Taylor, Maxwell. Major General (Two Star). Commander of the 101st. US Airborne Division. The 101st. dropped into Normandy on D-Day and Taylor became the first US general to fight in France in World War II. He had a threefold mission: Capture the four exits from Utah beach, protect the southern flank of the VII Corps advance and destroy the bridges over the Douve river north of Carentan. Taylor perceived that his main mission was the capture of Carentan. He launched a succesful attack and took the city.