PICAUVILLE Manche - 9 km west of Sainte-Mère-Eglise
The parachutists beleaguered at Hill 30
The 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division jumped in darkness on 6 June 1944. Only a quarter out of more than 2000 men landed on the drop zone or nearby. Lieutenant-colonel Shanley commanding the 2nd Battalion of the 508th Regiment gathered about three hundred paratroops near Picauville, he decided to move toward the Regiment's assembling zone, Hill 30 east of Picauville. On the way they were joined by a group of two hundred men, they reached their objective at 9 p.m. The Germans of the 91st Infantry Division were stationed in Picauville ; on 7 June they launched counter-attacks against Hill 30, but they were pushed back. On 8 June the Germans were once again kept in check, their artillery shelled the position continuously. During the day the Americans established contact with paratroops holding Chef-du-Pont. At the opposite bank of the river Merderet the situation became critical since the Americans got through a serious shortage of water, munitions and plasma. On 9 June in an heroïc onrush the parachutists broke through at La Fière, the Germans withdrew on Picauville. General Gavin made a reconnaissance himself on Hill 30. On 10 June the 358th Regimental Combat Team of the 90th Infantry Division attacked toward Pont-L’Abbé. The Americans suffered heavy human losses, Picauville is liberated but Pont-L’Abbé was still resisting.		  
   
       
 
 
 
 

9th US Air Force - 82nd and 101st Airborne monument
 Monument in memory of the crews of the 9th US Air Force, of paratroops of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, who were killed in the crash of their aircrafts in the area of Picauville on 6 and 7 June 1944.
 Localisation : on the town main place, in front of the church

 
 
  C47 engine
 This engine belonged to a C47 aircrft that crashed near Picauville in the night of 5 to 6 June 1944. The 16 parachutists and 4 crew men died in the crash of the plane.
Situation : near the monument
 
  A8 Allied airfielf stele
 Stele commemorating the establishment in this area of the Allied advanced airfield A8 by the 826th Air Engineers Battalion of the 9th US Air Force. The 405th Fighter Group of the US Air Force was operational from 30 June to 14 September 1944, the 264th and 604th Night Fighter SOS of the RAF from 8 June to 9 September 1944.
 Situation : at the edge of the D69 road linking Gourbesville to Picauville
   
ROAD MAP
 
INTERESTING WEB SITES
Association web site about the Liberation of Picauville
http://www.picauvillesesouvient.org/
Personal web site about D-day and Normandy battle
http://www.dday-overlord.com/index.htm
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 82nd Airborne Division
http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/5340/viewframe.htm
Manche departmental tourism office web site
http://www.manchetourisme.com/
 
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