Pont-l'Abbé in Normandy 1944

PONT-L'ABBE Manche - 10 km west of Sainte-Mère-Eglise
Terrible baptism of fire for the "Tough' ombres"
On D plus 1 the three regiments of the 90th Infantry Division were assembled west of the river Merderet in the Cotentin. General Mac Kelvie's troops relieved the 82nd Airborne Division. On 10 June the Americans launched the attack toward the west and liberated Picauville; but in front of Pont-l’Abbé the 358th Infantry Regiment was kept in check facing a stiff resistance of the Germans. The 90th Infantry Division who lacked combat experience suffered heavy losses. On 12 June the Americans stormed Pont-l’Abbé under artillery shelling and air bombing. In the night of 12 to 13 June the Germans évacuated the town, and American infantry entered a ruined and silent city. General Mac Kelvie was relieved of his command, and General Landrum took the lead of the 90th Infantry Division. The 82nd Airborne Division was again on the way to the front.

A8 airfield stele Stele remembering that American airfield A8 was set in this place by the 826th Air Engineers battalion of the 9th US Air Force. The 405th Fighter Group was operational from 30 June to 9 September 1944, the 264th and 604th Night Fighter Group from 6 August to 9 September 1944. Situation : 200 m north of Les Buts Dorés locality, at the edge of D69 road

ROAD MAP

INTERESTING WEB SITES
*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/ *Official web site of the* 90th US Infantry Division http://90thdivisionassoc.org/

All rights of photos, texts, maps and graphics design are reserved