"Seeing a lot of french francs (paper money) floating on the water as we came in.

Seeing a lot of infantry troops trailing along the beach following the engineer troops enroute to their mission area on Fox Red.

Seeing medics, slightly fearful from having read the medical annex to the plan, forget all fears the moment they started patching up the wounded. The medics were nothing less than sensational. They apparently were the first to realize that to overcome fear, forget self.

Seeing old time dozer operators bring their machines up the beach and go to work as casually as on a peace time construction job.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else?

Three hoys on a tank dozer came to me on Fox Red. Beach and. said they couJd not find any officers commissioned or non-commissioned of their outfit. I asked them if they could help clear the beach of mined obstacles. They worked industriously on Fox Red beach from about 2 p.m. till dark in spite of some small arms fire and called artillery shots each time the tank stopped to drag the obstacles out of the way. I heard later they were about to be tried for "goofing off" on D-Day. I recommended all three for D.S.C.’s.

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Your name Robert Frederick Hunter

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?

I saw no evidence of stupidity but plenty of self reliance and ingenuity.

"Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? On the A.P.A. off the Omaha Beach.

Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? On the edge of Fox Red Beach at Exit F-l. We were able to watch the greatest pyrotechnical display ever given. About 4000 ships shooting at German planes. Although I've never read of it I saw in spite of blackout, lights winking from ships laying offshore which I felt was to lure the planes over the ships guns because there were little or no anti-aircraft artillery ashore.

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?

General Paul Thompson (Retired) then Col. & C.O. of the 6th Engineer Special Brigade. Paul was wounded on D-Day. The last I heard of him he was European correspondent or representative of the Readers Digest

B. B. Talley: Then Colonel with V. Corps. See article Saga Magazine, July 1954. called "D-Day Diary". General Talley (Retired) present address.

Raymond Concrete Pile Company 140 Cedar Street New York 6, New York.

Joe Kauffman: Then Captain and Company Commander in 348th E.C.B. 5th Brigade. Now very successful in construction material business at Sherman, Texas.

John McKnight: Known as "Stompin John" then Lt. Col. in charge of a DVKW Battalion. Later CO of the 37th E.C. Battalion. Now a successful towboat operator on the Mississippi River. He can be reached at Jackson, Mississippi. 2308 Drummond Street.

Rand S. Bailey: Signal Officer of the 1st Engineer Special Brigade which operated on Utah Beach. Colonel Bailey made landings in Africa, Sicily, Italy, Normandy and Okinawa. Formerly research engineer with A.T. & T. Now Semi-retired Present Address:

1035 NE 81st Miami 38, Florida

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

P. 0. Box 61 Tulsa, Oklahoma

12 May 1958

Miss Frances Ward. Reader’s Digest 230 Park Avenue New York, New York

Dear Miss Ward:

From an article in the May-June 1958 issue of the Military Engineer a history of D-Day, 6 June 1944, is being prepared, for publication in 1959* The article indicated that engineers who participated should write to you*

The writer participated in the landing as Bn. C.O. of the 336th Engineer Combat Battalion, a part of the 5th Engineer Special Brigade which operated the eastern half of the Omaha Beach*

In all printed material I have read to date the contribution made by this unit is only casually mentioned. The 336th did open up F-l draw, in spite of the fact that it was only a hoped for accomplishment in planning* Also this was done in spite of the fact that the unit had to traverse the 4000 yard beach.

The full importance to the total effort of the F-l opening at Fox Red Beach on the left flank of Omaha Beach will probably never be fully known. It is a fact that the first wheeled and track vehicles went inland from this draw and certainly contributed some real support to the First Division infantry.

The 37th and 348th E.C .Bn’s each have received considerable note of exploits in writing. The 37th took a beating on the beach by early losing its C.O* Lionel Smith, its S-2 and S-3 and two company commanders. The 348th E.C Bn., after the initial landing did outstanding work in organizing and operating the beach and later commendable work at Cherbourg, and briefly operating the British artificial port at Arromanches.

The closest thing to a real credit to the 336th is in Heavey’s book "Down Ramp". The official publication "Omaha Beach” also mentions all three units.

It may be too provocative to even bring up the subject of the relative importance of any particular portion of the over-all effort which in my opinion was outstanding and even spectacular by most involved.