La Londe-les-Maures
Sergeant Stanley Bender Bridge
Historic site and monument
Contact details
2083 Route de la Jouasse
83250
La Londe-les-Maures
06 08 99 97 71
Display the cell number
04 94 58 52 92
Display the phone number
Open all year round
Languages spoken
French
Presentation
Sergeant Stanley Bender (31.10.1909 - 22.06.1994), 3rd American Infantry Division - 3rd DIUS - Company E.
On August 17, 1944 at La Londe les Maures (France) he performed an act of bravery which earned him a citation.
Deliberately advanced 40 metres across open ground, visible to German soldiers, under a hail of Allied and enemy fire to a first machine gun which he disabled in a single short burst. Made his way through the heart of the combat zone despite the explosions of grenades, towards a second machine gun 25 metres away.
As the two servants operating it swept the area and fired two bursts in his direction, he bravely pursued under fire and reaching the top of the emplacement, neutralised the machine gun.
Instructing his men to occupy the holes left by the shellfire, he travelled a further 35 metres to kill an enemy gunner. His daring so impressed the rest of the company that the men left their positions to charge in shouting and screaming, overwhelming the enemy roadblock and infiltrating into the town, destroying two anti-tank guns in the process, killing 37 Germans and capturing 26 others.
He led his men in an attack which overwhelmed the enemy, destroyed a roadblock, captured a town, seized the bridge over the Maravenne River and captured the sector command. "
(the sector covered the area of Val Rose - Saint Honoré and la Pabourette)
With his section he waited for the arrival of the US armoured vehicles and on the morning of 18 August he crossed the liberated town.
Sergeant Stanley Bender died on June 22, 1994 at the age of 85. He is buried in the High Lawn Cemetery in Fayette, West Virginia, USA (location "section A - lot 360). A bridge and a museum bearing his name are dedicated to him.
The highest distinction of the United States of America "The Medal of Honor" was awarded to him in 1984 for the 40th anniversary of the landing in Provence.
On August 17, 1944 at La Londe les Maures (France) he performed an act of bravery which earned him a citation.
Deliberately advanced 40 metres across open ground, visible to German soldiers, under a hail of Allied and enemy fire to a first machine gun which he disabled in a single short burst. Made his way through the heart of the combat zone despite the explosions of grenades, towards a second machine gun 25 metres away.
As the two servants operating it swept the area and fired two bursts in his direction, he bravely pursued under fire and reaching the top of the emplacement, neutralised the machine gun.
Instructing his men to occupy the holes left by the shellfire, he travelled a further 35 metres to kill an enemy gunner. His daring so impressed the rest of the company that the men left their positions to charge in shouting and screaming, overwhelming the enemy roadblock and infiltrating into the town, destroying two anti-tank guns in the process, killing 37 Germans and capturing 26 others.
He led his men in an attack which overwhelmed the enemy, destroyed a roadblock, captured a town, seized the bridge over the Maravenne River and captured the sector command. "
(the sector covered the area of Val Rose - Saint Honoré and la Pabourette)
With his section he waited for the arrival of the US armoured vehicles and on the morning of 18 August he crossed the liberated town.
Sergeant Stanley Bender died on June 22, 1994 at the age of 85. He is buried in the High Lawn Cemetery in Fayette, West Virginia, USA (location "section A - lot 360). A bridge and a museum bearing his name are dedicated to him.
The highest distinction of the United States of America "The Medal of Honor" was awarded to him in 1984 for the 40th anniversary of the landing in Provence.
