Collingwood:

Lieutenant Commander John D. Bulkeley, who has one of the greatest fighting records of any American in this war, is over on this side of the war now. Commander Bulkeley commands the PT squadrons protecting the invasion fleet from E-boat attack. This recording is being made on July 3, on Commander Bulkeley's flagship, the PT 517, off the coast of France.

Commander Bulkeley, have you been in this invasion right from the beginning?

Commander Bulkeley:

We were in it before the beginning. We left England 30 hours before H-hour. Our job was to protect the minesweepers that went in to clear a path for the warships and landing craft of the invasion fleet. For 30 hours, we spearheaded the invasion. We took the sweeps right in and parallel off the beaches.

Collingwood:

That was a pretty ticklish business, wasn't it?

Commander Bulkeley:

Well, it might have been. We might have had trouble with mines, with shore batteries, or with E-boats. As it was, we didn't have any trouble at all.

Collingwood:

Have you ever run into any E-boats, Commander Bulkeley?

Commander Bulkeley:

One small brush. It was D plus one. Two PT boats and two E-boats met each other in the middle of the night. The E-boats showed no inclination to fight it out whatsoever. They ran right out of our area as fast as they could. Their idea seems to be to hit and run, only this time they didn't hit, they just ran.

Collingwood:

Well, maybe they knew you were aboard, Mr. Bulkeley. Anyway what have you been doing since? Have you been to Cherbourg yet?

Commander Bulkeley:

We were in the first American craft into Cherbourg, but we didn't stay long.

Collingwood:

Why not? What happened?

Commander Bulkeley:

Well, our job was to draw fire from one of the forts in the harbor to see whether it was still holding out, and also to see where the flashes came from so destroyers could destroy the shore batteries. We got within a hundred yards of one battery and they opened up on us. One ship was hit and both of them retired to seaward behind a smoke screen and enemy shell splashes. We decided than and there that that fort had not fallen, and waited until the next day to pay our next call. This time we saw a white flag in the fort, so we went right into the harbor.

Collingwood:

But the mines hadn't been swept yet, had they?

Commander Bulkeley:

Oh, we don't worry about the mines in PT boats.

Collingwood:

I wish I had your confidence, Commander. I don't mind saying that while we were taking Admiral Kirk through that unswept harbor yesterday, I was a little nervous.

Commander Bulkeley:

Well, we are used to mines and to high rank. We had the King of England aboard this ship not so long ago.

Collingwood:

When was that Commander?

Commander Bulkeley:

That was the day before D-day. The King was aboard for about a half an hour. We took him on a tour of the massed invasion fleet. He asked me how I got along with the British. I told him I was getting along fine. In fact, five years ago I married a British girl.

Collingwood:

Well, good for you. You started something that a lot of the soldiers over here have been following ever since, haven't you?

Well, since D-day Commander, you've been living a pretty varied life, haven't you?

Commander Bulkeley:

Well, life in PT boats is always varied. I've engaged in duels with machine gunners on the shore, had brushes with E-boats, and did considerable rescue work.

Collingwood:

Yes, I'll never forget that dash we made yesterday to that sinking ship.

Commander Bulkeley:

Yet, but our main job is to protect the transport area from E-boats, from submarines, and from plane attack. We are just out here doing that. That is our main job.

Collingwood:

Well, that's a new thing for PTs isn't it. I mean, they aren't built to keep at sea for long periods, are they?

Commander Bulkeley:

PT boats are very, very, in many ways, very fine to keep at sea at long times and do varied jobs. Well, since D-day, my boats have been out here in the line from 10 to 14 days at a time. We often run out of food, we have trouble with the weather, but the boys are taking it fine. I think we've done the hardest thing of all, kept on our toes for whatever might have happened.

Collingwood:

I think you have too, Commander. Every boat in your squadron seems to me top be just stiff with morale.

Tell me, Commander Bulkeley, there's one thing that I would be very interested to know. How does this war over here compare with the war in the Pacific?

Commander Bulkeley:

For us, the Pacific was much tougher. Over here you don't have mosquitos, malaria and rain. You have short distances to run. Only six hours of darkness right now, and you are fighting the Germans and not the Japs. With Japs, you know if you meet them that it is a battle to the death. They don't run away, and you know that if you are sunk, they will leave you to drown or try to kill you in the water. And then if you are lucky enough to reach land, they'll kill you on the land. Over here, there's still some decency to war, if war ever can be decent.

Collingwood:

Yes, I guess it is a different war over here, Commander Bulkeley. At least it's tough in a different way.

Commander Bulkeley:

That's right, sir.

Collingwood:

Well, Commander Bulkeley, you and your men and your boats are doing a great job over here, just as you did in the Pacific.

I return you now to the United States.