American soldiers standing near a locked gate, Argentan

Three American soldiers look through a locked gate at the ruins of Saint Germain Church, Argentan. They could be members of the 5th Armoured or 80th Infantry Divisions, both of which took part in the fighting to capture the town from the Germans. The spire of Saint Germain church was destroyed by artillery from the 5th AD, church spires were commonly used by both sides as observation posts for artillery observers, and suffered accordingly.

Picture taken on the 21st of August 1944.