MY IMPRESSIONS OF D-DAY - Lt. Col. Roland H. Vogt

After a very rough crossing of the English channel, most of the men vomited 
but I was lucky.  Jumped into the water off the LCI (Landing Craft Infantry) 
into four to five feet deep water, mines, smoke, yelling, crying, noise 
can't believe, blood at least fifteen feet in the channel water; very heavy 
German machine gun, rifle and mortar fire and trying to run forward in the 
deep water, then trying to find cover after steeping over mines and barbed 
wire being very scared.  Deep behind two of my men and tried to urge them 
to follow me out of the water onto the beach only to find they were both 
dead.  Now very scared-19 years old.  I tremble, I shake, I'm very 
disoriented.

Don't know how long I lay there for it seemed like hours but it was only a 
few minutes.  My mind said go for I have to reach the safety of the beach 
and the cliff only 50 yards away but I freeze with fear.  My mind said go 
but my body would not move.  Go, go, go, freeze, freeze, freeze for I am so 
scared.  Finally something happens and I get up and charge forward toward 
the cliff to temporary shelter.  I make it, I am now a man as most of the 
fear is gone.  I am now a soldier and I'm mad at the enemy and now gather 
some men around me and we move up the cliff, the men firing their weapons 
as we move forward, gathering more men as we advance.