the St. Lo-Periers highway just west of Saint-Lô. The corps commander's intent was to drive through the German crust-like defense before the Germans could reform, then exploit the break thought by passing mechanized forces into the Germans' rear. The plan called for saturation bombing by fighter-bombers, medium and heavy bombers from the front line back to the enemy's artillery positions to disorient and dislodge the Germans. Following the bombers, 4th(US) Infantry Division, 9th (US) Infantry Division, and the 30th (US) Infantry Division were to attack southward along a narrow front, clearing the way for the 2d (US) and 3d (US) Armored Divisions and the 1st (US) Infantry Division to pass through. The armored forces were to sweep south then southwest into the rear of German forces opposing the VIII Corps along the western portions of the Cotentin Peninsula. The 30th (US) Infantry Division attacked with the 120th Infantry Regiment on the right and 119th Infantry Division on the left. Two battalions from the 117th Infantry Regiment were attached (one battalion each) to the 119th and 120th Infantry Regiments. The remainder of the 117th Infantry was in division reserve prepared to pass through on the left and clear out the curve in the Vier River. The air plan called for 350 fighter-bombers hitting the German front lines followed by 1,500 bombers assigned to targets deep and wide. As the friendly troops moved forward, another 396 medium bombers would bomb the rear areas for another 45 minutes. Friendly troops were moved back from their line of departures for safety. After two postponements due to bad weather, the attack got underway on the morning of 24 July 1944. At 11:30 am, 350 P-47 fighter-bombers arrived on schedule and started dive-bombing, followed by the steady drone 1,500 heavy bombers. Some P-47 fighter-bombers bombed friendly troop positions and one squadron of heavy bombers dropped its bombs squarely on friendly troops. Twenty minutes after the attack started it was called off. "Operation COBRA" the breakout from St. Lo, the 30th Infantry Division endured the heaviest bombing by "friendly aircraft" of the entire war. Approximately 88 men were killed and over 500 seriously wounded over the two-day period. Lieutenant General Lesley J. McNair, Commanding General Army Ground Forces, was visiting and observing this attack in the area of the Second Battalion, 120th Infantry, 30th Infantry Division when bombs instantly killed him dropped by friendly B-17s flying in