Frank Peregory, born April 10, 1915 Esmonten Virginia (USA), the company belongs to K, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, in the 29th U.S. Infantry Division. June 6, 1944, he landed onOmaha Beach with his unit which suffered severely during Operation Overlord. Nearly 2,500 U.S. troops have been put out of action during the bloody morning.

On 6 June, the war is far from over for the men of the 116th regiment of the 29th infantry division, and they are responsible for a very urgent mission: to sail towards Grandcamp to strengthen Rangers thePointe du Hoc . In fact, they landed after 7 am Tuesday, June 6, and were responsible for destroying formidable German guns. But no reinforcements can be sent to them by the sea, and they are now surrounded by the Germans, does not control a thin strip of land sinking a small kilometer inland. Faced with relentless attacks against the few hundred survivors Rangers application support to the Navy, which performs many shootout in the area.

According to the plans originally planned, the Rangers must hold until the arrival of the men from Omaha, that the soldiers of the 116th Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division supported by tanksSherman . The junction should be June 6 But harshly hit by the landing on Omaha, reinforcements access in the evening only on the western outskirts of Vierville-sur-Mer, about ten miles away with the Pointe du Hoc. On the night of June 6 to 7, German patrols through American lines and the weak are confusing.

The increase reinforcements 116th Infantry Regiment resumed the following day, but the terrain is favorable to the defense, and the German soldiers benefit from this oportunity, preventing U.S. troops to move quickly and inflicting heavy losses. And it was not until two days later, on the morning of June 8, 1944, the 116th Infantry Regiment, supported by Sherman tanks, accesses the Pointe du Hoc, where the Germans were about to give the coup de grace against the 90 survivors, many of whom are injured on 225 that landed in front of the German battery du Hoc on June 6

After making the junction with Colonel Rudder Rangers, Frank Peregory and his brothers in arms of the 116th Infantry Regiment took over the management of villages and Grandcamp Maisy, distant respectively three and four kilometers from the Pointe du Hoc.

The village of Grandcamp is located on a small hill, and the Germans took advantage of the location to install machine-gun nests, trenches, barbed wire and small bunkers, preventing access to the city.And rising on the eastern side of the hill, leading the 3rd Battalion of the 116th Regiment elements are stopped short by shooting shaving a German heavy machine gun, located in Tobruk (protected reinforced concrete circular opening to provide fire 360 ° with a machine gun) at the top of the road at the eastern entrance of Grandcamp.

Immediately, the Americans ask support from their artillery and armored vehicles that are nearby.Despite this support, and repeated by the soldiers of the 116th Regiment assaults, resists the German position and his supporters deny access to the village.

On its own initiative, the Technical-Sergeant Frank Peregory progresses towards the German strongpoint despite heavy fire. Reached near the top of the hill, he found the entrance to a trench that leads to the center of the fulcrum, located two hundred meters away.

Without any hesitation, he entered the main trench and progresses inside while squatting. Suddenly, he meets a group of enemy infantry and without wasting time he charges the Germans with bayonets and throwing grenades. Eight enemy soldiers killed, three go.

But it is not over yet for Frank Peregory, which continues to advance in the trench system. It forces thirty-two additional German soldiers, and the servants of heavy machine guns, to surrender, allowing elements of the 3rd Battalion advance and secure the area.

Overall, Frank gets Peregory alone surrender of nearly forty enemy soldiers and through its action it allows men to his unit to release the village of Grandcamp while recovering the formidable German machine guns.

To commemorate this bayonet charge and grenades, to remember his courage limitless and its fast and efficient reading of the situation, the President of the United States of America as represented by the Congress, presented inTechnical Sergeant Frank Peregory the highest military award of the USA, the famous Medal of Honor (Medal of Congress), posthumously.

Indeed, Frank Peregory was killed six days later during an engagement of the Battle of Normandy, June 14, 1944. He was 29.

Today, a small garden and a monument were raised in Grandcamp in memory of the young American soldier of the 29th Infantry Division, the same place where there was one of the German machine guns in Tobruk, which is still visible. The city was named this place: Space Frank Peregory.

Frank D Peregory