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11 Record of 508th Participation In Normandy
Operations (page 1 of 12) |
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RECORD OF PARTICIPATION OF 508TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY IN
NORMANDY OPERATIONS
From 6 June to 15 July, 1944
THE 508TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY, attached to the 82d Airborne Division,
landed In Normandy, France, as part of that division on D Day, 6 June
1944, between the hours of 0208 and 0220. Although it was planned to
drop the regiment in one drop zone north of PICAUVILLE In four serials,
the organization was widely scattered, the majority landing east of the
original drop zone and astride the MERDERET RIVER, and some personnel
landing nine kilometers south of CHERBOURG. (For drop pattern see
Overlay No. 1) As the plane formation struck landfall it became engulfed
in a heavy cloud bank, causing many planes to lose formation. The air
column encountered heavy flak concentration and AA - MG fire; one plane
is known to have crashed with all personnel aboard. Some casualties were
suffered when men were hit in the planes. Subsequently a few men were
hit during the parachute descent.
Fairly heavy small arms fire on the ground made a proper reorganization
impossible. Little or no equipment was recovered from the equipment
containers due to resistance on the drop and because much of the
equipment had landed in the MERDERET and DOUVE RIVERS. The regiment was
divided into many snail groups, each of which began to fight its way
individually to its objective, leaving dead Germans, wrecked German
vehicles and disrupted communications behind it. Company "G" was
dropped intact and reorganized completely with all personnel and
equipment in the vicinity of STE MERE EGLISE. There was very little
resistance on the ground in this area to interfere with a prompt
reorganization.
The regiment assembled in four distinct groups-- Group L, commanded by
Colonel Lindquist) Group W, commanded by Major Warren; Group S,
commanded by Lt. Colonel Shanley; and Group G, consisting of a combined
force of Company G, under command of Captain Novak plus a small group of
approximately twenty-five men under command of Captain Simonds. Each
group was a composite unit consisting of parachutists from 508th, 507th,
and 505th, and members of the 101st A/B Division, the majority being
members of this regiment.
6 June - ( D Day )
Group L assembled in the vicinity of LA FIERE, fought Its way south
along the railroad to the highway across the railroad two and one-half
kilometers west of STE MERE EGLISE and then turned southwest along
highway for the purpose of crossing the MERDERET RIVER and moving to the
area north and northwest of ETIENVILLE ( PONT L'ABBE ) to contact
elements of the 508th Parachute Infantry and to carry out the mission
assigned by the 82d A/B Division. This group encountered and attacked a
German strongpoint defending the bridge across the MERDERET, four
kilometers west of STE MERE EGLISE. At this point Colonel Lindquist
made contact with Force A, Headquarters 82d A/B Division. On the
afternoon of D Day Group L with some assistance from a company of the
505th Parachute Infantry ( whose original mission was to seize the
bridge ), wiped out the German unit in that locality. That evening Group
L was relieved by 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry and organized
a defensive position around the railroad viaduct on the same road a few
thousand yards to the east.
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