MARIGNY Manche - 10 km west of Saint-Lô
A small Norman town under the bombs
 On 25 July 1944, 1 500 bombers dropped 3,300 tons of bombs in a carpet bombing west of Saint-Lô, they dismantled the German front. The Operation Cobra finally obtained the decisive breakthrough; the Panzer-Lehr Division under General Bayerlein occupying the area was nearly destroyed under the massive bombing. On 26 July, when General Collins launched the 3rd Armoured Division tanks, some isolated groups resisted hopelessly but they could not stem the onrush of the American tanks and infantry. The Americans reached Marigny where they encountered units of the 2nd Panzer-Division Das Reich and the 353rd Infantry Division supported by several Panzers; the Germans put up a stiff fight then withdrew. Marigny was finally liberated before the day was over.
   
 
 
 
German cemetery
 11 169 German soldiers are buried in this cemetery, located in the countryside. One enters there through a little house that looks like a local church. Three granite crosses groups emerge from small clumps of flowers.
 Situation : at the edge of the D341 road, between Marigny and La Chappelle-en-Juger (follow the road-sign)
  
  American cemetery stele
 Stele remembering that from 1944 to 1948, were buried there 3070 American soldiers.
 Situation : facing the cemetery entrance
   
ROAD MAP
 
INTERESTING WEB SITES

Personal web site about D-day and the Normandy battle
http://www.debarquement-normandie.com/
Association web site about the 3rd US Armored Division
http://www.3ad.org/wwii/chronology.htm
Personal web site about World War II and weapons of all countries
http://www.secondeguerre.net/index2.html
Web site of the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge
http://www.volksbund.de/

 
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