The D-Day Tapes
an oral history audiobook on CD
"The D-Day Tapes" contains a series of interviews with veterans of one of the most important events in U.S. history. Several of the interviews were conducted in 1994 in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy.
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Battle Fatigue: Corporal Bill Pirone was a corporal with the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment. He landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day, and was wounded three times; the last time by a shell in the Hurtgen Forest that left him semi-comatose for 37 days. He speaks with rare candor about experiencing the phenomenon known as battle fatigue, or shellshock. Here's an excerpt from the hour-long cd: real audio mp3
Ed Boccafogli of the 82nd Airborne Division parachuted into Normandy in the predawn hours of June 6th. He fought in the battle for Hill 30 and several other skirmishes before being wounded at Baupte. He returned to take part in Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge. This interview is more than two hours on two CDs. Here's an excerpt: real audio mp3
McNamara's Band: The third time Vincent "Mike" McKinney got wounded, in the Hurtgen Forest, he came out of surgery singing "McNamara's Band" and saying he was hungry. A veteran of the famed 1st Infantry Division, McKinney was at home in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, with his son Tom watching the 50th anniversary of D-Day ceremonies on TV when former President Bill Clinton introduced a man who claimed to have been the first American on Omaha Beach. Tom looked at his father and saw him getting red in the face. McKinney believed he was, if not the first, at least one of the first Americans to set foot on Omaha Beach. McKinney, who would later serve a distinguished career as a New York City cop, was awarded the Silver Star for his actions on Omaha Beach. This interview is two hours on two CDS. Here's an excerpt: real audio mp3
Lou Putnoky: Although its identity was concealed in this famous D-Day picture, the ship doing all this firing was the USS Bayfield, a Coast Guard vessel that was the flagship of the Utah Beach invasion fleet. Motor Machinist's Mate Lou Putnoky is a veteran of the Bayfield. This interview is two hours on two CDs. Listen to an excerpt: real audio mp3
Tiger Burning: One of the things that fascinated Putnoky was Exercise Tiger, a practice landing for D-Day that went tragically awry. The Bayfield was the flagship for the operation, but was not involved in the disaster, in which three fully loaded LSTs (landing ship-tanks) were torpedoed by German e-Boats that infiltrated the convoy late at night. Angelo Crapanzano was a survivor of one of the LSTs that sank. real audio mp3
Patsy Giacchi's daughter found the interview with Angelo Crapanzano on the Internet and her father called to say that he, too, was also a survivor of LST 507. It turns out the two lived about a half-hour apart, and they were able to get together. This interview with a very animated Giacchi is 70 minutes on one CD. Listen to an excerpt, but fasten your seatbelt: real audio mp3
The original interview tape with Chuck Hurlbut has more hiss in the background than the headphones in "Snakes on a Plane," but his story is so compelling it had to be included in this collection. This interview is an hour long on one CD. Listen to an excerpt: real audio mp3
Many books have been written about D-Day, movies have been made and documentaries filmed about it. These CDs are far from a comprehensive look at D-Day. Rather, they're a series of conversations that give "the rest of the story," the anecdotes you won't see in a documentary or read about in a book.