(Originally published in the Philadelphia Inquirer)
The little bridge sits in a quiet, bucolic area of western France, about 2 miles west of the town of Ste. Mere-Eglise. It spans the scenic Merderet River, and thousands of tourists flock to the area every year because of its rich history and beautiful scenery. Right next to the bridge is the charming “a la Bataille de La Fiere Bed and Breakfast”, which was built in 1180 and originally used as a grain mill by Viking settlers. For those looking for a quiet vacation in a beautiful, historic setting, this area is the perfect destination. But when the tourists are told the story of what happened on this little bridge over 70 years ago, and how significant that event was in WW II history, many are stunned. Those from the U.S. will often beam with pride or are moved to tears.
Although it is described by renowned military historian S.L.A. Marshall as “the bloodiest small unit struggle in the history of American arms”, the heroic saga of the battle for the bridge at La Fiere from June 6 to June 9 in 1944 has now become lost among the numerous legendary stories of D-Day. But it was at this bridge that a small group of lightly armed U.S. 82nd Airborne paratroopers waged one of fiercest fights in the annals of U.S. military history, and in doing so, likely saved the lives of thousands of U.S. soldiers who landed at Utah beach on D-Day. The bridge was one of only two in the Utah beach landing area that would enable German armor to cross the river. If the Germans could get their tanks and infantry to the beach, they could wipe out the U.S. forces on Utah beach. The 82nd was given the difficult task of seizing and holding the bridge.
Led by Lieutenant John Dolan, the paratroopers assaulted and eventually took control of the bridge in the late morning hours of D-Day. They set mines and pulled a disabled truck onto the bridge to help block the inevitable German counterattacks. The fields surrounding the causeway (raised road) that led to the bridge had been flooded by the Germans prior to the invasion, and the men could see the parachutes and backpacks of dozens of drowned paratroopers floating in the water. The sight likely served as a reminder to them of what was at stake, stiffening their resolve.
The Germans still controlled the high ground of the western causeway leading to the bridge, and late in the afternoon of June 6, they sent three tanks, followed by infantry, rumbling across in their first attempt to seize it. Private Lenold Peterson stood with his bazooka, bravely exposing himself to the enemy machine gun fire. He took out the two lead tanks, and forced the third to retreat back with the German infantry.
The following morning, the Germans launched an even heavier assault against the paratroopers. The brutal, close-quarters combat that followed reduced Dolan’s force to only 14 men, but the paratroopers held. The fighting was so bloody, that the Germans asked for a truce so that they could retrieve their wounded. When Dolan’s men asked if they should fall back, he told them that they were staying. “I don’t know a better place to die”, he said, and his words lifted the morale of the decimated platoon.
On June 8, Dolan’s men were finally reinforced by the 507th Paratroop Infantry Regiment. U.S. tanks from the 4th Infantry Division had also arrived but couldn’t cross the bridge until the Germans had been cleared from the western end. The paratroopers attacked across the bridge and down the causeway in a suicidal frontal assault. The first wave of men was cut down, and those following behind dropped to the ground, paralyzed with fear. Lieutenant Bruce Hooker, shot in both legs, turned to his men as he lay on the ground and tried to urge them on. “Come on…get up!”, he shouted. As the dead and wounded piled up, the chaos on the bridge mounted.
Just when the battle seemed lost, a group of some 90 men led by Captain R.D. Rae charged across the bridge. Again, many were cut down, but this time, many more kept moving forward. They ran down the causeway and started taking out the enemy positions. The tank commanders then seized the opportunity and streamed across the bridge, destroying the remaining German opposition. The Americans had finally secured the bridge, but at a terrible cost: 60 paratroopers were dead and 529 wounded.
Tom Hanks is Executive Producer for a film project titled “No Better Place to Die”. It is being written and directed by actor and former Marine, Dale Dye. Although the film project has faced a number of hurdles, Dye still hopes that it will soon resume full production and finally reveal to the general public the gallant story of the U.S. paratroopers at the La Fiere Bridge.
Take a moment today to remember the American paratroopers who courageously decided during a pivotal battle that began on D-Day that there was no better place to die than the bridge at La Fiere.