REUNION 21 - PROGRAM

Record of 508th Participation In Normandy Operations (page 4 of 12)

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     ^{Company I effected the relief of Company H at LE PORT at 1615 hour. By 2130 hour the plan was received for the operation to be carried out the night of 12-13 June 1944. At 2140 the detachment at the bridge at CHEF DU PONT, and Company I at LE PORT were relieved by division order and were moved to the regimental area on hill 30. An S-2 patrol departed with the mission of crossing the DOUVE RIVER in the vicinity of BEUZEVILLE LA BASTILLE and determining possible enemy resistance in the vicinity of BAUPTE, TEILERFER, BEUZEVILLE AND CRETTEVILLE. The patrol was to cross the DOUVE in a boat pro­vided and guided by a French civilian.}

 ^{12 June 1944}

     ^{The river crossing by S-2 personnel was unsuccessful due to a leaky boat which sank in midstream. All personnel returned to the regimental area in the early morning. This day was spent in preparation for the move south of the DOUVE across the causeway at BEUZEVILLE LA BASTILLE. The regiment had the mission of forcing a crossing of the DOUVE RIVER between MONTESEY and LIESV1LLE, both in­clusive, under the cover of darkness the night of 12-13 June, to seize and hold BAUPTE and the bridge south of BAUPTE and to close the corridor at PONT AUNY between PRETOT and LES SABLONS.}

 ^{13 June 1944}

     ^{Company F, commanded by Lt. Goodale, crossed the DOUVE at 0001 by assault boat west of the causeway at BEUZEVILLE LA BASTILLE, guided by the French civilian who had led the S-2 personnel the previous night. Upon reaching the south side of the river Lt. Goodale called by SCR 300 for artillery fire to be laid on BEUZEVILLE to disorganize enemy resistance that might be holding the town and covering the causeway north of the town. This artillery concentra­tion was laid down at 0100 and lasted for fifteen minutes. When the artillery fire lifted, Company F wiped out the German defensive position in the town after destroying two German tanks in the dark. Then the regiment crossed the causeway in a column of battalions, 1st Battalion, 3rd Battalion, Regimental Headquarters, and 2nd Bat­talion, all to separate at BEUZEVILLE and each battalion to follow a prescribed route to its designated objective.}

    ^{The 1st Battalion, which was to pass through CRETTEVILLE and subsequently move into regimental reserve at (COIGNY, moved across the DOUVE at 0400 hour. The leading combat patrol under Lt. Weaver encountered two German tanks in CRETTEVILLE and promptly destroyed them with bazookas and Gammon grenades. At 0745 the battalion marched through CRETTEVILLE. At 0900 1st Battalion moved out to­wards COIGNY. At 1100 the battalion encountered and destroyed five Renault tanks near FEACQUETOT. At 1615 the Battalion occupied (COIGNY and established a perimeter defense as regimental reserve. At 1900 hour Companies A and B, with one 57 mm AT gun attached to each company, moved out to clear the area COIGNY-HAUTEVlLLE-LA PRIEURE. Company A ambushed and destroyed five light tanks and rout a tank CP. At 2300 hours Companies A and B returned to the battalion area at COIGNY.}

     ^{The 3rd Battalion crossed the DOUVE at 0410 followed by Regi­mental Headquarters Company, moved down the center of the regimental area in a column of companies, and occupied an all around defensive position at TA1LLERFER in the corridor between PONT AUNY and HOTOT. Regimental CP was established at 0700 at TA1LLERFER.}

^{The 2nd Battalion crossed the DOUVE at 0500 and moved down the east side of the regimental area to secure BAUPTE and contact the l0lst A/B Division at LE FEURES, southeast of BAUPTE. At 0751}

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