Carentan Causeway, Normandy, June 10, 1944.  It fell to the 3rd Battalion of 
the 502nd Paratroop Regiment to cross the Douve River and advance on the town 
of Carentan.  There were four bridges along the causeway.  The second bridge 
was knocked out, but was made passible by the efforts of units of the 326th 
Airborne Engineers.  The fourth bridge was blocked by a heavy iron gate 
moored by steel cables to concrete pillars four feet thick.  Because of a 
fifteen inch gap in the gate, men could squeeze through a few at a time.  The 
causeway was narrow with very little cover and was open to sniper and machine 
gun fire from high ground in the flooded areas to either side.  Troops of the 
German 6th Paratroop Regiment were dug-in ahead with machine guns and 88s.  
The 3rd Battalion had moved onto the causeway under the cover of darkness and 
with coming of daylight Col. Bob Cole led the attack with the help of smoke 
laid down by supporting artillery units...