Vire (river)

Géfosse-Fontenay (French pronunciation: [ʒefos fɔ̃tnɛ] ) is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France.

The Aure (French pronunciation: [ɔʁ] ) is a river in northwestern France, in the department of Calvados. It is 82.1 km (51.0 mi) long. Its source is in Caumont-l'Éventé, and it flows into the river Vire in Isigny-sur-Mer. The largest town on the Aure is Bayeux.

Isigny-sur-Mer (French pronunciation: [iziɲi syʁ mɛʁ] , literally Isigny on Sea) is a commune in the Calvados department and Normandy region of north-western France. It is part of the communauté de communes Isigny-Omaha Intercom, the 59 communes of which have a combined population of 27,181.

Osmanville (French pronunciation: [ɔsmɑ̃vil]) is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France.

The Douve (French pronunciation: [duv]) or Ouve is a river, 78.6 km (48.8 mi) in length, which rises in the commune of Tollevast, near Cherbourg in the department of Manche. Ouve is considered its old name (Unva in ancient texts): Ouve appears to have been misspelled over the course of time as "Douve river" and then as "River of the Douve" (Douve literally means Ditch). The French name for this watercourse is la Douve. After passing Tollevast, the river proceeds through the hills of the Cotentin peninsula (Cherbourg peninsula) and goes by Sottevast, l'Étang-Bertrand and Magneville. It borders Néhou and crosses Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte. Once it reaches Bauptois, it alters its direction towards the Bay of the Seine in the south-eastern English Channel, passing through Carentan. The Douve is a navigable river owing to its flat bottom and adequate depth of flow. In 1944 German troops, preparing Rommel's Fortress Europa, flooded the valley to prevent landing paratroops or gliders. On D-Day, the river was the boundary between the left flank of Allied landing forces on Utah Beach (on its left bank and so to the west nearest Rouen) and the bloody defensive battle that occurred at Omaha Beach. The Utah beach landings were part of contingency planning only scheduled after ample landing craft became available and designed to give the allies a leg up on taking a port city, in this case, Cherbourg, to bolster Allied logistical capacity. Had the landing craft been lacking, the river would have protected the exposed right flank of the allied invasion lodgement. With Utah in the plan, it was used to originate an offensive aimed squarely at the early domination of the peninsula and capture of Cherbourg and Caen (and eventually Rouen) at the opposite end of the lodgement. These cities were well protected by their German defenders. Among those landing at the Douve was the unit known as the Filthy Thirteen, later the basis of the novel and film The Dirty Dozen.

Les Veys (French pronunciation: [le vɛ]) is a former commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the commune Carentan-les-Marais.

Cardonville (French pronunciation: [kaʁdɔ̃vil] ) is a commune in the Calvados department and Normandy region of north-western France.

The Maisy Battery is a group of World War II artillery batteries that was constructed in secret by the German Wehrmacht near the French village of Grandcamp-Maisy in Normandy. It formed a part of Germany's Atlantic Wall coastal fortifications and was the principal position of defence for that area. It was responsible for the defence of the sector between the Longues-sur-Mer and the St Marcouf (Crisbecq) batteries. It covered the sectors around both Omaha Beach and Utah Beach, which were two of the five landing sites for the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944.: 143, 286 

Brévands (French pronunciation: [bʁevɑ̃]) is a former commune in the Manche department in Normandy in northwestern France. On 1 January 2017, it was merged into the commune Carentan-les-Marais.

Cardonville Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield located near the commune of Cardonville in the Normandy region of northern France. Located just outside Cardonville, the United States Army Air Force established a temporary airfield on 10 June 1944, shortly after the Allied landings in France. The airfield was one of the first established in the liberated area of Normandy, being constructed by the IX Engineering Command, 816th Engineer Aviation Battalion.

Catz (French pronunciation: [ka]) is a former commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the commune Carentan-les-Marais.

Saint-Lambert Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Saint-Lambert in the Normandy region of northern France. Located just outside Saint-Lambert, the United States Army Air Force established a temporary airfield shortly after D-Day on 22 July 1944, shortly after the Allied landings in France The airfield was one of the first established in the liberated area of Normandy, being constructed by the IX Engineering Command, 832d Engineer Aviation Battalion.