Purple Heart Lane was the nickname for Highway N13 near Carentan, France, which was the site of a bloody battle between Robert G. Cole's 3rd Battalion, 502nd PIR, US 101st Airborne Division and the German 6th Fallschirmjaeger Regiment under Friedrich von der Heydte. The causeway was nicknamed "Purple Heart Lane" in reference to the Purple Heart, an American military decoration awarded for sustaining wounds in combat.
Cole's battalion was called from reserve into action to attack four bridges on Highway N13 to Carentan, and the Americans attacked the bridges under intense German gun, mortar, and artillery fire. On the morning of 11 June, Cole ordered heavy artillery fire on the German strongholds, but the artillery was ineffective. Cole, faced with the destruction of his battalion, decided to assault the Germans head-on. He ordered his men to fix bayonets, and, following the creation of a smokescreen, Cole blew his whistle and ordered his men to charge across a field. Along the way, Cole picked up a fallen soldier's M1 Garand and bayonet, and he led his men to victory. However, he lost 118 men in the charge and the defense of the captured position, a great sacrifice. The charge ultimately succeeded in securing the area, and Cole was recommended for a Medal of Honor for his actions.
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