Camp Stoneman, California: April 21-May 1, 1944
While at Camp Stoneman, the 511th PIR (which had to remove all their jump boots, wings and unit insignia for secrecy) trained for boarding and disembarking from naval vessels and broke the post's prior twelve-mile march record by forty-five minutes. Frustrated that they could not announce their success, the paratroopers were infuriated when they encountered armored units wearing, of all things, jump boots! Fights broke out across the post and the Angels left their mark on both base and other units until they left and headed towards the ocean for departure.