US Memorial, Bréhal, Manche, France - World War II Memorials / Monuments on Waymarking.com

Bréhal is a small town in Normandy, not far from the Atlantic coast. It sits on a hill and is surrounded by typical Norman farmland of orchards, maize fields (these days there are fewer of the former and more of the latter) and cattle grazing.

Bréhal was liberated on the 30th of July 1944 during operation Cobra by the US 3rd Army under General Grow[1,2]. Arthur Muthig was from from Florence, Alabama and Berlin Fenton from West Union, Ohio. They were serving in the 86th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron Mechanized [4].

The 6th of June, on which Lt Stone was shot down, was D-Day itself. He was flying a P-51 Mustang serial No 43-12156, based out of Middle Wallop in Hampshire, England [4,5]. His squadron, 109th TRS, undertook photographic reconnassance. He was from Texas[6].

Sadly one casualty of the liberation in Bréhal was a Frenchman, resistance fighter[3] Roger Laubel, who was ringing the church bells, and was mistaken for a sniper by Allied forces[1,2,3].

The memorial itself, which is very well kept, is in a small lane near to the manor house of Le Mesnil Bas.

The memorial reads

U.S.A

A la mémoire du Lieutenant CHarles E. Stone -aviateur américain, 109th Tactical Squadron du 67th Groupe de Reconnaissance de la 9th U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE, tombé le 6 juin 1944 au Mesnil vers 17h20 - et des soldats américains tombés le 30 juillet 1944, Arthur D.Muthig, Berlin A.Fenton de la 6th Armoured Division du Général Robert W. Grow de la 3th Army du Général George S.Patton
TOMBÉS GLORIEUSEMENT POUR LA LIBÉRATION DE BREHAL
SOUVENEZ VOUS

In memory of the Lieutenant Charles E. Stone - american aviator, 109th Tactical Squadron of the 67th Reconnaissance Squad of the 9th U.S. ARMY AIR FORCE, shot down on the 6th of June 1944 at Mesnil about 5.20pm - and american soldiors, shot down on the 30th of July 1944, Arthur D.Muthig, Berlin A.Fenton of the General Robert W. Grow 6th Armoured Division of the General George S.Patton 3th Army
SHOT DOWN GLORIOUSLY FOR THE BREHAL LIBERATION
REMEMBER

The insignia on the memorial are

• Ninth US Army Air Force (Winged 9, top left)
• US Army Central (Circled A, bottom right).
• US Army Sixth Armoured Division (Triangle with numeral 6, and design, bottom left)

Links

1. Through Mobility we Conquer: the mechanization of U.S. Cavalry By George F. Hofmann. p.376
2. Connexion edition: September 2008 Jersey war hero honoured in France
3. Jersey Evening Post 10 February 2003
4. WW 2 Armored Forces Memorials
5. France Crashes 39-45
6. USAAF Personnel Records

Property Permission: Public Access instructions: Beside a small public road Website for Waymark: [Web Link] Location of waymark: Le Mesnil Bas Bréhal, Manche France 50290 Commemoration: US forces: 9th Air Force & 6th Armoured div, 3rd Army Date of Dedication: Not listed Access times: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   01/22/2012 7seven visited it