and included a gunner, loader and ammunition bearers that serviced a three-piece 81mm mortar. Two forward observer teams operated in the battalions’ forward areas. These observers often adjusted division artillery fire to support the battalion.
During the latter part of October 1942, the Hq1 cadre welcomed and processed recruits, and their basic training began immediately. It was conducted concurrently with a parachute school physical training program of exhaustive runs, rope climbing, tumbling, hand-to-hand combat, and hundreds and hundreds of pushups.
Starting with the first day of training, the Hq1 men looked anxiously to going to the parachute school and qualifying for the coveted parachute wings.
Competition was encouraged. The companies competed in marksmanship, physical fitness, and close order drill. As their proficiency increased so did the enthusiasm of the Hq1 men that eventually resulted in a dilemma.
As the cadre had anticipated that some recruits might fail to meet the physical and mental standards required for parachutist training, additional recruits had been assigned to each company for training. However, in early November, the 508th PIR was told that it could not exceed its authorized regimental strength when it reported to the Parachute School for training – the excess men had to be identified and eliminated from the program. The magnitude of the dilemma increased as the training progressed. Each day it became increasingly more difficult to identify men for elimination. Therefore, the standards for physical fitness were drastically raised.
For example, if a man dropped out of a formation run from exhaustion, he was eliminated from the program and shipped out of the regiment. The 508th PIR lost many good men.
Hq1 moved to Fort Benning, GA on February 3, 1943. The men were in outstanding physical and mental condition, confident and proud. After two weeks of specialized training, tumbling, tower exits, parachute packing, and more physical training, the day arrived for the first of the five required qualification parachute jumps. Within hours, the Hq1 men had made their first jump. They were closer to those coveted silver wings.
Thereafter, each morning entailed a parachute jump, and each evening was spent carefully packing a parachute for the next days jump. | 
