Brecourt Manoir Map 1311E N49 23.443 W001 13.611
The Germans installed four 105 mm guns here in open
emplacements and connected by slit trenches.
Today no trace of this site remains.
The Germans manning these guns came from the 11/119st Artillery Regiment, and
they were billeted in St Marie du Mont.
.The American attack has been immortalized in the book " Band of Brothers"
by Stephen Ambrose and now by the Stephen Speilberg film of the same name.
The American Airborne Regiment which was given the task of taking the guns near
the Manoir du Brecourt was "E" Company of the 101st Airborne (Screaming Eagles).
They landed in Normandy early on D-day having flown in C47 aircraft from
southern England.
The Airborne troops were scattered all over Basse Normandy, and in many cases,
took days to find their companies.
"E" Company had fared no better, and the few troopers that had arrived at Le
Grande Chemin, a tiny hamlet, no more than a group of houses, were given the
task of neutralising the guns at the Manoir du Brecourt. Lieutenant Winters
attacked the batterie and took the guns with just a dozen men, causing far more
causalities than they received.
By now it was 11:30 and they had been in Normandy for only a few hours.
Already "E" Company had contributed greatly to the success of the Utah beach
landings.
The guns they had taken out were the main defense for this southern section.
The Gun emplacements at St Marcouf (Crisbecq) and Azeville would not be taken
for some days, but their guns were at the limit of their accuracy.
This action by the Band of Brothers was one of the first American victories on
D-day and most certainly saved a lot of American lives on Utah Beach.
Inside the Manoir was Michel De Valaviell, he was a young boy at the time of
D-day and he came out to greet the liberating Americans. Unfortunately they shot
him and he was evacuated to England, where he spent six months.
Long after the war he became mayor and he was mainly responsible for the fine
museum that is situated on Utah beach. He was also responsible for naming over
forty of the roads in the area after Americans who were killed during the
liberation.
Go to "The Attack" for more detailed photos of gun positions
