HIESVILLE Manche - 5 km north of Carentan
 The death of an American General
On 5 June 1944 in the evening, 46 Waco gliders took off for Normandy. The operation was coded Chicago. The troops must reinforce the parachutists of the 101st Airborne Division who had jumped few hours earlier. They also brought guns, jeeps and supplies. General Pratt, Second-in-command of the 101st Airborne Division under General Taylor, was aboard one of the gliders towed by air carriers. On 6 June the gliders touched down full in the landing zone, perfectly marked out before by the pathfinders. Hiesville was occupied without fighting. But there was a bad news for the parachutist division, General Pratt glider crashed, he had been instantly killed with his aide-de-camp.
  
     
   
 
 
 
 

General Pratt stele
 Stele dedicated to Brigadier General Pratt, Second in command of the 101st Airborne Division, killed during the crash of his glider on 6 June 1944; he was the first Allied Forces General officer who died for the liberation of France.
 Situation : at the D129 and the D329 crossing

  
   
 
  General Taylor headquarter plaque
 Plaque remembering that General Maxwell D. Taylor, Commander of the 101st Airborne Division, set up in this house the first headquarter of the American Airborne troops.
 Situation : at the front gate of a farm in the town
 
101st Airborne Division monument
 Monument inaugurated on 6 June 2003, commemorating the establishment, in the castle of Colombières, of the first Allied Field Hospital of the 101st Airborne Division, on the Norman land on 6 June 1944.
 Situation : in front of the castle of Colombières
   
ROAD MAP
 
INTERESTING WEB SITES
Personal web site about the 101st Airborne Division
http://www.101airborneww2.com/
Page of US Army official web site about units of D-day
http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/reference/normandy/UnitList.htm
Personal web site about the US Army in Europe
http://www.lonesentry.com/index.html
Calvados departmental tourism office web site
http://www.calvados-tourisme.com/
 
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