General Maxwell Davenport Taylor’s 101st Airborne Division received in Normandy, June 1944 its baptism of Fire.

 General Maxwell Davenport Taylor’s 101st Airborne Division received in Normandy, June 1944 its baptism of Fire.

 Entering the frau shortly after midnight on June 6th 1944, the Screaming Eagles would within 48 hours secure and accomplished all its d day objectives. 

With Saint Côme du Mont in American hands, the American headquarters could focus on the key City of Carentan.

The battle of Carentan does not always receive the recognition it deserves, considering its utmost importance in the securing and spreading of the american beach heads in the early phase of the Normandy invasion. 

Both General headquarters of the German and Allied sides quickly realized the significance of the small Norman town at the foot of the Cotentin Peninsula.

 Rommel, backed by Hitler, sent early orders for a full SS Panzer Division to rush up north from Thouars with strict orders to kick the americans back into the Channel. 

With the 101st Airborne Division having accomplished all of its D Day missions, Eisenhower, Bradley and Collins decided to use the paratroopers aggressiveness to unlock the heavily fortified key City of Carentan. 

It would take an all out effort by all four Regiments of the airborne division to free and secure the City after 4 days of bloody fighting.

 The clash of the american paratroopers versus their German counterparts, the battle hardened Fallschirmjaegers, reached titanic proportions, along the N13 Heighway rightfully nicknamed Purple heart lane by the paratroopers.

 The exhausted paratroopers would then face the brunt of the SS assault to re take Carentan on June 13th.

 Thanks to the swift arrival of an entire armored Combat Team of the 2nd Armored Division, Carentan would hold, never to be re taken.

 Bomb damaged and bloodied by the fighting, with over 250 homes destroyed, Carentan emerged free and forever grateful to its american liberators.