U. S. ARTILLERY OBSERVATION POST near Barenton, between Mortain and Domfront. After the failure of the German counterattack in the vicinity of Mortain the only alternative for the enemy was to retreat, and a gradual withdrawal was made toward the Seine River. During this period two simultaneous battles were fought: one by First Army troops and those of 21 Army Group around the Falaise-Argentan pocket, the other by the Third Army which was driving hard to the Seine River.
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INFANTRYMEN OF THE FIRST ARMY advancing in the vicinity of Sourdeval against the withdrawing enemy forces. The Canadian First Army advancing southward along the Caen-Falaise road was to join forces with the U. S. troops advancing eastward. The Germans put up a strong defense against the Allied troops advancing to encircle them.
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AN M 4 MEDIUM TANK, rolling into Dreux, passes a German antitank gun (7.5-cm. Pak. 40). On 14 August the Third Army was ordered to leave sufficient forces to hold Argentan and to take advantage of the enemy’s disorganization by continuing the main advance to the east. Advances were made against Dreux, Chartres, and Orléans. On 15 August Dreux was captured and on 17 August the First Army took over at Argentan. On 18 August the Third Army forces swung north to seize crossings of the Seine River below Paris and to begin the deep encirclement of the German troops south of the river.
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TWO TYPES OF U. S. TRACKED VEHICLES, each mounting a 105-mm. howitzer. 105-mm. howitzer motor carriage M7 (top); medium tank M4A3 with 105-mm. howitzer (bottom).