Follow the path that leads to the flagpoles. The monument is next to the last flag pole.

Commemorative Object

A metal sculpture representing a large, open parachute, suspended as if it is still descending from the sky. The parachute is detailed with the American flag symbolizing the American paratroopers involved in the D-Day landings. The parachute’s cords are connected to the base of the monument, which depicts various abstract shapes representing the rough terrain or perhaps the chaos of battle. The base is broad and angled, resembling a piece of land or a battlefield, with jagged and uneven edges. The text "THE DAY THEY CAME" is inscribed prominently on the lower part of the base, referring to D-Day as the pivotal moment of the Allied invasion during World War II.

The sculpture honors the D-Day paratroopers who landed in the area as part of the Allied invasion on June 6, 1944. Sainte-Mère-Église is historically significant as one of the first towns liberated by American forces during the D-Day landings. It became famous for the airborne operations conducted by the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions.

The sculpture symbolizes the airborne landings, a key feature of the D-Day assault. Paratroopers were dropped behind enemy lines to secure strategic positions and disrupt German defenses before the beach landings. One of the most iconic stories from Sainte-Mère-Église is that of Private John Steele, whose parachute famously got caught on the church steeple, leaving him hanging there for hours while the battle raged below.

Source of information: www.military.com, www.worldhistory.org, www.france-voyage.com

Source of photo: storage.canalblog.com

THE DAY THEY CAME