On August 2^nd, 1944, General Omar Nelson Bradley contacted Brigadier General Frank U. Greer (see photo below) to transmit him new order. 79^th Infantry Division has to seize now the town of Fougères. 313^th Infantry Regiment was already on the move to free the city, while 314^th Infantry Regiment, was closing in an area around coordinates 334915 (around roundabout linking roads D-15 and D-798) , south of Saint-James.

Brigadier-General Frank Greer - Assistant Division Commander - ©79^thUnitHistory.

It was around 0800am on August 3^rd, when 314^th’s boys left their assembly area, then two hours later the motor elements followed. By 1230pm all elements of the regiment were in position north of Fougères. The mission? Take up defensive positions with the 313^th Infantry Regiment was on the southeast outskirts  to prevent any German counterattack.

Note: 313^th was on the left and 314^th on the right. 315^th , last regiment of the division was in reserve.

79th's men in Fougères - ©79^thUnitHistory.

But before to leave toward the south of the town, a battalion and Special Unit Commander’s meeting was held at 0245pm, into the regimental command post to discuss about the defensive plan. Fifteen minutes later, it was decided to have all three battalions on line in order to left to right: 1^st Battalion, 3^rd Battalion and 2^nd Battalion.

To see if their plan will work, all Battalion Commanders were out to reconnoiter, Brigadier-General Greer who was coming back also from a reconnaissance mission, decided otherwise and changed the plan. He suggested new positions to be occupied. Once adjustments were completed, troops moved at 0415pm to occupy a defensive line running from coordinates 418819-428800-430790-411758.  Precisely from the road "Forestière de la Croix Janvier" until the hamlet of La Garie along Couesnon stream. 

Note: Companies were on line from left to right as follows: “C”, “B”, “K”, “I”; “L”, “E” and “G” Companies. “A” and “F” Companies were in reserve.

August 3^rd, also marked the transfer of the 79^th Infantry Division into the XV Corps. The entire regiment spent the next day to reinforce their positions. It was now time to move from Fougères and to reach another town.....Laval. The order to move toward Laval was received at 0135am on August 5^th, 1944.

79^th Reconnaissance Troop arrives at Mont-Saint-Michel - ©CombatReels.com

314^th was assigned the mission as the 313^th and 315^th to seize bridges, and roads so the crossing of the Mayenne River can be done without encumbrance. All elements of the division were on their way to cross the river but as you probably know, the German army was might be retreating , there were still some fanatic soldiers to slow down the American advance.

313^th Infantry Regiment’s column had to face some of these German soldiers in the vicinity of La Croixille, northwest of Laval and forced the 314^th to be pulled back into an assembly area near of Dompierre-du-Chemin around 0200pm.The movement restarted around 0900pm but this time by using Quartermaster trucks, several vehicles to a position 9 miles West of Laval.

The crossing of the Mayenne River was about to be made. On August 6^th, around 0215am the order for the crossing was received. Each regiment had a special task:

• Three regiments must to move at 0600am.
• 314^th must to clean out Changé, north of Laval.
• 313^th must to take Laval by cleaning it.
• 315^th (which was motorized) must to pass through the Laval without to stop toward Le Mans.
• Trucks transported boys of the 315^th must to come back to Laval to pick up the 313^th, and then to pick up the 314^th.
  

Road of advance of the 79^th Infantry Division in Mayenne - ©GoogleMap.

Couple of minutes before 314^th starts to move to accomplish its mission Lieutenant-Colonel John A. Gloriod arrived at the regimental command post with a new plan to move the regiment by vehicles to the road leading off to the main road (D-211) toward Laval at coordinates 729418. Boys passed the Initial Point at 0650am and were picked up by the trucks, and detrucked at 0830 am.

The Reconnaissance Troops spotted an enemy resistance at the west of Changé, it was necessary to deal with it to cross the Mayenne River without troubles.

All battalion commanders held a meeting with 314^th ‘s commander to establish a plan of attack. It consisted to have 1^st Battalion on the right, 3^rd Battalion on the left to attack the enemy toward Changé along a series of hills. 2^nd Battalion was in support if needed.

Once this enemy force was silenced out, 1^st Battalion could finally cross the Mayenne River in Changé. The crossing started at 0342pm, which allowed to create a bridgehead then to move further. As Germans had blown up the stone bridge, foot troops were ordered to stay out until engineers have completed the building of a bailey bridge. 

The last elements  finished to cross the river at 0815pm and went into defensive positions to protect the bridgehead along a line at coordinates 695514-698502-690494-681486. Back in the war those coordinates indicated fields, nowadays coordinates 695514 represents the  Golf Club of Laval and coordinates 681486, Germinal dead-end. 

Note: 3^rd Battalion  was on the left, 1^st in the middle and 2^nd on the right.

314^th Infantry Regiment crossing the Mayenne River at Changé, north of Laval - ©79^thUnitHistory 

Once elements of the 79^th Infantry Division have crossed the Mayenne River it was about to take Le Mans before the final drive toward Paris.

August 7^th, was spent in doing the  crossing of the armored vehicles, and in moving all troops. All elements moved on a distance over a length of 24 miles from Changé to an area west of Loué.

On the next day, 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Battalions were on the both side of the road (D-21) running from Brulon to Loué at coordinates 124344. To advance toward Le Mans, men had to pass through the villages of Palais, Loué, Tasillé and Crannes-en-Champagne, with the purpose to join the 313^th Infantry Regiment.

Once Le Mans was secured, it was necessary to defend it, the regiment was ordered on August 9^th, to take up defensive positions in the northeast outskirts but the order was canceled.

Indeed, German army was routed, it was learned from enemy prisoners that the order of the full retreat of the entire German army was given. So, at 0800pm, Colonel W. A. Robinson, Lieutenant Colonel James P. Davis and Major William H. Hillier attended a meeting at Division Headquarters for the final drive toward Paris. 

Written by Pierre Fallet - Normandy American Heroes