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La Fière Bridge
On D-day on of the most important objectives of the 82nd Airborne Division was the La Fière bridge. The bridge itself might look like a small objective, but in June 1944 was only one of two locations where the Merderet river could be crossed by armor. The strategic importance was further enhanced by flooding the banks of the river by the German forces. From the bridge a 500m causeway ran trough the flooded fields, being fully exposed from the sides. The bridge and causeway, connecting the hamlet Cauquigny and the La Fière Manoir, would be the stage of some of the most intense fighting of the entire Normandy campaign. The fierceness of the battle is reflected by S.L.A. Marshall (Chief Historian, European Theatre of Operations) who described it as "the bloodiest small struggle in the experience of American arms"
1944
While most veterans and books refer to the area around the bridge as "La Fière", the truth is a little more complicated. La Fiere, a small hamlet is actually located more to the northeast. However, next to the bridge is a fairly large farm complex named "La Fière Manoir", explaining the name of the bridge.
The area between the manor and Cauquigny is fairly flat and was inundated in 1944 to provide a natural obstacle in case of an invasion/airborne landing. This meant that the small Merderet turned into a swamplike area several hundred yards wide. This turned the few places where it could be crossed into important strategic locations and focus of American and German attacks and counter-attacks.
 
La Fière Manoir can be seen on the bottom of the picture. Note that this is not the actual La Fière hamlet.
Looking west, the La Fière manoir can be seen on the left near the bridge. The exposed causeway is clearly visible. In 1944 the fields were flooded right upto the treelines of the road and La Fière manor and Cauquigny. The road turns left at Cauquigny towards Eteinville and indicates the directions of the German counter-attack on the hamlet. In the lower right corner the road heads off towards Sainte-Mère-Eglise about 2 miles away.
On this shot from 1944, the Merderet looks of little military importance. On D-day the situation was very different. After encountering stiff resistance from the manor, clearl visible on the image, the paratroopers were confronted with a strong infantry attack supported by tanks. It took four days to secure the causeway and link up with the troops cut-off on the west of the river. By then enemy artillery, mortars, tanks and fierce close combat had taken their toll on the defenders. On the second day the situation was almost crucial. When the decimated para's requested to pull out, Captain Dolan (A. 505PIR) gave a simply answer: "We stay. I don't know a better place to die". Only minutes later the Germans requested a truce to take care of their wounded. They would not try another counter-attack.
Fighting on D-day Figthing on June 9th
 
With the threath of being overrun eliminated, the US forces could focus on securing the causeway. Given the terrain a frontal attack along the causeway was the only option to decide the battle. Supported by troops using a submerged road to the north, soldiers of the 325GIR and 507PIR confronted the German troops at Cauquigny and forced them back. Now the road to the west was open and the 90ID could employ their forces.
Today
More than 60 years after the battle the area has hardly changed.
Picture 1: La Fière Bridge looking west
Looking (south)west from La Fière Bridge. To the left a piece of the bridge can be seen. The causeway turns right towards Cauquigny. When comparing the causeway to the situation in 1944, the bushes along the causeway have been removed and the trees have grown. The situation of one of the causeways near Chef-du-Pontstill resembles the situation of the La Fière causeway in 1944.
Picture 2: Looking towards La Fière from Cauquigny
From the cemetary of the Cauquigny church the fields clearly can be seen. In 1944 the water almost reached to the cemetary. To the right the causeway can be seen, with the full grown trees that weren't present in 1944. In the distance the Iron Mike monument can be seen looking over the battlefield.
Picture 3 and 4: Iron Mike
 
A copy of the statue in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the paratrooper watches over the battlefield where so many troops were killed in the figthing or drowned entangled in their parachutes.
Picture 5: Table at Iron Mike monument
At the La Fière monument, a table illustrates the battle. The postition gives an excellent view of the area and the Cauquigny church across the fields.
Picture 6 & 7: La Fière Manoir
La Fière Manoir is a farm complex with several different buildings on the edge of the Merderet.
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