Sainte-Mère-Église – the paratrooper in the church tower

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: September 2026 | Sainte-Mère-Église in Normandy became an important site during the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944, when American paratroopers landed in and around the village. The most famous is the story of John Steele, who got his parachute caught in the church tower and was left hanging while the fighting continued below.

Sainte-Mère-Église in Normandy

We came to Sainte-Mère-Église after our visit to Arromanches-les-Bains, where we had learned more about the Normandy landings and the artificial Mulberry harbor.

In Sainte-Mère-Église we encountered a completely different part of history. Here it was not about soldiers who came from the sea, but about the American paratroopers who were dropped over Normandy during the night between June 5 and 6, 1944.

And in the middle of the square, there is still a reminder of one of the most famous events from that dramatic night. Look up at the church tower and you will see a parachute and a soldier still hanging there.

An important place during D-Day

Sainte-Mère-Église was strategically located near Utah Beach and on important routes through the area. During the night before the actual landing, American soldiers from the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions were parachuted into the Normandy countryside.

The task was to secure important roads and connections and make it difficult for German reinforcements to reach the landing areas. But everything went far from according to plan. Many paratroopers ended up far from their intended landing sites, and some of them fell directly over Sainte-Mère-Église.

The night the paratroopers arrived

That very night, a house on the square in Sainte-Mère-Église was on fire. Residents and German soldiers were outside trying to fight the fire when American paratroopers suddenly began descending on the village. The light from the fire made them visible in the sky.

Some landed in the square itself and others got stuck in trees and buildings. Several American soldiers were killed. One of the paratroopers ended up in a particularly vulnerable situation. His name was John Steele.

John Steele – the paratrooper in the church tower

John Steele was an American paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. When he jumped over Sainte-Mère-Église, he ended up right over the village and his parachute got stuck high on the church tower. There he was left hanging while the fighting continued below.

Steele was wounded in the foot and tried to avoid attracting attention by playing dead. He was eventually taken down and captured by German soldiers. He later managed to return to the American forces and survived the war.

The story of John Steele eventually became one of the most famous stories from the Normandy landings, not least through the film The longest day from 1962.

The church of Sainte-Mère-Église

To this day, a doll representing John Steele hangs from a parachute from the church tower. It was the one we wanted to see above all when we arrived at Sainte-Mère-Église.

And it is certainly a strange sight. In the middle of a small French town, a lone soldier still hangs from the church as a reminder of the night when war literally came down from the sky.

If you look inside the church, you will find further memories of D-Day. Among other things, there are stained glass windows honoring the American paratroopers and the liberation of Sainte-Mère-Église.

Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mère-Église

Right next to the church square is the Airborne Museum, which tells the story of the American paratroopers' efforts during the Normandy landings.

We didn't visit the museum itself when we were here. During our visit, we focused primarily on the church and the story of John Steele.

For those who want to delve deeper into history, the museum is one of the most important attractions in Sainte-Mère-Église. It is dedicated to the American soldiers from the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions and today consists of five buildings with exhibitions on, among other things, the German occupation, the preparations for D-Day, the operations of the paratroopers and the gliders used during the operations.

There are also historic aircraft, including a C-47 and a Waco glider. Allow about two hours to visit the entire museum.

Is Sainte-Mere-Eglise worth a visit?

Sainte-Mère-Église is particularly interesting for those who want to experience sites related to the Normandy landings. The town is just a few kilometers from Utah Beach and is therefore well suited to combining with other historical sites in the area.

For us, the visit was considerably shorter. We came here to see the church and the paratrooper who is still hanging from the tower.

It's a fairly simple sight, but the story behind it makes you stop for a moment. And when you stand there in the square and look up, it's not too hard to imagine how utterly chaotic that night in June 1944 must have been.

See more in Normandy

Want to see and experience more during your trip to Normandy? Here you will find more tips and reports:

• Arromanches-les-Bains
• Veulettes-sur-Mer
• Things to do in Honfleur
• Mont-Saint-Michel