CRISBECQ Manche - 15 km south-east of Valognes The Kriegsmarine soldiers in their stone vessel The battery of Crisbecq was built to be the main strongpoint of the Cotentin east coast, but only two casemates were completed out of four on D-Day. The position was heavily bombed in the night of 5-6 June 1944, however the battery was able to oppose to the Landing. On the D-Day the solid defensive system kept in check the American parachutists. On 7 June, the 210 mm guns sank a destroyer; at the end of the day the 4th Infantry Division was always stopped in front of the blockhouses. The following day, three American battleships, together rammed the position and ended up reducing it to silence. The German Kriegsmarine garrison evacuated the battery in the night of 11-12 June. The Commander of the battery, Oberleutnant Omhsen, was distinguished for his action against the allied landing.
Crisbecq battery Museum Located in the area of Saint-Marcouf town, this battery was equipped with four 210 mm guns of 33 kilometers range. Its commander was distinguished with the Knight Cross for its resistance against Americans. Several restored blockhouses fitted with equipment can be visited.   Airfield A7 stele Crisbecq Stele remembering that Airfield A7 had been built in this place, by the 9th US Air Force Engineer. The 367th Fighter Group took off from this runway from June to August 1944. Situation : at the edge of the D14 road, north of Saint-Marcouf, on the left after a farm (La Perette)
ROAD MAP			INTERESTING WEB SITES Personal web site about the Atlantic Wall in the Cotentin http://perso.wanadoo.fr/batteries.du.cotentin/index.html Personal web site about the German infantryman http://www.deutschesoldaten.com/ Official web site of the 4th US Infantry Division http://www.4thinfantry.org/home.html Television and Radio National Institute web site – News extracts about D-day http://www.ina.fr/extraits/recherche_theme.php France 5 TV web site about the the World War II http://www.france5.fr/2gm/   All rights of photos, texts, maps and graphics design are reserved