The story
The 30th Infantry Division embarked from England and debarked across Omaha Beach on 15 June.
Even though most of its units were still en route and not yet closed, the 30th Infantry Division launched an attack to seize Montmartin-en-Graignes and close to the Vire-Taute Canal.
The narrow corridor between the Vire and Taute Rivers separated American First Army efforts to secure Saint-Lô from Americans battling in the Cotentin Peninsula to seize Cherbourg.
Allied planners feared the Germans, reinforced by arriving armor, would drive north down the corridor with each flank protected by a river, and split the American First Army in two.
The surest defense against such a possibility was to force the Germans off the northern banks of the Vire - Taute Canal, and then defend that formidable obstacle against counterattack.
The 30th Infantry Division assumed this mission, closed to the canal, and held that line while the attacks on Cherbourg and Saint-Lô moved forward.
There's more to discover
You have arrived at just one small part of Back to Normandy — a personal project dedicated to preserving stories, images, music and memories of the Second World War.
Every record is a doorway to a larger story. Explore Back to Normandy to discover more, or visit Fred Vogels' personal website to learn about the person and the projects behind it.