US Paratrooper hanging on Ste Mere Eglise church

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US Paratrooper hanging on Ste Mere Eglise church

American John Steele landed on the church during the night of 5/6 June 1944 and hung there playing dead. He survived and died in Kentucky in May 1969

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Media ID 23143276

© Holts Battlefield Collection /

1944 Eglise Hanging Landed Mere Paratrooper Steele

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> Historic > World War I and II > Battlefields

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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures the moment of silence and stillness amidst the chaos of the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944. The image depicts an American paratrooper, identified as John Steele, dangling from the bell tower of the historic Ste. Mère-Église church in Normandy, France. Steele had landed on the church during the night of June 5, 1944, and, after sustaining injuries, played dead to avoid detection by the German forces below. The church, with its Gothic architecture and tall spire, stands as a stark contrast to the military scene unfolding around it. The photograph, taken during World War II, is a poignant reminder of the bravery and sacrifice of the Allied forces during the liberation of Europe. Steele survived the war but passed away in Kentucky in May 1969.

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