I remained assigned to Hq1 throughout my entire military career, and served in the Battalion Intelligence Section (S-2).

Our section received extensive training in day and night reconnaissance, patrolling, taking and interrogating prisoners, and the techniques of building models and sand tables depicting intended drop zones and objectives. 

We learned to map enemy positions and strong points, and related intelligence gathering procedures. We became quite proficient and later demonstrated our skills on the battlefields of Europe.

After months of advanced infantry and airborne operations training at Camp Mackall, North Carolina, and large-scale maneuvers in South Carolina and Tennessee, the 508^th PIR qualified for overseas assignment, and moved to a port of embarkation near New York City. 

On December 28, 1943, aboard the USAT “James Parker’ the 508^th PIR sailed for Belfast, Ireland, an eleven-day voyage. In Ireland we did a lot of physical training, received European customs indoctrinations, and accomplished some weapons firing.

Sometime in March 1944, the regiment moved by boat to Scotland and then by train to Nottingham, England, and immediately started an arduous training program, that included night jumps and extended field exercises. When the 508^th PIR left the United States, it was a foregone conclusion that we would take part in spearheading the invasion of Europe. We were ready!

Finally, in June we left our tent encampment in Nottingham, moved to an airfield, and prepared for combat somewhere in Europe.

Employing three day old aerial photos, taken at very high altitudes, we in the Battalion S-2 Section built sand tables of the 508^th PIR drop area.

Unfortunately, as we later learned, the aerial photos were taken at very high altitudes and many of the flooded areas in the drop zone area failed to appear in the photos.

We knew exactly the kind of terrain we would encounter, and the objectives we were to seize, etc. but no one knew exactly where the objectives were located.  

On the night of June 5, 1944, we were watching a motion picture named ‘The Littlest Angel’ with Margaret O'Brian in a very emotional role.

I can remember tears welling up in my eyes, and at the time, thinking this was probably the last picture I would ever see. The movie was interrupted and we were told to blacken our faces, get our equipment, and load into the C-47s.