diff --git a/src/mesh.cpp b/src/mesh.cpp
index a12086a..48d59f2 100644
--- a/src/mesh.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh.cpp
@@ -38,22 +38,31 @@ meLoadFromFile(const char* filename)
 	}
 
 	meMeshInfo* mesh = (meMeshInfo*) std::calloc(1, sizeof(meMeshInfo));
-	// TODO: using hard model transform for now
+	// TODO: using hard coded model transform for now
 	mesh->model_transform = glm::scale(glm::mat4(1), glm::vec3(100, 100, 100));
 
 	// allocate buffers for vertex and index data from mesh
 	mesh->num_vertices = scene->mMeshes[0]->mNumVertices;
 	mesh->vertices = (glm::vec3 *) std::calloc(mesh->num_vertices, sizeof(glm::vec3));
+	mesh->normals = (glm::vec3 *) std::calloc(mesh->num_vertices, sizeof(glm::vec3));
 	mesh->num_indices = scene->mMeshes[0]->mNumFaces * 3; // NOTE: assume 3 vertices per face
 	mesh->indices = (uint *) std::calloc(mesh->num_indices, sizeof(uint));
 
-	// copy vertices
+	// copy vertices and normals
 	for (uint i = 0; i < mesh->num_vertices; i++) {
 		aiVector3D v_in = scene->mMeshes[0]->mVertices[i];
 		glm::vec3& v_out = mesh->vertices[i];
 		v_out.x = v_in.x;
 		v_out.y = v_in.y;
 		v_out.z = v_in.z;
+
+		if (scene->mMeshes[0]->HasNormals()) {
+			aiVector3D n_in = scene->mMeshes[0]->mNormals[i];
+			glm::vec3& n_out = mesh->normals[i];
+			n_out.x = n_in.x;
+			n_out.y = n_in.y;
+			n_out.z = n_in.z;
+		}
 	}
 
 	// copy indices
@@ -61,7 +70,6 @@ meLoadFromFile(const char* filename)
 		for (uint j = 0; j < 3; j++)
 			mesh->indices[i * 3 + j] = scene->mMeshes[0]->mFaces[i].mIndices[j];
 
-#if 1
 	// material
 	aiMaterial* mat = scene->mMaterials[0];
 	aiColor3D color(0.f, 0.f, 0.f);
@@ -72,7 +80,6 @@ meLoadFromFile(const char* filename)
 		mesh->diffuse_color.g = color.g;
 		mesh->diffuse_color.b = color.b;
 	}
-#endif
 
 	// free memeory from assimp
 	aiReleaseImport(scene);
@@ -84,6 +91,8 @@ meFreeMesh(meMeshInfo* mesh)
 {
 	std::free(mesh->vertices);
 	mesh->vertices = nullptr;
+	std::free(mesh->normals);
+	mesh->normals = nullptr;
 	std::free(mesh->indices);
 	mesh->indices = nullptr;
 	std::free(mesh);
diff --git a/src/mesh.h b/src/mesh.h
index 4741f39..78aa1b0 100644
--- a/src/mesh.h
+++ b/src/mesh.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ struct meMeshInfo
 	glm::mat4 model_transform;
 	uint num_vertices = 0;
 	glm::vec3* vertices = nullptr;
+	glm::vec3* normals = nullptr;
 	uint num_indices = 0;
 	uint* indices = nullptr;
 	glm::vec3 diffuse_color;
diff --git a/src/render_group.cpp b/src/render_group.cpp
index d64337a..d08cef6 100644
--- a/src/render_group.cpp
+++ b/src/render_group.cpp
@@ -122,25 +122,38 @@ bool
 rgInitEntity(gl_render_group* rg, Entity* e)
 {
 	bool retVal = true;
+	bool useNormals = rg->use_normals = (e->mesh->normals != nullptr);
 
-	uint entity_buf_len = e->mesh->num_vertices * 3;
-	GLfloat* entity_buf = (GLfloat*) std::calloc(entity_buf_len, sizeof(GLfloat));
-	GLfloat* entity_color_buf = (GLfloat*) std::calloc(entity_buf_len, sizeof(GLfloat));
+	uint vertex_buf_len = e->mesh->num_vertices * 3;
+	GLfloat* vertex_buf = (GLfloat*) std::calloc(vertex_buf_len, sizeof(GLfloat));
+	GLfloat* color_buf = (GLfloat*) std::calloc(vertex_buf_len, sizeof(GLfloat));
+	GLfloat* normal_buf;
+	if (useNormals)
+		normal_buf = (GLfloat*) std::calloc(vertex_buf_len, sizeof(GLfloat));
 
-	// dump vertices into temporary buffer
+	// dump vertices, colors, and normals into temporary buffers
 	uint vertex_index = 0;
 	uint vertex_prop_index = 0;
 
-	for (uint i = 0; i < entity_buf_len; i++) {
+	for (uint i = 0; i < vertex_buf_len; i++) {
 		const glm::vec3& vertex = e->mesh->vertices[vertex_index];
+		const glm::vec3& normal = e->mesh->normals[vertex_index];
 
 		switch (vertex_prop_index) {
-			case 0:	entity_buf[i] = vertex.x; break;
-			case 1: entity_buf[i] = vertex.y; break;
-			case 2: entity_buf[i] = vertex.z; break;
+			case 0:	vertex_buf[i] = vertex.x; break;
+			case 1: vertex_buf[i] = vertex.y; break;
+			case 2: vertex_buf[i] = vertex.z; break;
 		}
 
-		entity_color_buf[i] = e->mesh->diffuse_color[vertex_prop_index];
+		if (useNormals) {
+			switch (vertex_prop_index) {
+				case 0:	normal_buf[i] = normal.x; break;
+				case 1: normal_buf[i] = normal.y; break;
+				case 2: normal_buf[i] = normal.z; break;
+			}
+		}
+
+		color_buf[i] = e->mesh->diffuse_color[vertex_prop_index];
 		vertex_prop_index++;
 
 		if (vertex_prop_index == 3) {
@@ -149,12 +162,19 @@ rgInitEntity(gl_render_group* rg, Entity* e)
 		}
 	}
 
-	rgInitGLBufferObject(&rg->vertex_buffer, entity_buf_len,
-			GL_DYNAMIC_DRAW, GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, entity_buf);
+	// send vertex and color data to OpenGL
+	rgInitGLBufferObject(&rg->vertex_buffer, vertex_buf_len,
+			GL_DYNAMIC_DRAW, GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, vertex_buf);
+
+	rgInitGLBufferObject(&rg->color_buffer, vertex_buf_len,
+			GL_STATIC_DRAW, GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, color_buf);
 
-	rgInitGLBufferObject(&rg->color_buffer, entity_buf_len,
-			GL_STATIC_DRAW, GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, entity_color_buf);
+	if (useNormals) {
+		rgInitGLBufferObject(&rg->vertex_normals, vertex_buf_len,
+				GL_STATIC_DRAW, GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, normal_buf);
+	}
 
+	// TODO: combine this somehow with rgInitGLBufferObject()
 	// dump indices into temp buffer
 	gl_index_buffer index_buffer;
 	index_buffer.buffer_len = e->mesh->num_indices;
@@ -170,9 +190,11 @@ rgInitEntity(gl_render_group* rg, Entity* e)
 	glBufferData(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, e->mesh->num_indices * sizeof(uint),
 			rg->index_buffer.indices, GL_STATIC_DRAW);
 
-	std::free(entity_buf);
-	std::free(entity_color_buf);
-	entity_buf = entity_color_buf = nullptr;
+	// free temp buffers
+	std::free(vertex_buf);
+	if (useNormals) std::free(normal_buf);
+	std::free(color_buf);
+	vertex_buf = normal_buf = color_buf = nullptr;
 
 	return retVal;
 }
@@ -240,6 +262,13 @@ rgDrawIndexed(gl_render_group* rg, GLenum draw_mode, glm::mat4 model_matrix,
 		glVertexAttribPointer(1, 3, GL_FLOAT, GL_FALSE, 0, (void*) 0);
 	}
 
+	// 3rd attribe buffer : normals
+	if (rg->use_normals) {
+		glEnableVertexAttribArray(2);
+		glBindBuffer(GL_ARRAY_BUFFER, rg->vertex_normals.buffer_id);
+		glVertexAttribPointer(2, 3, GL_FLOAT, GL_FALSE, 0, (void*) 0);
+	}
+
 	glBindBuffer(GL_ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER, rg->index_buffer.buffer_id);
 
 	// draw
@@ -250,6 +279,8 @@ rgDrawIndexed(gl_render_group* rg, GLenum draw_mode, glm::mat4 model_matrix,
 	glDisableVertexAttribArray(0);
 	if (rg->color_buffer.buffer)
 		glDisableVertexAttribArray(1);
+	if (rg->use_normals)
+		glDisableVertexAttribArray(2);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/render_group.h b/src/render_group.h
index 0d18bd6..a91562f 100644
--- a/src/render_group.h
+++ b/src/render_group.h
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ struct gl_index_buffer
 
 struct gl_render_group
 {
-	// NOTE: For now the renderFrame function will assume these are the same size
 	gl_buffer vertex_buffer;
+	gl_buffer vertex_normals;
 	gl_buffer color_buffer;
 	gl_index_buffer index_buffer;
 	GLuint program_id = 0;
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ struct gl_render_group
 	GLuint view_matrix_id = 0;
 	GLuint projection_matrix_id = 0;
 	GLuint vertex_array_id = 0;
+	bool use_normals = false;
 };
 
 typedef struct gl_buffer gl_buffer;
diff --git a/src/renderer.cpp b/src/renderer.cpp
index 9b02a5a..2718fff 100644
--- a/src/renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/renderer.cpp
@@ -426,7 +426,6 @@ createScene(std::vector<hex_info>* hexes, Entity* entities, uint32 entity_count)
 				GL_STATIC_DRAW, GL_ARRAY_BUFFER,  line_buf);
 
 	// free temporary buffers
-	// TODO: temp buffers won't be freed if exit early is hit
 	std::free(vbuf);
 	std::free(cbuf);
 	std::free(line_buf);
@@ -437,6 +436,8 @@ createScene(std::vector<hex_info>* hexes, Entity* entities, uint32 entity_count)
 	rgInitGLBufferObject(&g_debug_render_group->vertex_buffer, len,
 				GL_DYNAMIC_DRAW, GL_ARRAY_BUFFER,  0);
 
+	// entities
+
 	for (uint i = 0; i < entity_count; i++)
 		rgInitEntity(g_entity_render_group, &entities[i]);