​​The town had been targeted by the allies as part of the pre bombardment before the landings on the Normandy beaches. On 6 June 1944 the town was bombed due to its strategic location of main roads and a bridge over the river Vire. 

​The intention of this from the allied perspective was to cut of routes of advance. This would prevent the German forces manoeuvring towards the landings beaches and drop zones of soldiers coming into Normandy. This in essence was managing the battlefield to deny the enemy quick routes to counter the landings. 

​The consequences of the pre bombardment were that civilians would get caught up in the raids as they targeted multiple locations across France in the build-up to D-Day. Sainte-Lo would not escape that and the rolls of honour within the memorial in this square remember the names of those civilians who were killed by the allied bombings. This is a heavy reminder of the price for freedom that was paid for by the French civilians. Some of the civilians are interned with the cemetery close to the church of Sainte-Croix. 

​The first bombing raid by the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) was schedule for 09:00 on 6 June, however it was aborted due to cloud cover. At 19:55 that evening they returned and a 15-minute raid took place by 30 USAAF bombers. 

​The bombing on 6 June would not be the last sadly. The Royal Air Force (RAF) returned on 7 June at 00:50 with 104 bombers. They dropped 2,100 high explosive bombs onto the town.  

​90% of the town was left in ruins from these two raids. Between 300-400 civilians had been killed. 

​Following the landings and the American advance inland from the area of Omaha Beach. Over several weeks the American forces pushed south and towards the town. The German forces had created a new defensive line and would hold the Americans for several weeks. The advance became slow, and the terrain was a harsh environment to tackle. The fighting in and around the town was not finished and further damage would be caused. 

​The town was finally liberated on 18 July, reconstruction would then begin.​