Somewhere in Normandy, I was told, was a Bailey bridge. I searched for a couple of years, but thanks to ‘Goggle Earthe’, I finaly found it. I like to share the location with you. The Bailey can be found northeast of Carentan. Leave the highway N 13 at the exit Carentan. When you drive into the village of Saint-Hilaire-Petitville, take on the roundabout the first lane (keep right). After the second bridge, go right, towards the harbor. This part is still Saint-Hilaire-Petitville. Keep right on the harbor/canal and drive this road 500 yards (mind the bump halfway in this road!... this is the viaduct across the N 13).

The Bailey bridge of Saint-Hilaire-Petitville is laid across the river Taute, after the original bridge was blown by the Germans. The 300th Combat Engineer Battalion built the Bailey. During the construction, Major John Tucker was killed on June 27, 1944, when Germans fired at it. In remembrance of this, the bridge was called Tucker Bridge (there is also a Rue John Tucker in the village).

The Bailey bridge at Saint-Hilaire-Petitville is a unique piece of the Second World war and is still in use by the locals. The quality of the bridge is remarkable. Under the flaking paint, the original green paint visible. What is evident was the lack of all the construction elements when it was built. In stead of the original securing pins, at some places they had to use standard nails (see picture below).

John Hale and Thomas Lonergan, 3rd Bat., 506th PIR (RHQ), Exeter June 5, 1944

After you have visited the Bailey bridge, I advise you to drive a kilometer further towards Brèvands. In Le Moulinis to be found, since 2009 a monument for the actions made by the 3rd Battalion, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division and C-Company 326th Airborne Engineer Battalion and the Regimental Demolitions Squad, and were at the time already known under the name ‘Filthy Thirteen’. Her nickname came from the attitude and discipline, or lack of it, shown by the men during their ‘work’. The men in this outfit did not exactly what the army wanted from then, but during their work, they did more than the army expected from then.

Jake McNiece (right) paints the face of Mariano Ferra from C-Comp., 326th AEB
(notice the letter 'E' for Engineer Battalion on the helmet)

The idea came from Jake McNiece,a half breed indian from Oklahoma, who suggested to cut their hair in a ‘mohawk’ and paint their faces. And so, just before they departed, they helped each other into ‘war outfits’, and painted their faces, by lack of enough paint, also with paint used original for invasion stripes on the aircraft

Robert S. Cone checks once again one of the six 'parapacks' beneath the C-47.
These contained other heavy weapons, extra ammo and demolition charges

The 575 paratroopers left, in fifty four C-47’s from 440th Troop Carrier Group to Drop Zone ‘D’ near Angoville-au-Plain, in the night of 5 and 6 June, 1944. Target for this outfit were two bridges near Le Port, to take them, secure them, and stop any German opposition who would use these bridges to threaten the bridgehead at Utah Beach. Also, the Allies had in mind to use these bridges in time as an extra road towards Omaha Beach.

Col. Robert L. Wolverton, CO and his HQ 'stick', 3rd Batt., 506th PIR
will board soon into 'STOY HORA', C-47 '292717' (June 5, 1944, Exeter, England).
This aircraft is the leading plane (#1) of the 440th Troop Carrier Group,
flown by Col. Frank X. Krebs, 440th TCG CO

The jump into the dark was not without cassulties, 93 men were killed during the first hours, because of missing their dropzone or were killed by enemy fire. Under the victims were also the commander of the outfit, Lt.-Col. Robert L. Wolverton, and the commander of G-Company, Capt. Harold van Antwerp. Captain Robert Harwick, commander of H-Company and the commander of I-Company, Capt. John McKnight were taken prisoner by the Germans. (Later, Harwick managed to escape, and returned to his command of the battalion again on June 8).

The red stripes on the map, are the positions of the bridges

During first light, a group of thirty men, under command of Capt. Charles Shettle reached the bridges. But the Germans still had a firm grip on the bridges, and the paratroopers had to retreat. The Germans had placed charges on the bridges, and could be blown if necessary. When on June 7, the commander of 506th, Col. Robert F.Sink had still noting heard of the 3rd Battalion, the order is given to destroy the bridges. Two squadrons of fighter-bombers dropped their bombs, which completely destroys the bridges. The Germans could not use these bridges anymore, bot also for the Allied troops lost their route towards Omaha Beach by these bridges.

A plaque on a wall tells where the monument is located

During the period the 3rd Battalion operated in this area (and consisted in the end of 150 men), a couple of German attacks where stopped. The attacks cost the Germans dearly, at least 70 to 80 died, and 258 Germans were made prisoner. During the evening of June 8, the 3rd Battalion was relieved by the 327th GIR (Glider Infantry Regiment). During two days of fighting, 7 paratroopers were killed, and 21 wounded (of the 150). Four men received the DSC (Distinguished Service Cross); Lt. Charles Santasiero (I-Company), Srgt. George Montilio (H-Company), Pvt. F.Cl. Donald Zahn (H-Company) and Pvt Fst Cl. Andrew Sosnak of the medical section.

The monument for the 3rd Battalion can be found in the Espace Filthy 13, at the crossraod of Le Moulin, heading towards Brèvands. Two heavy stone plaques placed on top of feet made of bricks. On the plaques are told the exploits and remembrance of the 3rd Battalion. A fantastic engraving of a paratrooper is the most eye-catching on one of the plaque. The trooper, with ‘mohawk’ and painted face, was made by the artist C. Salembier. In the tiny park, a tree was also planted for peace, it stands beside a large sign which has more on the exploits of the 3/506th PIR and the ‘Filthy 13’.

It has the appearance of a bronze statue, but it's plastic

A couple of years after the monument was erected in 2009, a statue of a kneeling paratrooper was placed in front of the large plaque. Next to the plaque a rifle, between two jumpboots, with a helmet resting on it, can be found. It looks very impressive,... but if you tap against the new items placed here,... it is not made out of bronze, but some kind of plastic. I figure that this is on purpose, because real bronze is a sought of material by bronze-thiefs.

Corporal Joseph J. 'Joe' Oleskiewicz, 3rd Bat., 506th PIR (RHQ).
(He was killed in Holland on September 30, 1944)