Cardonville (Calvados)
The cities of Normandy during the 1944 battles
- Liberation: June 8, 1944
- Deployed units:
1st Air Force Clearing Station, 39th Field Hospital
115th Anti-Aircraft Gun Battalion
175th Infantry Division, 29th Infantry Division
368th Fighter Group, 71st Fighter Wing, 9th Fighter Command
370th Fighter Group, 71st Fighter Wing, 9th Fighter Command
747th Tank Battalion
816th Engineer Aviation Battalion
I/Grenadier-Regiment 914, 352. Infanterie-Division
Flak-Regiment 32, 17. Flak-Division
- History:
In the spring of 1944, the Germans established a radar station on the lands of the village of Cardonville. It is defended by a fulcrum and by soldiers of the 1st Battalion of Grenadier-Regiment 914 (352. Infanterie-Division).
On June 8, 1944, at dawn, the 175th Infantry Regiment (29th Infantry Division) commanded by Colonel Paul R. Goode progressed along National Highway 13 in a westerly direction, supported by tanks from C company of the 747th Tank Battalion. Colonel Goode ordered the 2nd battalion of Lieutenant-Colonel Millar G. Bowen to proceed in the direction of Cardonville, benefiting from the fire support of the light cruiser HMS Glasgow who made several shots on the village and its surroundings. The Americans seized the village and its base (consisting of positions for machine guns, mortars and 88 mm guns armed by the Flak-Regiment 32) despite the German resistance and then they resumed the advance towards Isigny-sur-Mer.
From June 10 to 14, 1944, the 816th Engineer Aviation Battalion built an aerodrome called ALG A-03 by the Allies on the lands of the commune of Cardonville, north-east of the village. Operational until September 1, 1944, this aerodrome is used in particular by the 36th and 370th Fighter Groups of the 9th United States Air Force.
From the 14th to the 25th of June, 1944, the village also welcomes the battery B of the 115th Anti-Aircraft Gun Battalion, which performs combat missions against air threats day and night. On June 23, the first Air Force Clearing Station (39th Field Hospital) was installed under the command of Captain Leslie C. Holshouser. This advanced medical center is located in the immediate vicinity of the ALG A-03 airfield and remains on site until September 10, 1944.
Cardonville maps:
