How a desperate German night attack failed at Mairy
In September 1944, as Allied forces raced across northern France, a sudden German counterattack threatened the 90th Infantry Division. This video examines how the 'Tough Ombres' resisted a surprise nighttime assault to secure an American victory.
Following the breakout from Normandy, Patton’s Third Army was pressing eastward through France. Near the town of Mairy-Mannville, the 106th Panzer Brigade launched a daring and desperate nighttime counterattack. This maneuver relied on intelligence gaps and the element of surprise to destabilize the American lines.
The battle serves as a study of the shifting tides in the European theater. Despite the risks, the 90th Infantry Division—a unit that had faced significant struggles during the early invasion—mounted a determined defense. The outcome was a lopsided American victory, driven by the evolving resilience of Allied troops and German logistical failures.
Source: The Night Battle of Mairy: 1944
