U.S. Army

The United States of America played an important role in the Battle of Normandy. It contributed more men and equipment than any other allied country, starting on June 6th with 5 infantry divisions and ending on August 30th with 6 armoured divisions and 16 infantry divisions. In total, this amounted to more than a million US soldiers.

This degree of commitment to the liberation of Europe did come at a heavy cost; In Normandy alone, the US army suffered 20,838 killed, 94,881 wounded and 10,128 missing.

101st Airborne Division

Activated on 16th August 1942, the 101st had "no history, but it had a rendezvous with destiny."

The division was shipped over the Atlantic in preparation for the invasion of France. The 101st were given the task of dropping onto the Cotentin Peninsula and securing vital objectives such as the causeways leading off Utah Beach and bridges and locks along the Douve River. The drops were scattered and it took several days before the division was organised and had completed its objectives.

The division dropped again during Operation Market Garden, where it secured several bridges between Nijmegen and Eindhoven.

7th Armored Division - Winter 1944

Following the push through France in late 1944, the U.S. Army would find itself thin on the frontline with stretched logistics. The allied soldiers were not prepared for one of the coldest winter of the war and the surprise German offensive through the Ardennes.

Again, the U.S. Army would take a blow with approximately 19,000 killed, 47,500 wounded and 23,000 missing.

The 7th Armored Division, known as "Lucky Seventh", was activated in March 1942 and saw action in the fields from August 1944 until May 1945. Assigned to Patton's 3rd Army, it would push relentlessly through France, liberating towns like Chartres, Reims, Château-Thierry and Verdun.

After the bloody fights at Metz, the division was tasked to support the right flank of Operation Market Garden. Following the losses, the 7th was set to refit and training before operations on the Rhur. The Bulge Offensive changed the plans and it was rerouted to St. Vith, were it would withstand the blunt of German assaults, retreating then capturing back the town in January 1945. It would then push in the Ruhr, taking part of the closing of the Ruhr Pocket.

101st Airborne Division - Winter 1944

After 72 days of combat during Operation Market Garden, the 101st Airborne Division was pulled back to France for rest and relaxation.

It was cut short by the German offensive through the Ardennes. Equipped since late June 1944 with the 1943 uniforms, the unit was not supposed to fight in harsh winter conditions and lacked warm clothes and camouflage.

Besieged at the crossroads town of Bastogne, the 101st refused to surrender and despite critical shortages of ammunition and medical supplies they held on until the siege was broken by Patton's 3rd Army.

No member of the 101st has ever agreed that the division needed to be rescued.