Purple Heart Lane

From June 9 to 11, 1944, this section of the former N13 was the scene of bloody and costly fighting for the American 101st Airborne Division during the liberation of Carentan.

The third battalion of the 502nd Parachute Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division lost several hundred men there before capturing the Ingouf farm thanks to a daring bayonet charge.

The battle fought by the 3rd Battalion of the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, which was quickly reinforced by Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Cassidy's 16th Battalion, weakened the German paratroopers who evacuated Carentan on the night of June 11-12.

Survivors quickly dubbed the area Purple Heart Lane, a reference to the purple, heart-shaped medal awarded by the US Army to its dead and wounded.

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Koos Winkelman