etween 01-00am and 01-30am on the morning of Tuesday, June 6, 1944, the first American troops began to land on French soil as they prepared to engage occupying German forces and begin the liberation of Europe. These were the men of the 101st Airborne Division, landing by parachute as part of Operation Albany, with the task of securing the roadways leading inland from the coast, where the 4th Infantry Division at the beach area code named “Utah” were to come ashore. These roads were vital for the ground troops to move off the beaches. Despite mis-drops and troops being scattered, the roads were secured and held by the time the first landings at Utah came ashore
