On the north side of the road, near the bridge.

Monument

A stone monument topped with the sculpture badge of the US Army Corps of Engineers. The monument bears two plaques commemorating Major John Tucker who was Killed in Action on June 27, 1944. The plaques are written in French and English and were inaugurated on June 5, 2017. The death date of Major Tucker inscribed on the plaque is June 21, 1944, but according to ABMC, he died on June 27, 1944.

After the Germans destroyed the original stone bridge on June 11, 1944, American engineers constructed a Bailey bridge as a temporary solution. Later, the 300th Combat Engineer Battalion began building a wooden replacement alongside the Bailey Bridge to provide a safer route for vehicles.

On June 27, 1944, Major Tucker was inspecting the engineers’ progress when the area came under German artillery fire. Despite the intense shelling, Tucker urged the engineers to keep working, even threatening to court-martial those who sought cover. Unfortunately, a direct hit from an 88mm shell killed Tucker instantly and wounded fifteen engineers, four seriously. The bridge was completed the following day, and it has since been commemorated as Tucker Bridge in his honor.

Source of information: skylighters.org, www.normandyamericanheroes.com

Source of photo: www.google.com/maps

Upper Plaque:

TUCKER

BRIDGE

IN HONOR OF

MAJOR

John E. Tucker

KILLED WHILE

SUPERVISING

CONSTRUCTION

OF THIS BRIDGE

Lower Plaque:

PONT TUCKER

A LA MEMOIRE DU

MAJOR AMERICAIN

JOHN TUCKER

TUE ICI EN ACTION

LE 21 JUIN 1944