Lieutenant Turnbull posed a question to the 23 men in his platoon who were still able to fight: “Should we charge them to the front or the rear?” Pvt. Joe Sebastian suggested they all try to get out before they were cut off completely and try for a breakout towards Ste. Mère-Eglise. Corporal James Kelly, the platoon medic, said he would remain behind, taking care of the wounded.

That said, Sebastian, who had recommended immediate evacuation, elected to stay behind with his lethal BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle). Cpl. Roy Smitson and Sgt. Robert Niland would stay and went to man the machine gun. Niland was killed instantly. Someone yelled, “Let’s go! For Christ’s sake, let’s go!” As they were heading out of the trap, they heard 60mm mortar rounds exploding into the German field position. ⁽¹⁾

The mortar was fired by Sgt. Otis Sampson of E/505, the most deadly accurate mortar sergeant in the 505th. They held off the Germans long enough to get back to their Ste. Mère-Eglise outposts. Lt. Turner Turnbull and his 505 platoon held off the huge German force coming from the north, which gave the 3rd Battalion time to defeat the enemy force coming from the south.

On June 7, Lieutenant Turnbull was killed when an 88 took off the top of his head while he was leading another attack outside of Ste. Mère-Eglise. Where do you find these stalwart heroes? Is it the training and the absolute mindset of the airborne soldier? ⁽²⁾

The Neuville-au-Plain area and La Fière and Chef-du-Pont bridge battles proved that the out numbered paratroopers and glidermen, with inferior firepower and no tanks, had a superior, astonishing determination to accomplish their mission. And it is obvious that the men of the 82d Airborne Division did just that.