Affixed on the right side of the central door of the building.

Plaque

A rectangular gray stone commemorating Pvt Everson who died on August 20, 1944. The plaque is written in French.

On August 20, 1944, Limay was liberated by American troops after fighting against German forces that were still entrenched in the area. The Germans were trying to delay the Allied advance to allow more of their troops to escape across the Seine. As the Allied units, including American soldiers, pushed into the town, they encountered stiff resistance from German forces conducting rearguard actions.

During the fighting on that day, Private Frank Everson became the first American soldier to be killed in the battle for the liberation of the town. The fight for Limay, as part of the Battle of the Seine, disrupted the German retreat, weakening their ability to regroup. The victory of the town, along with other key towns along the river, contributed to the Allied success in northern France.

Source of information:

• Ambrose, Stephen E. D-Day and the Liberation of France, Simon & Schuster, 1994.
• Masson, Philippe. The Liberation of France: From Normandy to the Seine, Editions Tallandier, 2004.
• The Battle of the Seine

Source of photo: www.memorialgenweb.org

FRANK EVERSON

PREMIER SOLDAT AMÉRICAIN

TOMBÉ ICI LE 20 AOÛT 1944

POUR LA LIBÉRATION DE LIMAY

English Translation:

FIRST AMERICAN SOLDIER

FELL HERE ON AUGUST 20, 1944

FOR THE LIBERATION OF LIMAY