Battle of Mortain: How Surrounded U.S. Observers Kept Artillery Firing on Hill 314

In August 1944, during Germany’s Operation Lüttich counterattack at Mortain, the 2nd Battalion of the 120th Infantry Regiment was cut off on Hill 314 as German forces pushed toward Avranches. This video follows how forward observers from the 230th Field Artillery Battalion maintained radio contact with American artillery and directed 105mm fire onto German columns, road junctions, and assaults closing in on the hill. Surrounded troops endured shortages of water, ammunition, medical supplies, and radio batteries while attempts to resupply the isolated position became increasingly difficult. From aerial supply drops to the extraordinary use of artillery shells to deliver medical supplies, the defense of Hill 314 became a battle to preserve the communications link that kept American firepower in the fight until relief forces finally broke through. It is a detailed look at the Battle of Mortain, Operation Lüttich, the 30th Infantry Division, and the crucial role of forward observers and field artillery in the Normandy campaign. Sources: https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war... https://history.army.mil/Publications... https://tradocfcoeccafcoepfwprod.blob... https://www.ww2online.org/view/frankl... #BattleOfMortain #Hill314 #OperationLuttich #WWII #WorldWarII #Normandy1944 #30thInfantryDivision #120thInfantry #FieldArtillery #USArmy #MilitaryHistory #WW2History #NormandyCampaign