<P> Running parallel to the shoreline about 5 miles ( 8.0 km ) from Utah Beach , the marshes of the Merderet and Douve formed a natural defensive line protecting the western end of the Allied landing zone and at the same time limiting the Allies ' potential to break out of the beachhead . Thus control of the bridges at Manoir de la Fière and Chef - du - Pont was seen as vital . The Merderet was assigned to the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division as Mission Boston , scheduled for 5 hours before the amphibious landings on D - Day . Cloud cover and German fire caused the landings to be dispersed ; the paratroopers took the strategic town of Sainte - Mère - Église but failed in their original mission to clear the west bank of the Merderet on D - Day and blow the bridge over the Douze at Pont l'Abbé ( now Étienville ) . The extent of their control of the bridges over the Merderet is disputed , but it was sufficient to hold off German counterattacks . These included an attack over the causeway at La Fiere by the 1057th Grenadier Regiment and light tanks of the 100th Panzer Replacement Battalion . This appears to have been the inspiration for the climactic battle in the film Saving Private Ryan , which is set around a bridge over the Merderet in the fictional town of Ramelle . </P>
where was the bridge in saving private ryan
over the Merderet in the fictional town of Ramelle