Hancock Field Cabbage Patch Memorial -502nd PIR
Details:
On the west side of the road.
Monument
A bronze stele written in French in gold lettering with the 101st US Airborne insignia commemorating the significance of this site during World War II. The Cabbage Patch got its name from the fields where the German occupiers allowed the French population to grow food for survival. The Cabbage Patch Square, eight miles inland from Utah Beach and behind what were once enemy lines, is the location where the U.S. paratroopers began the bloody, close combat battle, to liberate the city of Carentan.
On June 6, 1944, Allied forces were engaged in fierce fighting to secure their beachheads in Normandy, France. One key objective was to link the Utah and Omaha beachheads, which required the capture of Carentan, a strategically important town. The 101st Airborne Division, including the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, had been involved in intense combat around Carentan. They faced stiff resistance from German forces, including paratroopers and infantry units.
On June 11, 1944, the battle intensified as the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment launched a decisive assault to capture Carentan. The attack was initiated from Hancock Field, a rural area nicknamed the "Cabbage Patch" due to its agricultural past. Under the command of Captain Fred Hancock, the regiment engaged in heavy fighting against entrenched German defenders. The fighting was close and intense, with American troops facing strong German resistance in the town’s streets and buildings. By the end of the day, the 502nd succeeded in capturing Carentan, a significant strategic victory. This victory was crucial for the Allies, as it linked the Utah and Omaha beachheads, creating a continuous front and facilitating further advances into Normandy. The bravery and leadership of Captain Hancock and his men were instrumental in overcoming German defenses and securing this critical victory.
Source of information: www.dvidshub.net, warfarehistorynetwork.com
Source of photos: www.tracesofwar.com
Monument Text:
11 JUIN 1944
_______
C'EST D'ICI QUE PARTIT D'UN
''CARRE DE CHOUX''
L'ASSAUT DECISIF
DU 502eme REGIMENT
PARACHUTISTE DE
LA 101eme AIRBORNE
BOUSCULANT LES ALLEMANDS
IL PERMIT LA LIBERATION
DE CARENTAN
English Translation:
JUNE 11, 1944
_________
IT WAS FROM HERE
THAT THE DECISIVE ASSAULT OF
THE 502nd PARACHUTE REGIMENT
OF THE 101st AIRBORNE
STARTED FROM A ''CABBAGE SQUARE'',
OVERCOMING THE GERMANS
AND ALLOWING THE
LIBERATION OF CARENTAN
Commemorates:
Units:
101st Airborne Division
502nd Parachute infantry Regiment
United States Army
Wars:
WWII
Battles:
Normandy Invasion
Other images :
