During the first week of D-Day, the men lived in shallow foxholes or in 3 foot-deep holes with pup tents set up directly over the holes. The quality of comfort was generally dependent on each person's creativity. The basic food was K rations (A small crackerjack-type box containing cheese, crackers and a small can of meat) during the first week was improved to C rations and 10-in-1 rations over many weeks, and finally, hot food in mess-hall tents set up by the U.S. Navy Seabees.
When the danger of possible encounters with the ennemy had passed, most of the men in groups of 3 or 4, built large dugouts, big enough for cots, tables, chairs and space for clothes.
The dugouts were literally spread out, in random fashion, in fields within the view and walking distance of the bunker.
The men lived in those dugouts for several months and enjoyed occasional visits from neighboring French citizens who occasionally visited and provided the men with Calvados brandy to drink and to use as fuel for cooking outside.
Touch football was very popular as was later writing and talk about going home "soon". Eventually, it was decreed that the unit had to leave their dugouts and move into 4-man tents put up by the Seabees .