Memorial to the Graignes Massacre, Normandy, France. Graignes is located a few miles south of the critical WW2 town of Carentan.

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The Battle of Graignes was a small but critical part of the Battle of Normandy in World War II. Taking place between 10-12th June 1944, a small group of paratroopers (507th PIR) of the US 82nd Airborne Division held the town for 2 days against the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division. This action delayed the 17th Panzergrenadier's counterattack on Carentan, which was repulsed at the Battle of Bloody Gulch on June 13. After retaking the Graignes, the Germans massacred 44 civilians, a number of POWs taken in the capture of an American aid station, and set fire to the town.

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Size: 5184px × 3456px
Location: Graignes, Normandy, France
Photo credit: © Maurice Savage / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 507th, 82nd, airborne, american, battle, battlefield, cemetery, church, europe, father, france, french, graignes, graves, leblastier, massacre, memorial, normandy, operation, overlord, paratroopers, people, pir, ruins, war, world, ww2, wwii