Two medics from the 101st Airborne helped wounded soldiers from both sides on D-Day

101st Airborne Division in Angoville-au-Plain

At the time of the D-Day landings, Angoville-au-Plain was occupied by the 91. Luftlande-Infanterie-Division. The village was also near the drop zone where the 2nd Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, along with others, landed on June 6, 1944.

Tasked with cutting off the main road between Paris and Cherbourg, which passed by Angoville-au-Plain, the paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division faced immediate disorientation upon landing. Navigating the French countryside in the darkness, many became separated from their comrades and equipment.

After regrouping, the paratroopers quickly engaged in heavy fighting at Angoville-au-Plain.

Establishing an aide station

Robert Wright and Ken Moore faced a similar situation as their fellow soldiers, losing a large amount of their medical supplies during the jump. Now, they were not only ill-equipped for their duties, but they were also unarmed, in compliance with international law.

Moore, especially, had a challenging moment when he pulled the pin on a grenade given to him before the jump, only to realize the noise in the bushes was just a cow and not a heavily-armed German.

Landing separately, both spotted the tower of the Saint-Côme et Saint-Damien d’Angoville au Plain church rising above the trees and made their way toward it. Shortly after arriving, they took over the building as an aid station. Wright hung a Red Cross flag outside, ensuring it was visible to anyone passing through the streets.

Robert Wright and Ken Moore treated the wounded

It didn’t take long for the Robert Wright and Ken Moore to treat an influx of wounded soldiers and civilians, despite their abysmal medical resources. They worked quickly to triage casualties on the pews, with those needing the most care closest to the altar and those who had no chance of surviving placed behind it.

Although the pair didn’t have many of the items they would’ve liked, they did have some morphine, as well as fresh water from a nearby pump. They were also able to find an old cart or wheelbarrow, which they used to bring the injured back to the church. While they were somewhat protected as medics, there was still great risk in doing this.

When they got out there, they would collect any and all injured individuals they could find, including Germans. Moore recalled later in life, “They were young men much like us. The only difference was they were wearing a different uniform. When you cut through a uniform to get to a wound, it doesn’t matter what arm-patch, from what regiment, is on that uniform. You cut through to save a life.”

Arrival of the Germans

While Ken Moore and Robert Wright worked away, control of the town flipped between belligerents. They were given warning by an American officer on the evening of June 6 that Angoville-au-Plain had reverted to German control, but both medics refused to leave their makeshift hospital. Soon after, a German officer arrived. Although they were initially unsure what would happen, he agreed to honor the neutrality of the church, given that Moore and Wright were treating his men.

The one rule the men enforced was that any servicemen leave their weapons outside. This was dutifully honored, even by the two German soldiers who came down from the bell tower to surrender. Apparently, they had been hiding in the church well before the two took it over. Of course, Moore and Wright accepted, under the caveat that they stay to treat the wounded.

Ironically, the one person to break the rule was an American officer, who carried a concealed gun.

Remembering their actions

Ken Moore and Robert Wright operated out of the hospital until the fighting ended on the third day. By this point, Angoville-au-Plain had been liberated and the Americans were moving on to other objectives. Both medics continued serving for the rest of the war, and are credited with saving 80 lives, for which they were awarded Silver Stars.

A monument in Angoville-au-Plain has been erected in their honor, as well as the aforementioned stained glass window in the church. Wright was later awarded the French Legion of Honour in Sainte-Mère-Église on the 67th anniversary of D-Day.

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Both have since died. One of Wright’s final wishes was to be buried in the graveyard outside of the church where he and Moore saved so many lives during the Second World War. He wasn’t able to, due to bureaucracy. However, someone did sneak some of his ashes over to France, where they were laid to rest.

If you visit the church today, you will see a small gravestone with the initials “R.E.W.”