The French 2nd Armored Division landed on the Utah Beach on August 1, 1944 and became part of the units of the 3rd American Army, commanded by General George Patton Jr. Together with the American 5th Armored Division and the 79th Infantry Division, it formed the XV Army Corps commanded by General Wade Hampton Haislip After grouping the subunits of the division in the area of La Haye-du-Puits in the Department of Manche, the division, during the ongoing “Operation Cobra”, received the order to attack on Cotentin and then on Le Mans. On August 7, 1944 in the area of Mortain, a platoon of tanks from the “Tactical Command Langlade” made contact with the enemy…