Veterans Stories:
Following in the footsteps of Robert Wright and Kenneth Moore - Medics of the 101st
Angoville-au-Plain.
Robert E. Wright was born in Ohio on February 9th 1924, the son of Bertha and Pearl Wright. After graduating from high school in 1942, he joined the 101st Airborne 501st Infantry Regiment and became a Medic.
Kenneth Jack Moore was born November. 5, 1924, in Los Angeles. He was raised by a single mother and graduated from high school in Redding. Soon after the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor he lied about his age, enlisted, volunteered to be a paratrooper and was chosen to be a medic. He received just two weeks of medical training.
Kenneth Jack Moore was born November. 5, 1924, in Los Angeles. He was raised by a single mother and graduated from high school in Redding. Soon after the 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor he lied about his age, enlisted, volunteered to be a paratrooper and was chosen to be a medic. He received just two weeks of medical training.
Wright was just 20 years old and Moore just 19, when they found themselves in England, members of the airborne forces on the verge of taking part in the liberation of Europe. Their regiment was to land in drop zones on the Cotentin Penisula, just inland of Utah Beach, to support the infantry when they landed there at dawn.
One of their objectives was to destroy the Cherbourg to Paris road; a route that would be essential to any German counter attack. A tiny French commune of around 80 people known as Angoville-au-Plain, which was occupied by the 91st Luftlande-Infanterie-Division lay between the landing zones and that road.
Today the village lies just off the D913, just to the north east of St Come du Mont, near Carentan.
One of their objectives was to destroy the Cherbourg to Paris road; a route that would be essential to any German counter attack. A tiny French commune of around 80 people known as Angoville-au-Plain, which was occupied by the 91st Luftlande-Infanterie-Division lay between the landing zones and that road.
Today the village lies just off the D913, just to the north east of St Come du Mont, near Carentan.
On the evening of June 5th 1944, they climbed aboard C-47s at Merryfield Airport in Somerset and set off towards the drop zones behind Utah Beach.
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Wright landed 10 miles inland, about 600 yards north of Angoville. Like many of fellow paratroopers, he was miles from his objective. Conditions were very difficult; the infamous ‘bocage’ countryside with its tall hedgerows, concealed bogs, dips and snipers and German resistance was strong. The medic was unarmed making him even more vulnerable than his fellow soldiers and much of his medical equipment had been lost during his jump. He noticed a church tower and headed towards it, finding himself at the medieval church of L'église Saint-Côme-et-Saint-Damien. He realised that it would be a good spot to establish an aid post. He took out his red cross flag and fixed it to the side of the church facing the road through the hamlet. |
You can park on the small square near the church and walk through the graveyard into the church.
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Meanwhile, Moore, had landed nearby. Anxious about going into enemy territory unarmed, one of his unit members had given him a grenade to use as a last resort. On landing, Moore heard a rustling nearby him and hastily pulled the pin on the grenade. Before he could throw it, he realized the source of the noise was not an enemy solider but instead, a cow. Suddenly aware that he had to dispose of this deadly device without attracting attention to himself, Moore had no choice but to continue moving through the countryside, holding an active grenade. Finally, he found a well to throw the explosive into and it was disposed of safely. Shortly after, he also spotted the church tower in Angoville-au-Plain and headed towards it.
Together with Lieutenant Ed Allworth of the 101st Airborne, Wright and Moore, set up an aid station in the church and began to treat a wave of wounded soldiers. They made use of the space in the tiny church by arranging the wounded men on the pews so their heads faced the aisle and their feet faced the walls. Wright used his training to quickly diagnose the conditions of the wounded and treat them according to the urgency of their injuries. He organised the men so that the most gravely wounded were towards the altar while those he believed were not going to survive were placed behind the altar.
Together with Lieutenant Ed Allworth of the 101st Airborne, Wright and Moore, set up an aid station in the church and began to treat a wave of wounded soldiers. They made use of the space in the tiny church by arranging the wounded men on the pews so their heads faced the aisle and their feet faced the walls. Wright used his training to quickly diagnose the conditions of the wounded and treat them according to the urgency of their injuries. He organised the men so that the most gravely wounded were towards the altar while those he believed were not going to survive were placed behind the altar.
Robert E Wright recalled “Two of our casualties died. But among those I could tend, none lost their lives. I tended all sorts of wounds; some were skin deep but others were more serious abdominal cases.”
Moore and Wright prioritised controlling the bleeding of wounds and preventing injured soldiers from going into shock. They were fortunate enough to have a source of fresh water from the village water pump about 30 yards away – without this they would have been unable to prevent dehydration and clean wounds effectively. They also had a small amount of morphine.
They also found an old farm cart and used it to take turns to leave the church to retrieve the wounded from the surrounding area. Although both were protected under the Geneva Convention due to their status as medical personnel, they risked their lives every time they left the church. “The Germans were pretty good about not shooting at medics,” Moore said. “There were several times they could have shot me, and they didn’t.”
During June 6th, Wright and Moore cared for over 70 casualties including German soldiers as well as American. 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.”
But the battle was intensifying. An American officer entered the church to warn them that German forces had broken through the American defences and that they were pulling back. They were given the option to retreat but both decided to stay. Lt Allworth, aware that his status as a soldier not a medic, would endanger Wright and Moore and those in their care, was forced to retreat, leaving them alone with their patients.
Soon after, a German officer arrived at the church but noticed that wounded German men were being treated alongside the Americans, so agreed to respect the aid station’s neutrality. Wright later recalled several instances where German soldiers assisted in carrying the wounded on stretchers into the church. The only demand that the two medics made was that those entering the church were to leave their weapons outside.
Kenneth Moore described that first evening: “By the evening we had 75 of them (wounded personnel and one local infant), in the church. Our own folk had come to tell us that they could not stay any longer. So, we were left with the wounded. A German Officer soon arrived and asked if I could tend to his wounded too. We accepted. During the night the churchyard was the scene of another battle.”
Moore and Wright prioritised controlling the bleeding of wounds and preventing injured soldiers from going into shock. They were fortunate enough to have a source of fresh water from the village water pump about 30 yards away – without this they would have been unable to prevent dehydration and clean wounds effectively. They also had a small amount of morphine.
They also found an old farm cart and used it to take turns to leave the church to retrieve the wounded from the surrounding area. Although both were protected under the Geneva Convention due to their status as medical personnel, they risked their lives every time they left the church. “The Germans were pretty good about not shooting at medics,” Moore said. “There were several times they could have shot me, and they didn’t.”
During June 6th, Wright and Moore cared for over 70 casualties including German soldiers as well as American. 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.”
But the battle was intensifying. An American officer entered the church to warn them that German forces had broken through the American defences and that they were pulling back. They were given the option to retreat but both decided to stay. Lt Allworth, aware that his status as a soldier not a medic, would endanger Wright and Moore and those in their care, was forced to retreat, leaving them alone with their patients.
Soon after, a German officer arrived at the church but noticed that wounded German men were being treated alongside the Americans, so agreed to respect the aid station’s neutrality. Wright later recalled several instances where German soldiers assisted in carrying the wounded on stretchers into the church. The only demand that the two medics made was that those entering the church were to leave their weapons outside.
Kenneth Moore described that first evening: “By the evening we had 75 of them (wounded personnel and one local infant), in the church. Our own folk had come to tell us that they could not stay any longer. So, we were left with the wounded. A German Officer soon arrived and asked if I could tend to his wounded too. We accepted. During the night the churchyard was the scene of another battle.”
They continued their work through the night and into the next day. By the afternoon of June 7th, American troops moved back into village after a day of fierce fighting. An American lieutenant wished to turn the church bell tower into an observation post but Wright refused to allow it. He argued that since the building was serving as an aid station and was neutral ground and that seeing as the Germans had honoured this, the Americans should do so as well. Just after, two German soldiers suddenly appeared from the tower with their weapons and promptly surrendered. They had been up there the entire time, unbeknown to the medics working beneath them. They joined the efforts to treat the wounded.
Wright and Moore continued to treat their casualties, who then not only included wounded soldiers, but local people too; two young girls, Lucienne and Jean-Vienne, were both wounded by a mortar round and were treated by the medics. Lucienne sadly died but Jean-Vienne survived.
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The battle for Angoville-au-Plain continued to rage around the church for three days, with possession lurching back and forth between the two sides. During the whole time they were there, they received no supplies but Wright and Moore continued to treat the wounded, without sleep. Although the church itself was not an intentional target, several mortars did hit the building. The worst of these incidents occurred when a mortar shell fell through the roof of the church, landing in the middle of the aisle. By some miracle it did not detonate. Wright immediately threw the shell out of a window. Had it exploded as intended, the stone walls of the church would have magnified the blast and almost certainly killed everyone inside. Part of the damaged ceiling had fallen and hit Moore, injuring him on the head. Despite bleeding, he continued his work. “That’s when I got my Purple Heart,” he said. “I was embarrassed to take it.” |
The damage to the roof is still visible today and beneath it a cracked tile where the mortar landed.
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Another mortar shell hit the roof of the church causing further casualties and all the church windows were shattered by gun fire, some of it from American troops thinking there were Germans in the church. But the aid station continued saving lives into its third day. By then it is said that the aisle was running with blood. The benches and pews of the church that were used to treat their casualties still show the blood stains from the wounds of war eighty years ago. They remain a powerful reminder and testament to what took place there in June 1944. |
By June 8th, the battle was finally over and Wright and Moore were relieved. A large farmhouse, just yards away from the church, Angoville-au-Plain became the established headquarters of Robert F Sink, the officer in command of the 506th PIR.
Later in June 1944, both men were decorated for their action with the Silver Star for Gallantry. The ceremony took take place on the Place de la République of Carentan. They are credited with saving 80 lives at Angoville, under atrocious conditions. Wright was later awarded the French Legion of Honour in Sainte-Mère-Église on the 67th anniversary of D-Day
Both medics continued to serve for the rest of the war, in Holland and Belgium. On September 17th, 1944, Wright parachuted into Veghel, The Netherlands and established a first aid station in a convent, treating five injured Nuns amongst injured soldiers. On 21st December 1944, during the siege of Bastogne, he established an aid station in the basement of a farm at Bizory, where under extreme conditions, he treated a countless number of injuries. He then took an active part in the advancement of liberation troops providing them medical care until the liberation of Europe on May 8th 1945
Later in June 1944, both men were decorated for their action with the Silver Star for Gallantry. The ceremony took take place on the Place de la République of Carentan. They are credited with saving 80 lives at Angoville, under atrocious conditions. Wright was later awarded the French Legion of Honour in Sainte-Mère-Église on the 67th anniversary of D-Day
Both medics continued to serve for the rest of the war, in Holland and Belgium. On September 17th, 1944, Wright parachuted into Veghel, The Netherlands and established a first aid station in a convent, treating five injured Nuns amongst injured soldiers. On 21st December 1944, during the siege of Bastogne, he established an aid station in the basement of a farm at Bizory, where under extreme conditions, he treated a countless number of injuries. He then took an active part in the advancement of liberation troops providing them medical care until the liberation of Europe on May 8th 1945
The locals of Angoville-au-Plain do not believe that Moore and Wright arriving in their village on the fateful morning of June 6th 1944, was merely chance. The church in which the two medics established their aid station, takes its name from two 4th century martyrs: Saint Cosmas and Saint Damian who were physicians from ancient Syria, then a province of the Roman Empire. They are widely regarded to be the patron saints of doctors, surgeons, and pharmacists and are renowned for healing those who were ill or wounded as well as caring for all people regardless of their background, race, or faith. During their time in the church that bears the saints’ names, Moore and Wright treated whoever needed them – no matter what side of the fighting they were on.
Both men maintained close links with the villagers after the war and returned occasionally to attend commemorations held in their honour. On December 21, 2013, Robert E. Wright passed away at the age of 89. He never forgot his life-long connection to this small corner of France and it was his wish to be buried at the small church where he performed a miracle, years ago. Due to bureaucratic red tape, this was not allowed by the authorities, but one of his friends smuggled some of his ashes over to France, where they were laid to rest in the graveyard of the Church, marked by a headstone engraved with the gold initials “R.E.W.”.
After the war, the church lay in ruins and remained so for many decades. In 2004, a project to restore the church began and thanks to donations made to honour the 101st Airborne troops two beautiful stained-glass windows have been installed. One, decorated with parachutists and an eagle honours the brave paratroopers who liberated Angoville-au-Plain, and the other Robert Wright and Kenneth Moore who saved countless lives there.
The village has also installed a unique war memorial outside the church. Unusually it is not carved with a long list of dead; it is a celebration of lives saved.
‘In honour and in recognition of Robert E. Wright, Kenneth J. Moore. Medics 2nd Bn 501 PIR 101st Airborne Division. For humane and lifesaving care rendered to 80 combatants and a child in this church in June 1944.’
The village has also installed a unique war memorial outside the church. Unusually it is not carved with a long list of dead; it is a celebration of lives saved.
‘In honour and in recognition of Robert E. Wright, Kenneth J. Moore. Medics 2nd Bn 501 PIR 101st Airborne Division. For humane and lifesaving care rendered to 80 combatants and a child in this church in June 1944.’
After the war, Moore returned to California and married his highschool sweetheart. He worked for the Chevron oil company as an area representative. He eventually owned several gas stations of his own until the mid-1980s when back problems forced him into retirement.
He died in
Robert returned to the United States on 7 September 1945 and married Margaret Writsel on 30 September 1945. They had two children; Sherry and Robert Junior. After retiring in 1982, Robert Wright became active in the Methodist Church and devoted to the construction of homes and buildings for charitable organizations and for the poor. He died aged 89.
He died in
Robert returned to the United States on 7 September 1945 and married Margaret Writsel on 30 September 1945. They had two children; Sherry and Robert Junior. After retiring in 1982, Robert Wright became active in the Methodist Church and devoted to the construction of homes and buildings for charitable organizations and for the poor. He died aged 89.
There are some excellent videos about Wright and Moore and their heroic actions in Angoville-au-Plain.
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