Jeff was vacationing in France and Belgium when he ran across two businesses located in Carentan: Paratrooper and Paratrooper Vehicles. He thought I might have known about them, but nope I did not know about them. Carentan is a small rural town near the north-eastern base of the French Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy. If anyone else has been here (or can translate the website better than I), feel free to comment!
Jeff writes, “I was just in northern France and Belgium with the family on vacation and was in the Normandy area which incorporated a D-Day beach tour. Stayed in Carentan and came across Paratrooper. I am sure you may have known about them. I visited both businesses which are in different locations. I took some photos of the restoration location, Paratrooper Vehicles and thought you would like to see them.”
Thanks for taking these. I will add this to my list of must visit places when we do our Great European Jeep Tour. When are we doing this tour? I’m hoping in time for the the 70th anniversary of DDay.
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 10 and 15 June 1944, on the approaches to and within the city of Carentan, France.[1]
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 city 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 the 6th Parachute Regiment, two Ost battalions and remnants of other German forces. 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.( Wikipedia)
Part of this battle was portrayed in one of the episodes of Band of Brothers. Some of the Jeeps are the actuall MB’s that were flown in on Gliders during the 101’s airborn assault.
Thanks Jim. Now that you describe it, my memory tells me — hardly a reliable beginning to any story — that there was a movie about that town recently? Or maybe I am confusing that with the Band of Brothers episode?
– Dave
my memory is getting unreliable so… I am not sure. The latest one that i can remember is the band of brothers episode.