Having been pinched out of the line by the closure of the Falaise Pocket, the 29th Infantry Division redirected into the Brittany Campaign and the siege of Brest.
Brest was one of the most important ports in France, and also served as a base for the German UBoats that had wreaked so much havoc on Allied shipping for so long.
It was heavily fortified and stoutly defended, requiring a prolonged and deliberate attack to secure.
The Americans mustered three divisions for this arduous task, the 2nd, 8th and 29th Infantry Divisions, in addition to artillery, naval and air support.
The 29th Infantry Division began moving towards Brest on 21 August and arrived two days later.
The division closed up on the enemy defenses within its sector and participated in a major attack on 25 August.
After savage fighting, the city finally fell on 18 September.