A PORTION OF CHERBOURG showing the inner harbor and docks. Fort du Roule, built high and secure into a steep rock promontory which stands immediately back of the city, dominated the entire harbor area. It was primarily a coastal fortress but was also defended against a ground attack. The P-47’s which bombed the fort did little damage to the subterranean tunnels housing the big guns. The fort was finally taken by infantry troops armed with machine guns, mortars, grenades, pole charges, and rifles. The fort surrendered in sections and it was not until late on 25 June that the complete surrender was accomplished. After the rest of the city had been taken the Arsenal still held out. This structure, partially protected by a moat, was high-walled and well-armed. On 27 June the Arsenal surrendered bringing to an end all organized resistance in the city. With the fall of the city every effort was made to clear the harbor and repair docking facilities as quickly as possible.] [Illustration: FRANCE THE FIRST SHIP-TO-SHORE GASOLINE LINE, put in operation at Cherbourg. During the assault phase the Allied forces relied on canned gasoline, but by 3 July bulk supply was being introduced by ship-to-shore pipeline which brought in part of the large quantities of gasoline necessary to the Allied forces.] [Illustration: FRANCE ORDNANCE MEN CUTTING ANGLE-IRON with acetylene torches (top). An M5 light tank equipped with a hedgerow cutter (bottom). During the fighting in Normandy armored vehicles found the hedgerows a serious obstacle which they could neither cross over nor break through. An enlisted man of an Ordnance unit in Normandy devised the method of attaching to the front of tanks rake-like cutters improvised from heavy angle-iron salvaged from the underwater beach obstacles which the Germans had placed to wreck landing craft. During a period of 48 hours maintenance companies of the Ordnance Department turned out 300 of these cutters, which enabled the tanks to open passageways through the hedgerows of Normandy, and play an important part in the advance leading to the break-through at Saint-Lô.] [Illustration] [Illustration: FRANCE .30-CALIBER BROWNING MACHINE GUN M1919A4 being fired through an opening in a hedgerow by an infantryman. The July offensive, one of the most difficult and bloody phases of the Normandy Campaign and known as the Battle of the Hedgerows, was conducted from 7 to 20 July 1944. Four U. S. Army corps, ultimately employing twelve divisions, were involved in the effort. German reinforcements stiffened, particularly in the hills protecting Saint-Lô, and the U. S. forces in the Cotentin Peninsula fought their way southward, alongside the U. S. troops east of the Vire River, to win ground for mounting the attack which was to break through the German defenses at the end of the month of July.]