West of Ste Mere Eglise and of Drop Zone “O” for the 505th P.I.R, and also close to the railroad from Cherbourg, the bridge over the Merderet was to be taken during the night before D-day.

Fairly small bridge itself, yet very strategic as it stood on the edge of the flooded marsh, it was attached to the causeway. After it was secured by the 82nd Airborne, it was to be the starting point of the big offensive pushing west across the Peninsula.

There was fierce fighting here for three days : coming from the Cauquigny Chapel on the other side were several German counter-attacks, but no enemy forces managed to get across the Merderet. The imposing statue “Iron Mike” now overlooks this battlefield and beautiful surrounding countryside.