See how Sainte-Mère-Église changed between 1944 and 2025. Drag the slider to compare the historic photograph with the modern view.
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On 6 June 1944, Sainte-Mère-Église became the first French town liberated during the D-Day landings. The 82nd Airborne Division's 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment secured the town in the early hours, facing heavy resistance. A notable incident involved Private John Steele, whose parachute became entangled on the church tower, leading to his capture by German forces. (army.mil) The town's strategic location at the crossroads of Route N13 and D67 was crucial for the success of the Allied invasion. (normandywarguide.com) In the aftermath, Sainte-Mère-Église established temporary cemeteries to honor the fallen soldiers, with Cemetery No. 2 housing nearly 5,000 American soldiers between 1944 and 1948. (ot-baieducotentin.fr)
## Highlights:
– Archaeologists descend on a D-Day site in Normandy, Published on Wednesday, June 08
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