On 18th June 1940 the Germans entered Sainte-Mère. Then, on 5th June 1944 811 C47 planes dropped 14,238 men onto our shores establishing a bridgehead at Sainte-Mère. The town was liberated that same day just before midnight. At 4.30 the following morning the landing began at the Madeleine in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont. 22000 men and 1800 vehicules swarmed onto the beach and established a liaison between Utah and Sainte-Mère.
1944 The Battle of Normandy
5th and 6th June 1944 airborne operations Sainte Mère : - Church square made famous by the film "The Longest Day" - First town to be liberated - Airborne Troops Museum - Milestone Km O of Liberty Way. Commemorative monuments to the parachutists of the 82nd and 101st Airborne - Old cemeteries - Site of "La Fière" memorial to the parachutists. Circuit of photographic panels in Sainte-Mère-Eglise recounting the history of the liberation. Sainte Marie du Mont : Circuit of 12 panels explaining the 101st Airborne parachutists' combat the night of the 5th/6th June 1944 .Hiesville : Memorial stone and monuments dedicatedto US General Don PRATT killed in his glider 6th June 1944.
The American Landing on Utah Beach 6th June 1944
Utah Beach : Sites which can be visited - Numerous commemorative monuments to the Americans - Landing Museum - Milestone Km 00 of Liberty Way
Saint Martin de Varville : Site for visitors - monument dedicated to the landing of General Leclerc's 2nd DB
Sainte-Marie-du-Mont : Danish monument
The Battle for Cherbourg
Brucheville : US Air Force memorial
Carquebut : First American cemetery
Quinéville : German blockhaus - Museum of Liberty
Montebourg : Completely destroyed in June 1944 by naval shelling. 13 days of battle before Cherbourg was taken
Azeville : German bunkers and gun batteries which can be visited
The D-Day Landing
