Crossroad Killing
The 508th Parachute Infantry
landed in and around Drop Zone N.
At the end of the
first day of fighting a large number of
men ended up at Hill 30 east of the Drop
Zone with their backs against the Merderet
River.
On the second day of action 7 June 1944 4
men from Company H 508th Parachute Infantry
attached to 82nd Airborne Division were
killed. They were on patrol at the
roadblock at the bottom of Hill 30. The
men killed were (Linked by name shows their
Army Records);
39245541
Williams, Earl D.
Staff Sergeant Platoon Sergeant 82nd
Cemetery Buried 6/9/1944 A-04-156 Reburied
A-08-156 7/5/1944 Blosville
39195388
Benson, Robert W.
Private First Class Machine Gunner 82nd
Cemetery Buried 6/9/1944 A-04-159 Reburied
A-08-159 7/5/1944 Blosville
19177338
Deem, Harry B.
Private First Class Asst Mach Gunner
82nd Cemetery Buried 6/9/1944 A-04-164
Reburied A-08-164 7/5/1944 Blosville
32488854
Lott, Thomas L.
Private Ammo Bearer 82nd Cemetery Buried
6/9/1944 A-04-157 Reburied A-08-157 7/5/1944
Blosville
This information came from Sergeant Ralph
J. Busson ASN 35028939 from Company H 508th
Parachute Infantry. Busson contributed
to the book (page 14)
The Devils Have Landed.
Sergeant Busson said they were manning a
Road Block at the base of Hill 30 as
mentioned above. A firefight broke out
and Williams, Benson, Deem and Lott were
killed. The survivors retreated to the
Hill 30 bringing the 4 men back to the
top
of Hill 30.
All 4 men were buried 9 June 1944 at the
82nd Airborne Division Cemetery and moved to
the main part of the Blosville Cemetery 5
July 1944.
It's amazing how much documentation
exists for a firefight on just the second
day in Normandy.
Brian N. Siddall
November 15, 2023
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