By the end of the week, the men of Hq1 proudly wearing their silver wings had departed on ten-day furloughs. Their first days of freedom since October 1942 - when they had arrived in Camp Blanding.
When everyone had returned from furlough, the 508th PIR moved to Camp Mackall, North Carolina.
Camp Mackall was a complex of newly constructed buildings, mud and upturned soil, sitting between Pinehurst and Rockingham.
The “paratroopers” of the 508th PIR quickly learned a new skill. Their first lessons in what was to become a recurring story – picking up debris, clearing weeds and brush from the area, and painting rocks. They called it "beautification of the area."
Concurrent with the “cleanup” work, an arduous training schedule was implemented. Schooled in infantry weapons when they left Camp Blanding, the Hq1 men quickly developed into smoothly functioning weapons teams. Subsequent weeks were devoted to small unit training, field exercises, and learning to maneuver in the Carolina swamps.
In May, the regiment moved to Cheraw, SC to maneuver with the 101st Airborne Division. At the end of several weeks of maneuvers, everyone was dog-tired but proud of their performance and accomplishments.
The summer of 1943 passed quickly, as the men participated in advanced ground and airborne maneuvers, proficiency tests, and traversing infiltration courses with live firing. By the end of August, everyone went on furlough.
In the fall, the 508th PIR went to Tennessee for the Second Army maneuver. Embarrassingly, the regiment was employed as ground infantry. Finally, on October 5, the regiment had an opportunity to show case its airborne skills.
After a week of planning and briefing, planes were loaded and the regiment jumped at night into the objective area. Following several days of maneuvering, the 508th PIR returned to Camp Mackall, and after a three-day pass, Hq1 started preparations for moving overseas.
On December 20, 1943, the 508th PIR arrived at Camp Shanks, NY. Processing was completed, and on December 27, the regiment loaded on the "USAT James Parker." Everyone began drawing overseas pay as the Parker left the New York pier on December 28, and joined a convoy.
The eleven days aboard the Parker was new to Hq1 men, eating, sleeping, gambling [prohibited], boat drills, and seasickness. | 
