Utah Beach : beginning of the Way of freedom

CARENTAN was liberated after intense fighting on june 12th 1944 by the 101st Airborne Division, making possible the link up with the 29th Infantry Division, which had landed on the 6th june 1944 at OMAHA BEACH. The same day, the guns of CRISBECQ were brought to complete silence.

On 18th june 1944, after crossing marshland the americans isolated the german garrison of CHERBOURG, by cutting of the Cotentin peninsula near BARNEVILLE.

June 20th 1944 VALOGNES was liberated.

Town hall - Cherbourg

June 27th 1944, the germans surrendered in CHERBOURG, leaving a completely devastated harbour, which only became operationnal on 26th of july 1944.

Capturing the CHERBOURG fortress was one of the first allied victory in Normandy.

The battle of Normandy continued for a further 9 long weeks until the destruction of the 7th german army in FALAISE on 20th of august 1944.

Five days later, PARIS was liberated !