In May 1944, shortly before D-Day, General Eisenhower issued an order that every field commander was to protect and respect historical monuments and cultural centers. Lists of sites to be protected were issued. Soldiers assigned to the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Section were to accompany Allied Forces as they advanced across Europe. Their primary objective was to identify monuments on the list so that commanders knew which sites to avoid during bombing attacks. Most of the protected sites were churches. Additionally, they were to inspect and document existing bomb damage to monument sites in the field.
