Sainte-Mère-Église

The first village liberated by the 82nd Airborne paratroopers.

During the night of 5–6 June, thousands of paratroopers of the US 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions jumped over the Cotentin peninsula. Sainte-Mère-Église became the first liberated town in France. The church steeple recalls the fate of Private John Steele, who hung from his parachute. The Airborne Museum tells the story.