Major of St. Lo Memorial- 116th Infantry, 29th Infantry Division
Details:
On the outer edge of the traffic circle.
Bronze bust on a console in front of a American flag mate of two types of granite. The bust shows Howie in uniform with the Bronze star which he won in the D-Day operation at Omaha Beach, and the Silver Star, which was awarded to him posthumously for the St. Lo attack.
The city of Saint Lô, France remembers the liberation of the city in July 1944 with a memorial dedicated to Major Thomas D. Howie who is known as the “Major of St. Lô”.
Major Howie was killed while leading the attack as the Battalion Commander of the 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division on Saint Lô during “Operation Cobra”. On the morning of July 17, Howie phoned Major General Charles Gerhardt the Division Commander saying “Yes, we can do it” and "See you in St. Lo!"; then issued orders for the attack. Moments later he was killed by shrapnel during a mortar attack near the Sainte-Croix Church. His soldiers laid his flagged draped body on the ruble of the church later that day.
Howie is buried at the Normandy American Cemetery and a plaque marks the location of his death at the Church of Sainte-Croix in Saint Lô.
Monument Text:
The text on the upright marble portion is in French and reads:
THOMAS D. HOWIE
LE MAJOR DE SAINT-LO
12 avril 1908 - 17 juillet 1944
commandant le 3e bataillon
116e régiment d'infanterie
Translation:
THOMAS D. HOWIE
“THE MAJOR OF ST. LO
12 April 1908-17 July 1944
Commander, 3rd Battalion
116th Infantry Regiment
29th Infantry Division, USA
The lower White marble base includes the inscription in French and English:
he fell at the head
of his troops
as he was liberating our city
his last words were…
to saint-lô!
tombé a la tete
de ses troupes
en liberant notre ville
au cri de ralliement…
a saint-lô!
Commemorates:
People:
Units:
116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Division
116th Regimental Combat Team
29th Infantry Division
Wars:
WWII
Battles:
Operation Cobra
Other images :
