Brécourt Manor Assault

The Brécourt Manor Assault (6 June 1944) during the U.S. parachute assault of the Normandy Invasion of World War II is often cited as a classic example of small-unit tactics and leadership in overcoming a larger enemy force. Command of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division had temporarily fallen to its executive officer, First Lieutenant Richard Winters. After linking up with his parent unit at the hamlet of Le Grand Chemin on the morning of 6 June 1944, Winters was ordered away from his company. With minimal instructions of "There's fire along that hedgerow there. Take care of it," and no briefing, Winters found himself given the task of destroying a German artillery battery. The battery, initially reported to have been 10.5 cm leFH 18 howitzers, was firing onto causeway exit #2 leading off Utah Beach, disrupting landing forces of the U.S. 4th Infantry Division. It was located at Brécourt Manor, southwest of Utah Beach and north of the village of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont. Earlier in the morning, several other units had stumbled onto the position and been repulsed. Winters undertook a reconnaissance at about 8:30 a.m., after which he collected a team of 12 men from his own and other companies. He knew the general location of the gun emplacements south of Le Grand Chemin, but had no information about the other side of the hedgerow. Winters' team attacked and discovered No. 6 Battery of (Gebirgs-) Artillerie-Regiment 191, consisting of four 105 mm howitzers connected by trenches and defended by a company of soldiers. Winters believed that the unit was part of the 6th Fallschirmjägerregiment ("6th Parachute Regiment") with emplaced MG42 machine guns. The 1st battalion of the 6th had been ordered to Sainte Marie-du-Mont from Carentan during the afternoon but arrived after dark. The 1st Company 919th Grenadier Regiment (709th Infantry Division) was posted at Sainte Marie-du-Mont and was responsible for the area.