Blown apart American fired 105mm M14 shell case dated 1942 for M101A1 howitzer gun,recovered in the area of La Mare des Pierres defended by American paratroopers of 501-502 Regiment’,battlefield of the Bloody Gulch south of Carentan,13th June 1944

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This is a blown apart American fired 105mm M14 shell case fired by M101A1 howitzer gun.The case base does not retain there shiny original brass colour it has discoloured from being buried with clear jagged edges where the case has blown apart there is still has some of its stamps and maker markings with the date 1942 on the primer all fairly clear to see it is in nice condition for battlefield recovered fired case it has been very well cleaned and is perfect for display or any collections. The case was recovered in the area of La Mare des Pierres defended by American paratroopers of the 501 and 502 Regiment’s fired by the 2nd Armoured Division in support of them on the battlefield of the Bloody Gulch south of Carentan on the 13th June 1944 in Normandy.The shell case comesd with 2xA5 laminated information cards with a map of the battle

At dawn on June 13, the 101st Airborne was about to attack the German line until it was suddenly attacked itself by tanks and heavy artillery. Two battalions of the 37th Panzergrenadier Regiment, supported by the 17th Panzer Battalion and Fallschirmjager Regiment 6. The 501st Regiment, on the American left flank, took heavy losses and had to withdraw completely. Company’s Dog and Fox of the 506th, on the left flank, eventually withdrew as well, and by noon the spearheads of the German attack had come within 500 yards of Carentan. Only Company E (Easy) of the 506th Regiment, commanded by First Lieutenant Richard D. Winters, anchored its right flank against a railway and held its position. Fortified by the 2nd/502nd Regiment, Easy Company was able to hold off the German attacks until American tanks came to reinforce them. In response to the German counterattack, General Bradley moved the U.S. 2nd Armored Division into Carentan at 10:30 a.m. At 2 pm the 2nd Division attacked, supported by the self-propelled 105-mm howitzers of the 14th Armored Field Artillery Battalion. A unit of tanks and mechanised infantry moved towards Baupte in the area of the 2nd/506th’s where they crushed the German main lines. A second unit pushed back German troops along the Périers motorway, inflicting heavy losses in men and equipment. The 2nd Division then moved one kilometre west behind the original lines.