Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 018, folder 28: Leonard S. Marshall

234 th Engr. Aviation Bn. 926th Regt- 9th Aviation Engr. Cmd. Omaha 1700

AF 834 Eng Batt - O-E Box 18, #28

MARSHALL, Leonard S. NY 5 834 Eng Batt

LL NY OT-EX NY-5 *good For Cornelius Ryan Book about D-Day

THOUSANDS OF MEN, ON LAND AND SEA AND IN THE AIR, PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF NQRMANDY BETWEEN MIDNIGHT JUNE 1944 AND MIDNIGHT JUNE 6, 1944. IF YOU WERE ONE OF THEM, PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

What is your full name? Leonard S Marshall

What was your unit and division? 834th Engineer Aviation Batallion 926th Regt 9th Aviation Eng. Command

When did you arrive in Normandy, and at what time? Omaha Red Beach Head-0/0/ 1700 , 6 June 44.

What was your rank on June 6, 1944? Capt- Army Air Corps

What was your age on June 6, 1944? 28 Were you married at that time? was yes What was your wife’s name? Virginia Did you have any children at that time? one on the way What do you do now? Chief, Plans Division, Directorate of Plans + Programs, Deputy for Operation, Eastern Air Defense Force (ADC) When did you know you were going to be part of the invasion? Two weeks prior to 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? Anxious- Six days aboard a Liberty ship from Bristol to Normandy - Had a bit of trouble over the colored problem aboard ship.

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).

Can't remember any specifically

-for Cornelius Ryan 2Your name L S Marshall

Did you by any chance keep a diary of what happened to you that day? no However -wrote a long letter to my wife, the next morning while being pinned down and immobilized by sniper fire.

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

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? yes- an incident that occurred to me. I was carrying a pint of Old Grandad on the invasion- that last I had- and the only one in the outfit. I , like everyone else, was scared but I found, much to my amazement that I was more worried about them shooting my bottle of whiskey than myself. It built up to such a pressure that I finally broke it out, had a couple of quick drinks- but tho none of the gang said a word I could see there tongues hanging out and pleading in their eyes- so I passed it around as long as it lasted. False courage, true, but it sure relieved a lot of pressure for me and helped us to relax. Don't know why I didn't think about drinking it before I went into the beach head- which would probably have done me a lot more good.

Do you recall any incident, sad or heroic, or simply memorable, which struck you more than anything else? yes. the outfit slept in a gully on the side of the road at Vierbille. We had a Puerto Rican Padre who had just joined the outfit - and didn't speak very good English who came along with our advanced party for moral purposes. He shared a blanket with me that I had liberated from the ship prior to embarkation. I knew that our gear wouldn't catch up to us for days. He tossed and turned and squirmed the couple of hours of night while we lay there- continually complaining that something was sticking in his back. He finally lay still but continued grousing. When we got up at dawn and picked up the blanket we saw that he had been laying on the prongs of an "S" mine (anti-personal) When we told him what it was he passed out cold. We all thought it very hunerous at the time.

- for Cornelius Ryan 3

Your name L S Marshall

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? yes, but rather not commit them to writing, Deprivation of character is never an asset to anyone- and stress can account for a good deal. Also, patting myself on the back for a an act that anyone else could have done in usually better left unsaid- tho I was proud of myself for being able to keep my head under duress and during moments of extreme stress. It did give one a lot of personal satisfaction to know that one could keep his head in a tight spot.

Where were you at midnight on June 5, 1944? Aboard ship Where were you at midnight on June 6, 1944? Traversing the beach head- from Omaha Red (Bloody) to Green and off the beach head proper to Vierville enroute to Airstrip Site A-1.

Do 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?

LL yes- Capt William R. Hunt Cumberland, Maryland (C.O. H + S Co. 324 Eng. Ar.Rn) also Commander of the Advanced Echelon which hit the beach

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. In reply to your letter- I plan to take leave in England 11-21 May- but will be available to see Mr. Ryan early in June. I'll drive down to New York at his convenience. Preferably in the evening. Lee Marshall

Frances Ward Frances Ward 5/2/58 Research, The Reader’s Digest

25 April 1958

Miss Frances Ward

Reader's Digest 230 Park Avenue New York, N. Y.

Dear Miss Ward:

Reference is made to the April 26th issue of the Air Force Times Personal column "Were You There on 6 June 1944?"

Yes. I was fortunate enough to be a member of this extremely select crew who attended the shooting matches in Normandy 6 June 1944 and lived to tell about it. I was attached to the 834th Battalion of the 9th Aviation engineers as Air Force Liaison Officer, along with my assistant, Lt Barney Mayes, who was later killed in action after returning to his flying unit. Lt Mayes and I were the only two rated flying officers who made the beachhead landing, as Air Advisors to the 9th Aviation Engineers, to supervise the building of all the landing strips in Normandy.

As proof that our endeavors were successful, the invasion of Normandy was a notable campaign.

Respectfully yours,

L.S. MARSHALL Lt Col, USAF

Headquarters Eastern Air Defense Force Stewart Air Force Base (EAOPP) New York