LESSAY Manche - 20 km north of Coutances The Americans assaulted Le Mont Castre In early July 1944, the Americans of the VIIIth Corps had a raging battle to take Le Mont Castre. On 9 July, the 79th Infantry Division took La Haye-du-Puits. A new division had arrived in reinforcement : the 8th Infantry Division under General Mac Mahon. On 14 July the 9th and 79th Infantry Divisions stopped on the river Ay in the vicinity of Lessay, while the 90th Infantry Division was blocked on the river Sèves. General von Choltitz ordered a large withdrawal of the German forces on a new defensive line. On 25 July the Operation Cobra was starting west of Saint-Lô. On 27 July, the VIIth Corps carried on the breakthrough. Lessay was liberated the same day by the 315th Regiment of the 79th American Infantry Division. The Germans had to fall back to avoid the encirclement of their forces in the area.
Liberation plaque Plaque commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Lessay liberation by the Allied Forces. Situation : at the edge of the D900 road, on the War Memorial
323rd Bomb Group - A20 airfield stele A plaque is in memory of the 323rd Bombardment Group of the 9th US Air Force. A second plaque remembers American airfield A20 was operationnal from 23rd August to 24 September. A plaque commemorates also the feat of pilot Charles Lindbergh on 4th June 1927. Situation : at the entrance of the airfield
ROAD MAP			INTERESTING WEB SITES Tourism office of Lessay Communes Community http://www.canton-lessay.com/web/accueil.do US Army official web site - US Army divisions structure http://www.army.mil/cmh/lineage/cc/comp.htm Manche departmental tourism office web site http://www.manchetourisme.com/   All rights of photos, texts, maps and graphics design are reserved