Purple Heart Lane
Encyclopedia
Purple Heart Lane is an anecdotal nickname for Highway N13 near Carentan
, France
, used by American soldiers and popular historians to denote a battlefield on which Lt. Col. Robert G. Cole
and his troops of the 101st Airborne Division
fought during the Battle of Normandy
in World War II
. The name arose because Cole's troops sustained many casualties in the advance on June 10, 1944, along the causeway of N13 supporting four bridges that spanned the Douve River between Carentan and Saint Come-du-Mont, and in the battle on the morning of June 11 that resulted in a skirmish known popularly as "Cole's Charge". The Purple Heart
is an American military decoration
awarded for sustaining wounds in combat.
Cole and his unit of 400 men - 3rd Battalion
, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment- were part of D-Day
mission Albany
. They were called from reserve into action to attack four bridges on highway N13 to Carentan
. On June 10 and 11, 1944, Cole and his battalion fought an intense battle on this causeway for nearly two days under intense German
machine gun, mortar, and artillery fire. In the morning of D+5, with the Germans resisting Cole's attempts to take the bridges, Cole ordered heavy artillery on the German strongholds.
The artillery failed to suppress the German fire, so Cole, faced with the destruction of his battalion, immediately decided to assault the Germans head-on. Cole ordered his men to affix bayonets to their rifles and ordered a smoke screen to conceal the attack. At 6:15 AM, Cole blew his whistle and led his surviving men across the ground towards the German positions. At first Cole fired his pistol at the Germans, and along the way he picked up a fallen soldier's M1 Garand
and bayonet. His attack, while successful, resulted in the deaths of many of his men, only 132 of the initial 250 men in his battalion remained after the assault and later defense of the captured position. This assault became known as "Cole's Charge", and the following defense against the 6th Fallschirmjager Regiment (supported by the 1st Battalion, 502nd PIR) as the "Cabbage Patch".
Cole was recommended for a Medal of Honor
for his actions on June 11, 1944. However he would not live to receive it, as he was killed by a sniper during Operation Market Garden
on September 18, 1944 in Best, Netherlands. His mother received his posthumous Medal of Honor. Lt. Colonel Robert G. Cole was buried at American Battlefields Monuments Cemetery in the Netherlands.
by Gearbox Software
. In the level, the fictional main character of the game, Sergeant Matt Baker , must lead his men down the open causeway, while German machine, mortar, and artillery fire is shot at them. Baker leads his men, following Lt. Colonel Cole
's character down the causeway. Upon reaching the end of the causeway, Baker and the remainder of his squad are sent to kill the Germans in the marsh shooting at the causeway. After killing the Germans, Baker approaches the Belgian Gate at the end of the causeway, where he is knocked unconscious by a bomb from a Stuka. He wakes up to find that Pvt. Desola had been killed.
In the next level, titled "Cole's Charge," Baker joins Cole in his assault across an open field at the entrenched German positions. After smoke is dropped on the field Cole blows his whistle and the attack begins. Baker and his squad proceed to route out the German positions.
Cole and Baker's squad of ten are the only ones charging in the game, compared to the 50 or more who actually participated (the rest of the battalion followed later).
Only a few men are hit when two Stuka dive bombers strafe the causeway, versus the 30 or more who were actually harmed, not to mention that the bombing actually occurred at bridge number 3, rather than at bridge 4.
Carentan
Carentan is a small rural town near the north-eastern base of the French Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy in north-western France near the port city of Cherbourg-Octeville. Carentan has a population somewhat over 6,000 and is now administratively organized as a commune in the Manche department...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, used by American soldiers and popular historians to denote a battlefield on which Lt. Col. Robert G. Cole
Robert G. Cole
Lieutenant Colonel Robert George Cole was an American soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the days following the D-Day Normandy invasion of World War II.-Early U.S. Army career:...
and his troops of the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
fought during the Battle of Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The name arose because Cole's troops sustained many casualties in the advance on June 10, 1944, along the causeway of N13 supporting four bridges that spanned the Douve River between Carentan and Saint Come-du-Mont, and in the battle on the morning of June 11 that resulted in a skirmish known popularly as "Cole's Charge". The Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
is an American military decoration
Military decoration
A military decoration is a decoration given to military personnel or units for heroism in battle or distinguished service. They are designed to be worn on military uniform....
awarded for sustaining wounds in combat.
Cole and his unit of 400 men - 3rd Battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment- were part of D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
mission Albany
Mission Albany
Mission Albany was a parachute combat assault at night by the U.S. 101st Airborne Division on June 6, 1944, part of the American airborne landings in Normandy. It was the opening step of Operation Neptune, the assault portion of the Allied invasion of France, Operation Overlord...
. They were called from reserve into action to attack four bridges on highway N13 to Carentan
Carentan
Carentan is a small rural town near the north-eastern base of the French Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy in north-western France near the port city of Cherbourg-Octeville. Carentan has a population somewhat over 6,000 and is now administratively organized as a commune in the Manche department...
. On June 10 and 11, 1944, Cole and his battalion fought an intense battle on this causeway for nearly two days under intense German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
machine gun, mortar, and artillery fire. In the morning of D+5, with the Germans resisting Cole's attempts to take the bridges, Cole ordered heavy artillery on the German strongholds.
The artillery failed to suppress the German fire, so Cole, faced with the destruction of his battalion, immediately decided to assault the Germans head-on. Cole ordered his men to affix bayonets to their rifles and ordered a smoke screen to conceal the attack. At 6:15 AM, Cole blew his whistle and led his surviving men across the ground towards the German positions. At first Cole fired his pistol at the Germans, and along the way he picked up a fallen soldier's M1 Garand
M1 Garand
The M1 Garand , was the first semi-automatic rifle to be generally issued to the infantry of any nation. Called "the greatest battle implement ever devised" by General George S...
and bayonet. His attack, while successful, resulted in the deaths of many of his men, only 132 of the initial 250 men in his battalion remained after the assault and later defense of the captured position. This assault became known as "Cole's Charge", and the following defense against the 6th Fallschirmjager Regiment (supported by the 1st Battalion, 502nd PIR) as the "Cabbage Patch".
Cole was recommended for a Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his actions on June 11, 1944. However he would not live to receive it, as he was killed by a sniper during Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
on September 18, 1944 in Best, Netherlands. His mother received his posthumous Medal of Honor. Lt. Colonel Robert G. Cole was buried at American Battlefields Monuments Cemetery in the Netherlands.
In Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30
"Purple Heart Lane" is a level in the video game Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30Brothers In Arms: Road to Hill 30
Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 is a first-person shooter video game created by Gearbox Software for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox and Mac OS X. It is the first game in the Brothers in Arms series. It is published by Ubisoft and was released in early 2005...
by Gearbox Software
Gearbox Software
Gearbox Software, LLC is an American video game development company based in Plano, Texas.-History:Gearbox Software was founded in January 1999 by five members of the content team from the defunct developer Rebel Boat Rocker: Randy Pitchford, Brian Martel, Stephen Bahl, Landon Montgomery, and Rob...
. In the level, the fictional main character of the game, Sergeant Matt Baker , must lead his men down the open causeway, while German machine, mortar, and artillery fire is shot at them. Baker leads his men, following Lt. Colonel Cole
Robert G. Cole
Lieutenant Colonel Robert George Cole was an American soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the days following the D-Day Normandy invasion of World War II.-Early U.S. Army career:...
's character down the causeway. Upon reaching the end of the causeway, Baker and the remainder of his squad are sent to kill the Germans in the marsh shooting at the causeway. After killing the Germans, Baker approaches the Belgian Gate at the end of the causeway, where he is knocked unconscious by a bomb from a Stuka. He wakes up to find that Pvt. Desola had been killed.
In the next level, titled "Cole's Charge," Baker joins Cole in his assault across an open field at the entrenched German positions. After smoke is dropped on the field Cole blows his whistle and the attack begins. Baker and his squad proceed to route out the German positions.
Cole and Baker's squad of ten are the only ones charging in the game, compared to the 50 or more who actually participated (the rest of the battalion followed later).
Only a few men are hit when two Stuka dive bombers strafe the causeway, versus the 30 or more who were actually harmed, not to mention that the bombing actually occurred at bridge number 3, rather than at bridge 4.