The story
The 8th Infantry Division was selected to participate in the seizure of Brest.
Brest was one of the most important ports in France, and served as a base for the German UBoats that had wreaked havoc on Allied shipping throughout much of the war.
It was heavily fortified and stoutly defended, and would require a prolonged and deliberate siege to se21 cure.
The Americans would muster three divisions for this arduous task, the 2nd, 8th and 29th Infantry Divisions, in addition to artillery, and naval and air support.
The 8th Infantry Division was relieved of its responsibilities securing Rennes, recovered the detachments it had deployed for special missions, and moved towards Brest.
It reached Plabennec on 18 August, and was joined in the vicinity of Brest by the 2nd Infantry Division the following day.
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.