Life in Nottingham was pleasant, the 508^th PIR occupied tents within a ten-minute walk of a city with many pubs, several dance halls, and friendly people. The Hq1 “bachelors” had a grand time.

However, the regimental staff unrolled another of those 508^th PIR ambitious training programs, and started field exercises, dangerous night parachute jumps, physical training, and preparations for combat some-where in Europe. 

Early in June, the 508^th PIR moved to a marshaling airport. The S2 Sect-ion prepared sand tables and maps that were used to brief the men on their objective areas. Except that no one knew where the objectives were located, they were told Normandy, after they were seated in their C-47 aircraft.

Chapter II contains a brief description of the adventures of some of the Hq1 men while enroute to Normandy and later on the ground after the jump. 

Arthur Jacoby and his buddies, Jim Lutton, Garfield Wilkinson, and Joe Atkins provided the core of the Battalion S2 Section, they performed the most dangerous jobs in the battalion.  However, at times, they acted as if WW II had been created just for them to have fun.

When they were not leading an attack, patrolling behind the lines to determine the German’s deployment, or capturing Germans for interrogation, they were busy finding ways and means to improve their welfare or just to have fun.

On or off the battlefield nothing was sacred or exempt from their attention. If it was not under heavy guard, it was fair game, often even some of the “guarded” refreshments and food was acquired.

The four comrades were well trained, and skilled in methods for infiltrating German lines and positions, and extremely adroit at capturing Ger-mans and bringing them safely though friendly lines, they were irreplaceable, courageous, dependable and successful in combat. If they did not exist, the 508^th PIR would have had to create them!

Jim Lutton was wounded and evacuated. Joe Atkins, Garfield Wilkinson, and Jake survived the war and performed security and honor guard func-tions for General Eisenhower’s headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany.

Only Jake and Betsy are still alive, at this writing.

Arthur B. Jacoby participated heroically in all of the 508^th PIR campaigns.