Méautis (Manche)
The cities of Normandy during the 1944 battles
Liberation: June 14, 1944
Deployed units:
Combat Command A, 2nd Armored Division
4th Infantry Division
50th Fighter Group, 84th Fighter Wing, 9th Tactical Air Command
840th Engineer Aviation Battalion
Fallschirmjäger Regiment 6, 91. Infanterie Division
SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 38, 17. SS Panzer-Division “Götz von Berlichingen”
History:
In the aftermath of the Normandy landing, the German paratroopers of the Fallschirmjäger Regiment 6 (91. Infanterie Division) set up a new defensive line to the south at Carentan and set up elements of the reserve in the Méautis sector. 8 inhabitants of the region, suspected by the Germans of having brought food to the American paratroopers who hide in the vicinity, are shot in the village of Méautis.
After their withdrawal south of Carentan, German paratroopers, reinforced by SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 38 (17 SS Panzer-Division “Götz von Berlichingen”), counter-attack north on 13 June from 10 am Are stopped by the American artillery and the tanks of the 2nd Armored Division. Unable to pierce the front line permanently and suffered very heavy losses, the Germans retreated south of Méautis in the evening. The Americans seized the village the next day.
On 26 June, the SS launched a new offensive in the direction of Méautis, which again threatened the village, which was subjected to additional bombardments until the following day, 27 June, but the Germans were once again unable to achieve their objectives. They multiply the counter-attacks and the front line only slowly moves away from the commune. On July 12, 1944, General Theodore Roosevelt Jr., then promoted to head of the 90th (US) Infantry Division and eldest son of President Theodore Roosevelt, suffers from a heart attack in Méautis during a German air attack alert on the position from his headquarter.
Starting July 24, 1944, the sappers of the 840th Engineer Aviation Battalion built an aviation runway for the 50th Fighter Group (10th Fighter Squadron, 81st Fighter Squadron, 313rd Figther Squadron) on P-47 Thunderbolt. This airfield, called ALG A-17, is operational until September 15, 1944.
Méautis maps:
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Auteur : Marc Laurenceau – Reproduction soumise à l’autorisation de l’auteur – Contact Webmaster
