D-Day +42

Saint-Lo is the capital of the Manche region of Normandy and a vital traffic hub. In 1944, it had been a key strategic objective for American forces. Sitting at the center of a major road and rail network which connects Normandy and Brittany, it was to form a pivotal role in the American attempt to swing into Brittany and begin the encirclement of the enemy.

The Germans also had an important command and control centre in St.-Lo. The Germans had been prepared for The Americans. As early as July1st, German High Command had dictated that a fight to the death policy would be adopted, ground was to be yielded only when overrun and harassing counterattacks were to be effectively utilized against the advancing Americans. Every field, lane, and approach to St.-Lo had been prepared by the Germans.

Territorial gains in the weeks leading up to the taking of St.-Lo, could often be measured in terms of yards taken, for men killed.

Germans dug in, American casualty in foreground

The terrain even benefited the Germans. They were able to dig in, camouflage and lay in wait. They only had to knock out the lead tank in a column to bring an armored advance to a complete halt in the narrow country lanes, then their well sighted artillery could go about the job of picking of the remaining tanks at will. Every time a GI raised his head above a hedgerow, he was likely to get it blown off.

The advance on St. Lo had been a miserable affair for the American soldiers, but on July 18th 1944, the 29th Division finally entered what was left of the ancient market town.

The taking of the town has always been credited to the 29th as it was they who had fought their way in, but stout and costly support had been provided by the 30th Division. Without the soldiers of ‘Old Hickory’, engaging the fanatical groups of German paratroopers and SS grenadiers, tightly holding on, the 29th Division casualties, already significant, would have been catastrophic.

St.-Lo had played a pivotal role in Normandy battles through the ages, and has a history dating back to the 8th century. From the Vikings to the Germans, it had been taken and occupied many times, but no war had ever come close to punishing the inhabitants and obliterating their homes like this one.

Thousands of civilians had perished in Allied bombing and artillery strikes and barely a building was left standing, when Lt. Edward G. Jones, Jr of the 29th Recon troop entered the town. The people of St. Lo had paid a heavy price for their freedom.

Saint-Lo, modern day, from http://christopheferey.over-blog.net

Since 1999 St Lo has been twinned with Roanoke, Virginia, USA.

D-Day +35

The Battle for Mont Castre and Hill 122 mentioned in the previous post had been won, but at a high price. Four thousand GI's lay dead and many more were severely wounded. Armored support had aided the capture of this strategic area, but the battleground was strewn with the wreckage of Sherman tanks.

La Haye du Puits National Archives

The capture of these heights enabled the 82nd Airborne to move in with the 79th Infantry Division and take the important town of La Haye du Puits. This would be the 82nd's last engagement in Normandy. They were exhausted and their ranks severely depleted, but they had proved themselves effective shock troops, an inspiration to their infantry counterparts and fierce adversaries to the stubborn Germans.

The 83rd Infantry Division together with the 4th Infantry Division had finally taken Sainteny and now continued their inch by inch battle.

On their left flank, the 29th Infantry Division, who had been mauled on Bloody Omaha, moved forward with the 30th Infantry Division, making progress towards the important objective of St Lo. They had experienced their share of murderous hedgerow fighting and lost many men en-route.

Airel bridge, modern day

Airel bridge National Archives

Unfortunately, advancing across the narrow bridge at Airel, they clashed with men from the U.S. 3rd Armored division who, in their forward thrust, cast aside the bedraggled soldiers of the 30th. With their heavy tanks and support vehicles, they ran over communication wires and failed at all levels to co-ordinate with soldiers from the 30th. The 3rd was just desperate to get into the fight. In his book The Americans at Normandy, historian John C. McManus reports 30th Division General, Leland Hobbs, as accusing the 3rd Armored of creating casualties amongst his men by their "promiscuous fire." He was so frustrated, he ordered artillery called in by the 30th to be laid down regardless of where 3rd Armored that might be in the area.

If they do it to us, we do it to them!

KO'd panther tank, National Archives

Things were about to get worse as more and more reinforcements from the 2nd SS panzer division, "Das Reich" began flooding into the area. By July 11th, the Americans had taken Hauts Vents, inflicting heavy casualties on the Germans, but sustaining high levels as well.



The Americans were inching ever nearer their objective of St. Lo, but hedgerow country and fanatical Germans would cause them to invest heavily for each piece of ground taken.

Friendly fire, a regrettable feature of all warfare, would become a major factor in the bold "break out" plan being meticulously prepared at the highest level.

Curtis Culin

One ray of light, a much needed solution to the problems of the Allied tanks ability to penetrate the dense bocage, had been developed by a sergeant from New Jersey, Curtis G. Culin. Taking German steel obstacles that littered the beaches, Culin found that they could be shaped and welded to the front of a tank, enabling it to cut through hedgerows. These tanks became known as "Rhinos."

Rhino National Archives