[6] The Plain is bounded on the west by the Merderet River and by the English channel to the east, and by the communes of Valognes and Carentan to the north and south, respectively.

Besides Sainte-Mère-Église, the Plain's other major town is Montebourg, and its coast includes Utah Beach.

[7] Argillaceous limestone from the Sinemurian[7] contributes to the region's dairy product appellation (AOC) Isigny-Sainte-Mère, which it shares with Bessin.

Some buildings in town caught fire that night, illuminating the sky, and making easy targets of the descending men.

Steele later escaped and rejoined his division when U.S. troops of the 3rd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment attacked the village, capturing 30 Germans and killing 11.

The lightly armed troops held the town until reinforced by tanks from nearby Utah Beach in the afternoon of 7 June.

Krause and Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin H. Vandervoort received the Distinguished Service Cross for their actions during the capture of the town.

On 6 November 2007, he received the Legion of Honour medal from the President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy along with five other men.