offered many attractions, numerous exciting pubs, many lively dance halls, and extremely friendly people. 

A few months later, the 508^th PIR moved to an airport and prepared for a combat mission. Many long hours were spent studying maps and replicas of the objective area, although no one knew where it was on the continent. Finally, the Hq1 men blackened their faces, bid farewell to their comrades, donned their equipment and boarded the planes. Then they were informed that the objective area was in Normandy. 

The flight across the English Channel was an uneventful until the planes arrived at the coastline of France, then they flew into a combination of low flying clouds and German antiaircraft and machinegun fires.

The C-47 pilots had to take evasive action to avoid collisions and lost formation. Only the leading C-47s in each formation had electronics to home in on pathfinder’s equipment, the remaining planes in the formation were expected to follow the lead plane. Consequently, when the C-47s scattered, many pilots could not find the designated drop area.

Some 508^th PIR planes were shot down, and most of the planes dropped paratroopers and equipment bundles miles from their drop zone.

As a result of the disastrous drop, the 508^th PIR was unable to assemble for many days.

The 508^th PIR men wandered for days as individuals or in small groups, always fighting Germans, destroying facilities, and making their way to their objective and hopefully larger groups of Americans.        

Despite the disastrous beginning, the 508^th PIR eventually evolved into a war-fighting capable force and accomplished all of its missions.

On July 15, 1944 the 508^th PIR survivors of the Normandy drop returned to a “heroes’ welcome in Nottingham, England. They held memorial services for their comrades lost in Normandy, decorated heroes, welcomed replacements,  and prepared for another combat mission.

 On September 1, the 508^th PIR was again in an airfield prepared to parachute into fields near Tournai, Belgium. But that jump and an alternate jump at Leige were cancelled when General Patton’s troops overran the areas, and the regiment returned to Nottingham.