Naval Gun Battery St. Marcouf

Construction of the battery at St. Marcouf began in 1941. The battery was originally equipped with six 155 mm. guns, but in June of 1944 these were being replaced with stronger, more modern 210 mm. guns. Three of these guns were operational, but only two had been installed in their bunkers on D-day, 6 June 1944.

The Allies had regularly bombed the battery in preparation for the landings that would take place on Utah Beach, which was only seven miles away. The day before the landings, they had dropped 13.000 pounds of bombs on the battery. This assault obliterated all the antiaircraft guns around the position and killed a large number of soldiers.

Today, the battery has been turned into a museum.