Jerome registered for the draft on 16 October 1940 and was inducted into the Army at San Francisco, CA on 17 December 1943.

On 3 October 1944, Pvt Headington ws transferred from HQ 82nd Airborne Division to Company C,508th PIR.

He was wounded in action in Belgium on 29 January 1945 and evacuated.  He returned to duty on 18 March 1945.

Pt Headington arrived in New York NY from Marseilles, France aboard the SS Herman Melville on 6 November 1945 and was discharged on 11 November 1945.

His military decorations include the Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman badge for action during the campaign, 18 Dec 1944 to 20 Feb 1945