Carentan station

Carentan-les-Marais (French pronunciation: [kaʁɑ̃tɑ̃ le maʁɛ]) is a commune in the department of Manche, northwestern France.

The Battle of Carentan was an engagement in World War II between airborne forces of the United States Army and the German Wehrmacht during the Battle of Normandy. The battle took place between 6 and 13 June 1944, on the approaches to and within the town of Carentan, France.The objective of the attacking American forces was consolidation of the U.S. beachheads (Utah Beach and Omaha Beach) and establishment of a continuous defensive line against expected German counterattacks. The defending German force attempted to hold the town long enough to allow reinforcements en route from the south to arrive, prevent or delay the merging of the lodgments, and keep the U.S. First Army from launching an attack towards Lessay-Périers that would cut off the Cotentin Peninsula. Carentan was defended by two battalions of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6 (6th Parachute Regiment) of the 2nd Fallschirmjäger-Division. The 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division, ordered to reinforce Carentan, was delayed by transport shortages and attacks by Allied aircraft. The attacking 101st Airborne Division, landed by parachute on 6 June as part of the American airborne landings in Normandy, was ordered to seize Carentan. In the ensuing battle, the 101st forced passage across the causeway into Carentan on 10 and 11 June. A lack of ammunition forced the German forces to withdraw on 12 June. The 17th SS PzG Division counter-attacked the 101st Airborne on 13 June. Initially successful, its attack was thrown back by Combat Command A (CCA) of the U.S. 2nd Armored Division.

Carentan (French pronunciation: [kaʁɑ̃'tɑ̃]) is a small rural town near the north-eastern base of the French Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy in north-western France, with a population of about 6,000. It is a former commune in the Manche department. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Carentan-les-Marais. The town was a strategic early goal of the World War II landings as capturing the town was necessary to link the lodgements at Utah and Omaha beaches which were divided by the Douve river estuary (nearby fields were flooded by the Germans up to the town's outskirts). The town was also needed as an intermediate staging position for the capture of the cities of Cherbourg and Octeville, with the critically important port facilities in Cherbourg.

Saint-Hilaire-Petitville (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃.t‿ilɛʁ pətivil]) is a former commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France with a population of 1,375. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the commune Carentan-les-Marais.

The canton of Carentan-les-Marais (before March 2020: canton of Carentan) is an administrative division of the Manche department. Its borders were modified at the French canton reorganisation which came into effect in March 2015. Its seat is in Carentan-les-Marais.

Saint-Côme-du-Mont (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃ kom dy mɔ̃]) is a former commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Carentan-les-Marais.

Angoville-au-Plain (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃ɡɔvil o plɛ̃]) is a former commune in the Manche department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Carentan-les-Marais. It was one of the least populated communes in Manche. It is home to a church that was used by 2 US Army Medics as an aide station during the Battle of Normandy in World War II. Robert Wright and Ken Moore of the 101st Airborne treated a mix of 80 injured American and German wounded soldiers and a child. Blood stains are still visible on the pews. Two stained glass windows commemorate the 101st Airborne Division, the first one is dedicated to the two medics of the 2nd Battalion of the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment (101st Airborne Division). The second one honoured the American parachutists.

Saint-Georges-de-Bohon (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃ ʒɔʁʒ də bɔɔ̃]) is a former commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Terre-et-Marais.

Vierville (French pronunciation: [vjɛʁvil]) 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.

Méautis (French pronunciation: [meoti(s)]) is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in northwestern France.

Houesville (French pronunciation: [wɛvil]) is a former commune in the Manche department in north-western France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Carentan-les-Marais.

Carentan Airfield is an abandoned World War II military airfield, which is located near the commune of Carentan in the Normandy region of northern France. Located just outside Carentan, the United States Army Air Force established a temporary airfield 15 June 1944, nine days after the first Allied landings in France on D-Day and only three days after the capture of Carentan. The airfield was one of the first established in the liberated area of Normandy, being constructed by the IX Engineering Command, 826th Engineer Aviation Battalion.