The story
The 79th Infantry Division attacked to seize Fougeres, securing the town on 3 August.
This rapid advance exposed a gap in the German dispositions which General George S. Patton, the Third Army Commander, determined to exploit.
Driving east, the division crossed the Mayenne River and captured Laval on 6 August.
The Germans had destroyed the Mayenne River bridges, but the Americans hastily threw a floating Bailey bridge across the river and opened it to traffic the following day.
Meanwhile the division’s regimental combat teams had sped on towards Le Mans, overrunning scattered resistance en route and forcing their way into the town by the evening of 8 August.
With the seizure of Le Mans the Americans had virtually encircled the Germans still defending in Normandy.
Patton now redirected the attack from east to north, and the 79th infantry Division attacked in support of the 5th Armored Division as the tankers pushed past Alencon en route to Argentan – and the closure of a pocket around Falaise.
NB: The map seems to give other positions. Map of August 7th shows the capture of Laval
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