Posted on Jun 12, 2018
Carentan - 101st Airborne Division - Normandie - DDay-Overlord
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Date : Entre le 9 et 11 juin 1944 - Between June 9th & 11th, 1944
Sujet | Subject:
- Reportage sur la libération de Carentan par les parachutistes américains de la 101st Airborne Division. Le Major General Maxwell D. Taylor, commandant la 101st Airborne Division, s'entretient avec le Brigadier Anthony C. McAuliffe, commandant la 101st Divisional Artillery, pendant que la population vient à la rencontre des parachutistes.
- Report on the liberation of Carentan by American paratroopers from the 101st Airborne Division. Major General Maxwell D. Taylor, commander of the 101st Airborne Division, talks with Brigadier Anthony C. McAuliffe, commander of the 101st Divisional Artillery, while the population comes to meet paratroopers.
Lieu | Location: Carentan, Manche, Normandie
Personnalité(s) | Person(s):
- Major General Maxwell D. Taylor (US 101st Airborne Division)
- Brigadier General Anthony C. McAuliffe (101st Division Artillery)
Unité(s) | Unit(s): US 101st Airborne Division
Source: US National Archives
N°: INV 128
Carentan en 1944 : http://www.dday-overlord.com/carentan...
The small town of Carentan occupied a pivotal position between Omaha and Utah Beaches, and its capture was one of the most important American priorities in the days immediately after D-Day. Carentan was naturally protected by the swamps of the lower Taute and Vire rivers, and artificially by inundations created by German flooding. The only good road across this area ran through Carentan and on to Périers, but this single road was very easily defended. After the fall of Carentan the US 7th Corps spent nine days attempting to advance down this road before giving up.
The 101st Airborne was given the task of taking Carentan. The only available approach to the town ran along another causeway that entered the town from the north. The attack began on 8 June, but progress was very slow. It took two days to reach Carentan, but on 10 June the 101st began to surround the town. On 11 June the paratroops finally fought their way past the outer defences of the town. The beleagured defenders of the town called for supplies to be dropped from the air, but no supplies appeared. On the night of 11-12 June, under heavy American fire, the Germans abandoned Carentan.
This didn't end the battle. Rommel saw the recapture of Carentan as essential if he was to successfully defeat the Allied invasion. On 12 June he informed Keitel that he intended to move the focus of his operations west to Carentan and Montebourg, in an effort to destroy the American beachhead on the Cotentin Peninsula, and on the same day he ordered the 17th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment to retake the town.
This counterattack took place on the morning of 13 June. The SS troops reached to within 500 yards of the town before they were defeated by the 101st Airborne with help from the US 2nd Armoured Division. Worse was to follow for the Germans, for the movement of the 17th SS had left a gap in their lines, which the US 1st Division exploited to capture Caumont.
The capture of Carentan closed the gap between the Utah and Omaha beachheads, the last gap between the D-Day landing zones. This was one of the most important moments in the battle of Normandy, for it removed any danger that the Germans might have been able to destroy the isolated Utah beach head. It also freed General Collins to begin the campaign in the Cotentin Peninsula, which lasted until the end of June and ended with the capture of Cherbourg.
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_carentan.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Carentan
Sujet | Subject:
- Reportage sur la libération de Carentan par les parachutistes américains de la 101st Airborne Division. Le Major General Maxwell D. Taylor, commandant la 101st Airborne Division, s'entretient avec le Brigadier Anthony C. McAuliffe, commandant la 101st Divisional Artillery, pendant que la population vient à la rencontre des parachutistes.
- Report on the liberation of Carentan by American paratroopers from the 101st Airborne Division. Major General Maxwell D. Taylor, commander of the 101st Airborne Division, talks with Brigadier Anthony C. McAuliffe, commander of the 101st Divisional Artillery, while the population comes to meet paratroopers.
Lieu | Location: Carentan, Manche, Normandie
Personnalité(s) | Person(s):
- Major General Maxwell D. Taylor (US 101st Airborne Division)
- Brigadier General Anthony C. McAuliffe (101st Division Artillery)
Unité(s) | Unit(s): US 101st Airborne Division
Source: US National Archives
N°: INV 128
Carentan en 1944 : http://www.dday-overlord.com/carentan...
The small town of Carentan occupied a pivotal position between Omaha and Utah Beaches, and its capture was one of the most important American priorities in the days immediately after D-Day. Carentan was naturally protected by the swamps of the lower Taute and Vire rivers, and artificially by inundations created by German flooding. The only good road across this area ran through Carentan and on to Périers, but this single road was very easily defended. After the fall of Carentan the US 7th Corps spent nine days attempting to advance down this road before giving up.
The 101st Airborne was given the task of taking Carentan. The only available approach to the town ran along another causeway that entered the town from the north. The attack began on 8 June, but progress was very slow. It took two days to reach Carentan, but on 10 June the 101st began to surround the town. On 11 June the paratroops finally fought their way past the outer defences of the town. The beleagured defenders of the town called for supplies to be dropped from the air, but no supplies appeared. On the night of 11-12 June, under heavy American fire, the Germans abandoned Carentan.
This didn't end the battle. Rommel saw the recapture of Carentan as essential if he was to successfully defeat the Allied invasion. On 12 June he informed Keitel that he intended to move the focus of his operations west to Carentan and Montebourg, in an effort to destroy the American beachhead on the Cotentin Peninsula, and on the same day he ordered the 17th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment to retake the town.
This counterattack took place on the morning of 13 June. The SS troops reached to within 500 yards of the town before they were defeated by the 101st Airborne with help from the US 2nd Armoured Division. Worse was to follow for the Germans, for the movement of the 17th SS had left a gap in their lines, which the US 1st Division exploited to capture Caumont.
The capture of Carentan closed the gap between the Utah and Omaha beachheads, the last gap between the D-Day landing zones. This was one of the most important moments in the battle of Normandy, for it removed any danger that the Germans might have been able to destroy the isolated Utah beach head. It also freed General Collins to begin the campaign in the Cotentin Peninsula, which lasted until the end of June and ended with the capture of Cherbourg.
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_carentan.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Carentan
Posted in these groups: 
WWII World War Two
Military History
World HistoryNational Archives and Records Administration
France
WWII World War Two Military History World HistoryNational Archives and Records Administration France
Posted 6 y ago
Responses: 4
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Lot of things to notice here. Several soldier are Glider Infantry, airborne/glider engineers, and airborne anti aircraft.
It is reasonable to believe the guys pulling the guns toward the end of the clip (British 6 pounders versus American 57mm) are from the 81st Airborne Anti Aircraft Battalion. They were issued towed reverse lend lease British 6 pounder anti tank guns. They not only had anti aircraft mounted 50 caliber machine guns, but were also responsible, as a Division level asset, for anti tank protection. The Brit 6 pounders would fit in a Horsa glider with no modification, where the American 57mm gun had longer trails and was a bit wider.
If you find yourself there today, there is a good restaurant on the corner they are passing by called Restaurant Renaissance. Ironically it is on Rue 101st Airborne.
It is reasonable to believe the guys pulling the guns toward the end of the clip (British 6 pounders versus American 57mm) are from the 81st Airborne Anti Aircraft Battalion. They were issued towed reverse lend lease British 6 pounder anti tank guns. They not only had anti aircraft mounted 50 caliber machine guns, but were also responsible, as a Division level asset, for anti tank protection. The Brit 6 pounders would fit in a Horsa glider with no modification, where the American 57mm gun had longer trails and was a bit wider.
If you find yourself there today, there is a good restaurant on the corner they are passing by called Restaurant Renaissance. Ironically it is on Rue 101st Airborne.
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