Carentan, 1944 : Cross the Taute River
CARENTAN, 1944
Objective : Cross the Taute River
Although a first Bailey bridge is installed by the soldiers of the 300th Combat Engineer Battalion, still visible today along the harbour channel near the lock, the crossing of the Taute River by the US Army has to allow a free and fluid traffic of the allied traffic from the first weeks of invasion. However, all the infrastructures allow to cross it were destroyed during hard battles for the Liberation of the city of Carentan (50) (101st airborne division), junction point of Utah Beach with the other allied landing beaches.
Understand the junction between Carentan and Saint-Hilaire-Petitville
So, new installations are built in various points between the municipalities of Saint-Hilaire-Petitville and Carentan (50). In blue, the bridge which will go into History as “Tucker Bridge”, further to the death of commander of the 300th, who will be temporarily a double Bailey bridge until the original stony bridge is done up. In red, to improve the road flow and by-pass the bridge Tucker, a pontoon bridge is fitted out and so, vehicles progress on inflatable boats. This bridge is strengthened today, it lines the store called ” Stockissimo ” and is endowed with a door with stream since the 50s. In green, the railroad is also broken, the men of Tucker then have to rebuild a work together with the men of the 729th Railway Operating Battalion to allow the trains to cross the river again.
Arthur Jahnke is only 23 years old in 1944. Lieutenant of the German regular army (Heer), he is nevertheless already a veteran of the eastern front on whom he fought with the 302nd infantry division, where he is seriously injured a few months before. Further to this misadventure which will be worth him in particular the allocation of Knight’s cross of the Iron Cross on April 20th, 1944, Arthur Jahnke is transferred and orders 75 men of the 3rd company of the 919th regiment of pomegranate trees of the 709th division.
