Scene of heavy fighting at a crossroads in the center of St Lo

sceneofheavyfightingatacrossroadsinthecenterofstlo2.jpg

A US M10 tank destroyer stands mute after being knocked out, although the empty shell casings to the right might indicate that it was stationary in that position before being hit. Behind the TD is the body of a 115th Infantry GI, along with the scattered equipment of others, possibly wounded who were evacuated.

On the left is a resturant that was the command post of the 1st Batallion 115th Regiment (29th Division) under Major Johns. The tank destroyer was commanded by Capt Sidney A. Vincent of B Company, 803rd TD Bn and was knocked out by a single 88m hit which also caused damage to the 1/115th CP.

This scene is the result of fighting on the 18th if July. The 29th Division had reached the edge of St Lo after much heavy fighting with 1/115th well positioned on the north eastern outskirts. Brig. Gen. Norman D. Cota formed a Task Force called "Task Force C" around Reconnaissance, tank, tank destroyer and engineer elements that along with infantry support from the 1/115th was expected to rush into the center of St Lo before the Germans could organise significant resistance.

Task Force C soon found itself in the center of St Lo and setup the joint 1/115th / Task Force C command post the three way junction of the cities major roads shown in the picture above. The the junction made a natural target for German mortar and artillery fire, and a mortar shell caused the deaths of many people in the CP when it recieved a direct hit. General Cota was himself wounded by a shell fragment shortly after, and the commander of the attached TD company was killed while directing the actions of his company.