
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, June 5, 1994                   TAG: 9406070010
SECTION: THE GREAT CRUSADE                    PAGE: D-DAY9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

RICHARD ATKINS 'NEVER DID HIT BOTTOM'

RICHARD ATKINS OF ELLISTON was on a landing craft that hit a mine as it approached the beach. The explosion killed his captain.

"It blowed him back in the boat and killed several other men around there. Then the water started rushing in. Everybody started getting off. The boat started hitting them, knocking them around in the water. A lot of them drowned right there.

"I was the last one in the back of the boat. The boat coxswain he had been shot. Small arms fire done killed him and his helper. I just jumped over the side. I went down, down, down. Never did hit the bottom. I pushed my life preserver and I shot back up out of the water. Small arms fire was hitting around there. I just dog-paddled on in. I guess it took me maybe an hour."

by CNB