1081:
195:
207:
25:
1166:. After arriving at the field, the group were forced to dig a pit which would be their own graves and then kneel down. After the hole had been dug, the SS shot each of the wounded men through the head and pushed their bodies into the pit. At some point that same day, Captain Sophian and his two medics were also shot by the SS. Sophian's body was not recovered until the spring of 1945. Collectively, these 17 murders perpetrated by Waffen SS troops against defenseless prisoners of war constituted
1191:
101:
1178:
Boursier's café, and the 12th-century church. Another 159 homes and other buildings were damaged either as a result of that fire or the fighting. Before the 11 June battle and the German retaliation that followed, the village of
Graignes had consisted of just over two hundred dispersed homes and other structures. Afterward, only two houses survived unscathed.
1089:
paratroopers, despite the risks that came with helping the enemy. Under Mme (Madame) Mrs. Germaine
Boursier's direction, the women of Graignes began cooking around the clock so they could serve two meals each day. Teams of men, women and even children were hauling wagon loads of valuable salvaged equipment back to the Graignes perimeter.
1114:
at one point. However, Captain
Brummitt quickly shifted forces to meet the threat, and the line held. Once again, the paratroopersâ supporting fire was decisive in holding off defeat as mortar fire inflicted heavy losses and scores of enemy infantry were caught in the crossfire of the multiple machine guns defending the village center.
1109:
On Sunday, there was no sign of the enemy and all was quiet that morning, so Major
Johnston gave permission for some of the men to attend mass. However, halfway through the service, a woman burst into the church yelling, âThe Germans are coming! Save yourselves!." The first assault, which lasted only
1113:
At about 1400 hours, the
Germans commenced a punishing mortar bombardment of Graignes. This preparatory fire was swiftly followed by a second infantry assault against the flanks of the defensive line around the village. This time, the attackers moved so swiftly that the perimeter was almost breached
1088:
On the morning of 6 June, the village's mayor, M. (Monsieur) Mr. Alphonse Voydie, awoke to find
American paratroopers in the field behind his house. He provided information and later called a town meeting to assess the supply situation. During that meeting, there was a unanimous decision to feed the
1126:
By the time the
Germans made the final thrust into Graignes that night, the defenders had been reduced to a few isolated pockets of resistance spread out around the village. In many cases, men were beginning to run out of ammunition. As that happened, the enemy was quick to exploit the situation by
1122:
opened fire on
Graignes from the heights of nearby Thieuville a few kilometers away. This quickly disorganized the Americans and killed Major Johnston. With the observation post in the belfry destroyed, it was no longer possible for the troopers to employ their mortars against the approaching enemy
1181:
By then most of the
Graignes defenders had already left. Small groups arrived in Carentan late at night on the 12 June. Other troopers, some alone and some in pairs, continued to filter in on the 13 and 14 June. Twenty-one men hidden by the Rigault family and taken to Carentan by Joseph Folliot on
1149:
At the end of the 11 June battle, the 17th SS entered the church and found
Captain Abraham âBudâ Sophian's aid station. Sophian (battalion surgeon and paratrooper) had surrendered the building to them by waving a white flag at the door. SS troops forced the Captain, his two medics and 14 wounded
1076:
dug in around the cemetery and sent a detachment to occupy the church belfry as an observation post. From that vantage point, the observer enjoyed an unobstructed view of the network of roads and trails leading to the village from the west and southwest. While these defenses were being prepared,
1173:
Other Germans began systematically rounding-up French civilians suspected of assisting US troops. A total of forty-four villagers were rounded up, interrogated by the Germans as suspected collaborators with the Americans and were then shot dead. Other SS men dragged Father Leblastier and Father
1177:
On Tuesday 13 June, the Germans burned the village. They poured gasoline over the bodies of Father Leblastier, Father Lebarbanchon, EugĂ©nie Dujardin and Madeleine Pezeril and then set them on fire. The ensuing blaze was allowed to burn out of control, destroying 66 homes, the boysâ school, Mme
1174:
Lebarbanchon from the rectory into the courtyard outside, and shot them both dead. The Germans then discovered Madeleine Pezeril and eighty-year-old Eugénie Dujardin and shot them both dead in their beds. Thereafter, the SS men ransacked the village for any valuables they could steal.
1077:
Major Johnston established his command post at the boysâ school. Throughout this digging-in process, more American paratroopers continued to arrive in Graignes, and by the end of the following day (D+1), the group had grown in size to 182 (12 officers and 170 enlisted men).
1127:
overrunning the outer perimeter and moving into the streets of the center of the village. With Major Johnston dead, command of the force at Graignes fell to Captain Brummitt. Brummitt proceeded to order the men to pair off and try to make it to either Carentan or
1117:
In the evening, the guard posts could hear heavy vehicles move about. Since the observed evidence indicated that Graignes was about to be the target of a major attack, Major Johnston sent all of the civilians away. At about 1900 hours, two German
1105:
men. They let the patrol get close, then opened fire, killing four. When the troopers searched a dead German's pockets, they discovered some documents that revealed him to be assigned to a reconnaissance battalion of an armored division.
1412:
1158:
of 1929, which Germany was a signatory to. In fact, the wounded Americans were divided into two groups and murdered. One group of five wounded was taken to the edge of a nearby pond, where SS troops
1402:
1135:
1004:
258:
1141:
had conducted the final assault on Graignes. When the 17th attacked, it was with a regimental sized force of approximately 2,000 men. The odds were ten-to-one in the Germansâ favor.
1182:
the night of 15 to 16 June were the last from Graignes to make it back to U.S. lines. Out of the original 182 troopers involved in the defense of Graignes, 150 made it out alive.
1162:
them and threw their bodies into the water. The other group of nine were forced to march at gunpoint, approximately four kilometers to the South, to a field near the village of
1066:
Charles D. Johnston. Because the troopers were deep behind enemy lines and far from their drop zone, the decision was made to remain where they had landed and defend Graignes.
1032:
253:
429:
1198:
Had the mis-dropped paratroopers of the 507th not stopped dead the advance of the 17th SS Panzer Grenadiers this division could have made it to Carentan before the
305:
547:
1322:
559:
820:
956:
1224:
On 6 July 1986, a ceremony was held in the ruins of the 12th-century Roman Catholic church during which eleven villagers were presented with the
1206:
973:
450:
92:
1306:
1407:
46:
1262:
The Lost Paratroopers of Normandy: A Story of Resistance, Courage, and Solidarity in a French Village, Cambridge University Press, 2022.
353:
298:
1102:
68:
675:
1225:
1205:
The 507th remained in the fight in Normandy until 15 July when it returned to England. The regiment, later reassigned to the
434:
1296:
291:
1217:â the airborne assault across the Rhine River. In September 1945, the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment returned to the
1080:
937:
734:
1397:
830:
39:
33:
1392:
595:
143:
1387:
715:
656:
585:
374:
50:
857:
852:
708:
651:
622:
535:
1326:
1128:
1062:
Leroy D. Brummitt had gathered in the village. Two hours later, more 3rd Battalion/507th men arrived, led by
1382:
1199:
1119:
1059:
847:
842:
1036:
1008:
1000:
862:
668:
610:
389:
367:
113:
1007:. This action delayed the 17th SS Panzergrenadier's counterattack on Carentan, which was repulsed at the
223:
1063:
909:
639:
600:
235:
810:
781:
379:
1210:
1098:
902:
825:
788:
774:
701:
617:
346:
339:
1048:
993:
977:
923:
800:
767:
760:
727:
720:
663:
605:
552:
396:
315:
106:
1101:
approached a defensive position that was manned by some of First Lieutenant Murn's B Company, 1/
1302:
1214:
1155:
1024:
1011:
on June 13. After retaking Graignes, the German troops massacred 44 civilians and a number of
930:
888:
881:
874:
694:
680:
484:
441:
360:
240:
1151:
1052:
985:
916:
895:
815:
753:
564:
513:
227:
136:
1150:
American paratroopers to line up against a wall. The captured Americans were by definition
1163:
1070:
1047:. They were supposed to have been dropped 18 miles to the northwest at drop zone âTâ near
1012:
746:
687:
644:
634:
569:
472:
467:
422:
408:
1244:(Venditti's uncle died during the battle). Andrea Mutti drew the cover and interior art.
1228:
for their role in assisting the men of 3/507th PIR. Six of those awards were posthumous.
283:
1190:
805:
477:
462:
457:
403:
384:
1376:
1218:
503:
334:
199:
194:
981:
211:
206:
1281:
1236:
DC Vertigo Comics published a graphic novel about the Battle of Graignes called
1028:
996:
520:
493:
109:
100:
530:
525:
498:
158:
145:
1167:
1015:
taken in the capture of an American aid station, and set fire to the town.
1084:
Planned airborne drop zones on the Cotentin Peninsula, D-Day, 6 June 1944
1044:
795:
1255:
The Americans on D-Day, A Photographic History of the Normandy Invasion
1159:
1073:
989:
1055:. Theirs was the worst mis-drop of any U.S. airborne unit on D-Day.
1058:
By 1000 hours, twenty-five paratroopers under the command of 507th
1189:
1079:
1040:
1069:
As the Americans went to work preparing defensive positions, the
1367:
Down to Earth: The 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment in Normandy
1154:
and therefore should have been protected under the terms of the
1051:, but instead ended-up in the vicinity of the French village of
287:
18:
1295:
O'Leary, Margaret R.; O'Leary, Dennis S. (24 February 2011).
1238:
Six Days: The Incredible True Story of D-Day's Lost Chapter
1110:
ten minutes, had been an uncoordinated, piecemeal effort.
1347:
Destination Normandy: Three American Regiments on D-Day
1413:
World War II prisoner of war massacres by Nazi Germany
1194:
Memorial to citizens of Graignes and American soldiers
1027:, Tuesday, 6 June 1944, twelve planeloads of American
1005:
17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen
259:
17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen
1403:
Violations of medical neutrality during World War II
1323:"Normandy: Battle of Graignes, an Incredible Story"
85:
1353:D-Day: Down to Earth - The Return of the 507th
299:
8:
1362:, Gray Printing Co, Fostoria (Ohio), 1990.
1298:Tragedy at Graignes: The Bud Sophian Story
306:
292:
284:
99:
82:
1240:. Robert Venditti and Kevin Maurer wrote
1097:In the afternoon on Saturday, 10 June, a
105:Memorial to the citizens of Graignes and
69:Learn how and when to remove this message
1226:Award for Distinguished Civilian Service
32:This article includes a list of general
1273:
1123:with any degree of effective accuracy.
1003:held the town for two days against the
252:182 paratroopers of the 3rd Battalion,
1360:Graignes: The Franco-American Memorial
974:American airborne landings in Normandy
93:American airborne landings in Normandy
984:, fought between June 10â12, 1944 in
7:
38:it lacks sufficient corresponding
14:
1355:, Jump Cut Productions DVD, 2005.
1136:17th SS Panzergrenadier Division
1103:501st Parachute Infantry Regiment
1033:507th Parachute Infantry Regiment
430:Caen canal and Orne river bridges
254:507th Parachute Infantry Regiment
1349:, Praeger, Wesport (Conn), 2006.
1039:, were scattered throughout the
205:
193:
23:
1209:, then went on to fight in the
1019:Landings and village assistance
368:Taxable, Glimmer & Big Drum
1369:, Schiffer, Atglen (PA), 2004.
1:
1023:Shortly after 02:00 hours on
1408:War crimes of the Waffen-SS
1037:U.S. 82nd Airborne Division
1001:U.S. 82nd Airborne Division
976:during the early stages of
270:32 dead (incl. 17 executed)
114:U.S. 82nd Airborne Division
1429:
992:. During the engagement,
375:Combined Bomber Offensive
327:
277:
264:
246:
217:
186:
119:
98:
90:
1031:from the 3rd Battalion,
1200:101st Airborne Division
53:more precise citations.
16:WWII battle in Normandy
1253:Morgan, K. A. Martin:
1207:17th Airborne Division
1195:
1085:
1009:Battle of Bloody Gulch
837:Air and Sea operations
630:Anglo-Canadian Sector
509:Anglo-Canadian Sector
218:Commanders and leaders
1257:, Zenith Press, 2014.
1193:
1138:Götz von Berlichingen
1083:
869:Supporting operations
278:26 civilians executed
265:Casualties and losses
1365:Morgan, Martin K.A.
1145:Waffen SS war crimes
321:(Battle of Normandy)
1260:Rabe, Stephen G.:
1221:and was disbanded.
1211:Battle of the Bulge
1093:Contact and assault
224:Charles D. Johnston
155: /
1398:Operation Overlord
1232:In popular culture
1196:
1129:Sainte-MĂšre-Ăglise
1086:
978:Operation Overlord
970:Battle of Graignes
664:Normandy massacres
553:Operation Chastity
317:Operation Overlord
86:Battle of Graignes
1393:Massacres in 1944
1358:Fox, Gary N. Fox
1329:on 21 August 2016
1308:978-1-4502-8331-1
1215:Operation Varsity
1156:Geneva Convention
1099:mechanized patrol
965:
964:
821:Mantes-Gassicourt
485:Normandy landings
282:
281:
241:Werner Ostendorff
236:Leroy D. Brummitt
182:
181:
79:
78:
71:
1420:
1388:June 1944 events
1338:
1337:
1335:
1334:
1325:. Archived from
1319:
1313:
1312:
1292:
1286:
1285:
1282:"Lest We Forget"
1278:
1134:Elements of the
1013:prisoners of war
972:was part of the
596:La Haye-du-Puits
581:American Sector
489:American Sector
435:Merville Battery
415:Airborne assault
322:
318:
308:
301:
294:
285:
232:
210:
209:
198:
197:
170:
169:
167:
166:
165:
160:
156:
153:
152:
151:
148:
127:June 10â12, 1944
121:
120:
103:
83:
74:
67:
63:
60:
54:
49:this article by
40:inline citations
27:
26:
19:
1428:
1427:
1423:
1422:
1421:
1419:
1418:
1417:
1373:
1372:
1342:
1341:
1332:
1330:
1321:
1320:
1316:
1309:
1294:
1293:
1289:
1280:
1279:
1275:
1270:
1250:
1248:Further reading
1234:
1188:
1164:Le Mesnil-Angot
1147:
1095:
1021:
966:
961:
948:
735:VerriĂšres Ridge
657:Le Mesnil-Patry
580:
578:Ground campaign
488:
451:American Sector
418:British Sector
417:
323:
320:
316:
314:
312:
234:
228:
204:
192:
163:
161:
157:
154:
149:
146:
144:
142:
141:
140:
104:
75:
64:
58:
55:
45:Please help to
44:
28:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1426:
1424:
1416:
1415:
1410:
1405:
1400:
1395:
1390:
1385:
1383:1944 in France
1375:
1374:
1371:
1370:
1363:
1356:
1350:
1345:Bennett, G.H.
1340:
1339:
1314:
1307:
1287:
1272:
1271:
1269:
1266:
1265:
1264:
1258:
1249:
1246:
1233:
1230:
1187:
1184:
1146:
1143:
1094:
1091:
1035:, part of the
1020:
1017:
963:
962:
960:
959:
947:
946:
935:
928:
921:
914:
907:
900:
893:
886:
879:
866:
865:
860:
858:Pierres Noires
855:
850:
845:
834:
833:
828:
823:
818:
813:
808:
803:
798:
793:
786:
779:
778:
777:
765:
758:
751:
738:
737:
732:
725:
718:
713:
706:
699:
692:
685:
678:
673:
672:
671:
661:
660:
659:
654:
652:Villers-Bocage
642:
637:
628:
627:
626:
625:
615:
614:
613:
603:
598:
593:
588:
586:Brécourt Manor
575:
574:
573:
572:
567:
557:
556:
555:
539:
538:
536:Port-en-Bessin
533:
528:
523:
518:
507:
506:
501:
496:
481:
480:
475:
470:
465:
460:
447:
446:
439:
438:
437:
432:
412:
411:
406:
401:
394:
387:
385:Transport Plan
382:
377:
372:
371:
370:
365:
358:
351:
337:
328:
325:
324:
313:
311:
310:
303:
296:
288:
280:
279:
275:
274:
271:
267:
266:
262:
261:
256:
249:
248:
244:
243:
238:
220:
219:
215:
214:
202:
189:
188:
184:
183:
180:
179:
178:German victory
176:
172:
171:
135:
133:
129:
128:
125:
117:
116:
96:
95:
88:
87:
77:
76:
31:
29:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1425:
1414:
1411:
1409:
1406:
1404:
1401:
1399:
1396:
1394:
1391:
1389:
1386:
1384:
1381:
1380:
1378:
1368:
1364:
1361:
1357:
1354:
1351:
1348:
1344:
1343:
1328:
1324:
1318:
1315:
1310:
1304:
1301:. iUniverse.
1300:
1299:
1291:
1288:
1283:
1277:
1274:
1267:
1263:
1259:
1256:
1252:
1251:
1247:
1245:
1243:
1239:
1231:
1229:
1227:
1222:
1220:
1219:United States
1216:
1212:
1208:
1203:
1201:
1192:
1185:
1183:
1179:
1175:
1171:
1169:
1165:
1161:
1157:
1153:
1144:
1142:
1140:
1139:
1132:
1130:
1124:
1121:
1115:
1111:
1107:
1104:
1100:
1092:
1090:
1082:
1078:
1075:
1072:
1067:
1065:
1061:
1056:
1054:
1050:
1046:
1042:
1038:
1034:
1030:
1026:
1018:
1016:
1014:
1010:
1006:
1002:
998:
995:
991:
987:
983:
979:
975:
971:
958:
955:
954:
953:
952:
945:
944:
940:
936:
934:
933:
929:
927:
926:
922:
920:
919:
915:
913:
912:
908:
906:
905:
901:
899:
898:
894:
892:
891:
887:
885:
884:
880:
878:
877:
873:
872:
871:
870:
864:
861:
859:
856:
854:
851:
849:
846:
844:
841:
840:
839:
838:
832:
829:
827:
824:
822:
819:
817:
814:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
794:
792:
791:
787:
785:
784:
780:
776:
773:
772:
771:
770:
766:
764:
763:
759:
757:
756:
752:
750:
749:
745:
744:
743:
742:
736:
733:
731:
730:
726:
724:
723:
719:
717:
714:
712:
711:
707:
705:
704:
700:
698:
697:
693:
691:
690:
686:
684:
683:
679:
677:
674:
670:
669:Ardenne Abbey
667:
666:
665:
662:
658:
655:
653:
650:
649:
648:
647:
643:
641:
638:
636:
633:
632:
631:
624:
621:
620:
619:
616:
612:
609:
608:
607:
604:
602:
599:
597:
594:
592:
589:
587:
584:
583:
582:
579:
571:
568:
566:
563:
562:
561:
558:
554:
551:
550:
549:
546:
545:
544:
543:
537:
534:
532:
529:
527:
524:
522:
519:
517:
516:
512:
511:
510:
505:
504:Pointe du Hoc
502:
500:
497:
495:
492:
491:
490:
487:
486:
479:
476:
474:
471:
469:
466:
464:
461:
459:
456:
455:
454:
453:
452:
445:
444:
440:
436:
433:
431:
428:
427:
426:
425:
421:
420:
419:
416:
410:
407:
405:
402:
400:
399:
395:
393:
392:
388:
386:
383:
381:
378:
376:
373:
369:
366:
364:
363:
359:
357:
356:
352:
350:
349:
345:
344:
343:
342:
338:
336:
335:Atlantic Wall
333:
332:
331:
326:
319:
309:
304:
302:
297:
295:
290:
289:
286:
276:
272:
269:
268:
263:
260:
257:
255:
251:
250:
245:
242:
239:
237:
233:
231:
225:
222:
221:
216:
213:
208:
203:
201:
200:United States
196:
191:
190:
185:
177:
174:
173:
168:
159:49.25°N 1.2°W
138:
134:
131:
130:
126:
123:
122:
118:
115:
111:
108:
102:
97:
94:
89:
84:
81:
73:
70:
62:
52:
48:
42:
41:
35:
30:
21:
20:
1366:
1359:
1352:
1346:
1331:. Retrieved
1327:the original
1317:
1297:
1290:
1276:
1261:
1254:
1241:
1237:
1235:
1223:
1204:
1197:
1180:
1176:
1172:
1148:
1137:
1133:
1125:
1116:
1112:
1108:
1096:
1087:
1068:
1057:
1029:paratroopers
1022:
997:paratroopers
982:World War II
969:
967:
950:
949:
942:
938:
931:
924:
917:
910:
903:
896:
889:
882:
875:
868:
867:
863:Audierne Bay
836:
835:
789:
782:
768:
761:
754:
747:
740:
739:
728:
721:
709:
702:
695:
688:
681:
645:
629:
590:
577:
576:
541:
540:
514:
508:
483:
482:
449:
448:
442:
423:
414:
413:
397:
391:Postage Able
390:
361:
354:
347:
340:
329:
229:
212:Nazi Germany
187:Belligerents
110:paratroopers
91:Part of the
80:
65:
56:
37:
911:Houndsworth
831:La Rochelle
164:49.25; -1.2
162: /
51:introducing
1377:Categories
1333:2016-07-12
1268:References
1168:war crimes
1120:88 mm guns
1049:Amfreville
957:Cemeteries
811:Saint-Malo
380:Pointblank
34:references
1186:Aftermath
1160:bayoneted
1043:south of
951:Aftermath
904:Bulbasket
853:Cherbourg
790:Tractable
703:Charnwood
618:Cherbourg
542:Logistics
348:Fortitude
341:Bodyguard
1242:Six Days
1053:Graignes
1045:Carentan
994:American
986:Graignes
925:Jedburgh
848:La Caine
801:Chambois
796:Hill 262
775:Hill 140
769:Totalize
762:Bluecoat
741:Breakout
729:Goodwood
722:Atlantic
716:2nd Odon
640:Bréville
606:Carentan
601:Saint-LĂŽ
591:Graignes
565:Mulberry
548:American
398:Tarbrush
355:Zeppelin
247:Strength
139:, France
137:Graignes
132:Location
107:American
59:May 2014
1074:platoon
1060:Captain
1041:marshes
999:of the
939:Wallace
932:Dragoon
890:Titanic
883:Samwest
876:Dingson
806:Falaise
783:LĂŒttich
710:Jupiter
696:Windsor
682:Martlet
676:Douvres
611:Hill 30
560:British
473:Detroit
468:Chicago
443:Mallard
362:Titanic
330:Prelude
273:Unknown
230:†
147:49°15âČN
112:of the
47:improve
1305:
1071:mortar
990:France
941:&
918:Loyton
897:Cooney
843:Ushant
755:Spring
515:Gambit
478:Elmira
463:Boston
458:Albany
409:Fabius
226:
175:Result
150:1°12âČW
36:, but
1064:Major
1025:D-Day
943:Hardy
826:Paris
816:Brest
748:Cobra
689:Epsom
646:Perch
623:Naval
570:Pluto
521:Sword
494:Omaha
424:Tonga
404:Tiger
1303:ISBN
1213:and
1152:POWs
968:The
635:Caen
531:Gold
526:Juno
499:Utah
124:Date
980:in
1379::
1202:.
1170:.
1131:.
988:,
1336:.
1311:.
1284:.
307:e
300:t
293:v
72:)
66:(
61:)
57:(
43:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
