76th National Airborne Day
That’s COB6 giving you the six minute warning above.
National Airborne Day is set on the day of the first parachute jump conducted by the US Army’s Parachute Test Platoon on August 16th, 1940.
On the morning of 16 August 1940 the jump began. After the C-33 leveled off at 1500 feet and flew over the jump field, Lt. Ryder was in the door ready to jump. Warrant Officer Wilson knelt in the door waiting to pass the Go Point. When this was reached, he slapped Lt. Ryder on the leg and the first jump was made. Now Number One moved into position. Slap! “Go! Jump!”
Still no movement.
It was too late now to jump on this pass. Mr. Wilson motioned Number One to go back to his seat. As the plane circled Mr. Wilson talked to Number One. Number One wanted another chance. Okay, this time we’ll do it. Back into the jumping position and once again, slap!
Sadly, no movement. Number One returned to his seat.
Private William N. “Red” King moved into the jumping position in the door. Slap! Out into American military immortality leaped Red King… the first enlisted man of the test platoon to jump out of an airplane. Number One was transferred to another post and anonymity. Now there were forty-seven. Was Number One a coward? I don’t think many experienced jumpers would say so. There are things some men cannot do at a given time. Possibly another time would have been fine. He wanted to. He intended to. He just could not… at least that morning.
The first US airborne operation was in support of Operation Torch, November 1942, in North Africa when 531 members of the 2nd Battalion 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment flew 1600 miles in 39 C-47s, of which only ten aircraft dropped their pacs, the rest landed because of navigation difficulties and low fuel.
Fifteen years ago, 3rd Battalion, 75th Rangers secured an airfield in Kandahar in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on October 19, 2001. On March 23rd, 2003, A Company, 3/75th conducted an airborne operation to secure an airfield in Northern Iraq a few days before the 173rd Airborne Brigade parachuted into Northern Iraq when the Turks wouldn’t allow the 4th Infantry Division to off-load and invade Iraq from their borders.
In years past, the 82d Airborne Division Association, mostly the DC Chapter, had to lobby to get recognition for National Airborne Day from the Senate every year, until 2009 when the Senate made it permanent.
We used to get a Presidential Proclamation every year, but for some reason, we haven’t had any since 2008.
Category: Historical
And all this time I thought that COB6 was ordering beers for himself and five of his closest friends….
Happy Anniversary to you guys who wear the little wings. Before my glorious career as a slinger of tear gas, I was Army Aviation – our wings are bigger. Maybe because we didn’t jump out half way through the flight….
It was actually beers for himself and one of his closest friends.
Kudos to those like Jonn and BOB6 who went through the school and earned their wings.
I never had the desire to go to Airborne school and jump out of any aircraft that was built for the government by the lowest bidder.
I was proud to say that I was a leg my entire career, which started as an infantryman with the 10th Mountain Division’s 1st Bn, 87th Infantry Regiment, and ended 24 years, 4 months later as a supply clerk with the 27th IBCT’s 427th BSB.
During my career, I was MOS qualified as infantry, an MP, a mechanic, and a supply clerk.
COB6 was ordering 6 pizzas and 6 six-packs of beer.
Happy Birthday to all Airbornes everywhere!
Congratulations and may Saint Micheal, Patron Saint of Paratroopers, watch over you. Crazy Bastards!
Yeah baby! Where’s the beer?!?
Props and utmost respect for those who jump from an aircraft. I’d like to say I, too, would muster the courage (or insanity) to do the same, but I’m not so sure. Props, folks …
DEATH FROM ABOVE!!
I received my wings at Bennings on 12 June 1969.
The aircraft they used at that time was the C119 (Flying Boxcar).
http://www.theaviationzone.com/images/vintage/c119/bin/c82_01.jpg
http://home.hiwaay.net/~magro/parac119cut.jpg
Was scared s–tless the first jump, & afraid of heights, but was young, dumb, and full of
c–…..well you can fill in the blanks on that
word. 😉
Later went on to jump out of Hueys, C141’s (side door & ramp), Beavers (small fixed wing), and a couple of other aircraft I can’t remember the names of.
LMAO
Just realized I had jumped out of a “Beaver”.
Got to be some kind of joke there.
I’m pretty sure we’ve all made that jump. 😉
Damn that was a BIG Beaver !!!!!!
????????????
It’s all those beers that get you into that beaver!!!
In reality unless you were delivered by C-section, we all jumped out of a Beaver.
sorry martin..I missed your comment. Derp
Got my basic wings on 11/08/1968. Then, after Ranger school, I went to the 2nd Bn, 509th PIR, at Robt. E. Lee Barracks, in Mainz, W.Germany. I was unaware of that unit’s historic first combat jump. Thanks for the history lesson, Jonn.
There were times I was uncertain if I could do it, once I did though there was no stopping me. Especially when near the front of the chalk, because once it starts moving you were going no matter what.
Airborne! All the Way! Let’s Go!
02/02/1984
rb325….
Were you in the 325th Regiment @ Bragg?
I was with Co A 2d Bn 325th Inf 82D ABN from
Oct 1970 to Sept 1971.
We were the “White Falcons” (which I’m guessing has been changed due to PC-ness)
B 3/325, A 4/325, and HHC 4/325 1984-1987
I actually served with the same group of guys for 3 years or so. Basic right through as a Company. We were at Bragg a year, then to Italy, and back to Bragg.
2nd is still White Falcons, 1st is Red.
3rd and 4th no longer exist. 3rd was reflagged to the 508th, but is now back in the regiment. 4th was deactivated in the 90’s.
Side note, 1/509th in Italy was reflagged the 4/325 to align it with 2nd brigade (though not under its command). it was done as they were going to rotate the Bn.s between Bragg and Italy, they only did it once. Clusterfuck, and not worth the money they spent to do it in my opinion.
(fist bump)
Ft. Bragg aka the home of the “Jumping Junkies” back in the 70’s. (smile)
That term is still used….though I don’t hear it as much as I did just 5 years ago.
Not enough money in the world….
Ex-PH2…
Come on up to Wisconsin and I’ll strap you into a Parasail….fairly close to the real thing.
Great view, being outdoors, lottsa fun.
Being a former Navy Photographer, you would be near the water & be able to take great pics!
What’s not to like about it? (smile)
Oh, I like flying. It’s those flying dinosaurs that get on my nerves!
I may take you up on that. Winter is coming soon.
I guess I’m cheap because $155/month was enough for me!
$110/mo jump pay when base pay for a 2LT in ’63 was $222.30. Hell yes. Took a huge pay cut when went off status for a PCS.
Congrats! I admire you dirt darts but there was a good reason I never took to the sky or open waters. Besides, the 1ST SGT was in need of someone to paint his yellow lines and keep him out of the CO’s parking spot and mow his damn lawn once a week, too. 😉
“Of the Troops, For the Troops”
We all know why jump school is 3 weeks long, right?
Week 1: Separate the men from the boys.
Week 2: Separate the men from the fools.
Week 3: The fools jump. 😀
My two proudest days in the Army: April 1991 when I had my jump wings hammered into my chest and September 1995 when I completed the jumpmaster course.
I’ll bet I’m not the only former JM who can still do “JMPI Tai Chi” in my sleep. 😉
My company ran a Jump Master course in the early 90’s and I taught JMPI. No cheat cards strictly from memory. To this day 2 things are embedded in my brain housing group. 1. Parachute nomenclature and 2. Morse Code, I sound out or tap street signs, billboards, hell everything.(this drives my wife ape shit as I’m tapping my thigh like I’m wearing a leg key)
PS: Thanks for posting this, Jonn.
Speaking of momentous days – yesterday (8/15) was the 71st anniversary of the end of the bloodiest conflict in human history. Didn’t seem to make the news though, at least not that I saw.
No shit, there I was standing on the ramp at jump school, waiting on the TACs to call roster numbers for the first jump of the week. My number was called last and we marched to the awaiting C-130. I was thinking that was good because I would be able to watch a few jumps before it would be my turn.
Once we were aboard, we were told to turn around…..
Airborne!
Ha LMAO
Feet and knees together!
Happy anniversary to my brother (82nd Airborne in the 80s) and my son – whose unit just patched over from the T Patch to the 173rd.
http://kxan.com/2016/08/13/camp-mabry-hosts-historic-ceremony-for-texas-military/
It was a proud day when my brother got to pin his wings on my son – the proper way not the PC way.
Make an ol’ man bust his buttons.
Congrats to all the Airborne out here
Call me legs because there is no reason to jump out of a perfectly fine plain…
???✈️✈️✈️✈️????
we keep saying this: the aforementioned C119, C123, and the C124 were not “perfectly fine planes”. You were glad to get out of them.
??????
That’s what my son keeps saying. Still true!
Happy Birthday, Airborne!
I had an uncle who was in the 82nd.
Semper Fi!
Damn, none of you guys were in the 101st?
I went to jump school at Fort Campbell in December 1959 and went on to serve in the 101st MP Detachment then Echo Company, 1st Airborne Battle Group, 327th Infantry, Bravo and HHC, 2d Battalion, 506th Airborne Infantry, all 101st Airborne units at Fort Campbell, with a six month TDY to the United States Army Exhibit Unit, Cameron Station, VA; then Bravo and HHC, 2d Battalion, 327th Airborne Infantry, 101st Airborne, Republic of Vietnam, 1965-66; and my last assignment, brigade staff CBR NCO, 2d Brigade 82d Airborne Division.
Although serving in both airborne divisions, I’m a Screaming Eagle, through and through.
Happy Airborne Day to all you old troopers out there and all you young troopers still serving.
I was.
Me too: 2/503 …. but when it was Air Assault (-_-).
At least I can still claim to be “101st Airborne” (aka Puking Buzzard).
Happy Birthday all you Airborne troops. God bless you all.
I literally grew up in the Airborne and SF communities: born at Benning and raised at Bragg. As children, we would often go to Sicily DZ to watch the drops — many times Dad was jumping. So, I had no apprehension about making my first jump in 1980. I got to be #1 three times at Benning and I loved standing in the door looking at the tiny ants below. Loved the feel of the “breeze between my knees.”
I had full trust in my instructors and equipment, and my training (I received a Junior Parachutist certificate in 1958 after going out the 35′ mock tower — adjusted for height, probably).
However …. I never had that same comfortable feeling when jumping helicopters. I was a Leg Ranger, so didn’t get to pop my cherry until some time after Jump School at SFQC (I was amongst Barry Saddler’s other 97, unfortunately). I did NOT like jumping the Huey; the Blackhawk was okay …. but I much rather jump the C-130 or C-141.
Loved being in the door. The view was great and you didn’t have to deal with the stick push. Loved helos: boots on skid and away and a longer ride down with time to look around. Best part of helos was you avoided the 0400 show time for a 1000 drop and AF BS including an hour ride around NC in summertime turbulence. Oh and helos were usually Hollywoods!
Enjoy fellow Sky Troopers!
https://www.facebook.com/DeptofDefense/videos/10152921084180719/
Me too…I’d rather be first or last.
You bring back some good memories, SJ, of sergeant majors walking through battalion and brigade headquarters bellowing, “”Any body wanta jump this afternoon?” Those jumps were always with officers and as a result they were always Hollywoods. Because it was primarily officers jumping it was always Hueys and a very informal, relaxed atmosphere, so there was no Air Force BS, no long, stomach-churning rides with a ton of gear hanging on you.
There was amazingly, little official accountability. I don’t think all of those fun jumps made it into my records. I know for sure that I served as a last-minute fill-in more than once and so was not on the manifest.
Whatever, it made for a great afternoon away from the desk. Damn all, this old trooper misses those days.
Amen. And you drove to the DZ in your POV. But, I was more quarterly droppage.
I had a Mae West on my 2nd jump at Benning (Nov ’63) because I screwed up the exit and tumbled through the risers. Last guy in the stick and first on the ground. Reserve didn’t work. Helmet chin strap ripped, not at a seam, and was 20 yards away.
They hauled my ass in an ambulance and wanted to board/recycle me. No way I’d be recycled so jumped twice the next day and graduated. Later found I had crushed vertebrae.
2 salt tablets and drive on.
So, took me some time to regain confidence in the system but it came and I learned to enjoy it again but Dom Rep and a PCS came along. My wet dream was to come back and be the 82nd Signal BN CO. Didn’t happen but I still had a fantastic career because of tours with the 82nd at Bragg and VN and the 1/101 in VN. Airborne. Geeze out.
In the mid 90’s at Bragg we didn’t get a lot of USAF time so we would do proficiency jumps out at Ste. Mere Eglise DZ off of Chicken Road. Drive your POV out to the DZ, wait for the AAFES food truck to show up for a hot sandwich and coffee, and conduct pre-jump and manifest call.
Then About 0730 a Blackhawk, or sometimes a contracted Huey, or Twin Otter, or CASA-212, or even a by-god DC-3 (AKA C-47) would show up. We’d jump, walk back to the assembly area, pick up another ‘chute, and jump again.
Since we were an SF unit we jumped MC-1C low-porosity parachutes so you landed with a gentle bump, in contrast to the poor SOBs from the 82nd who jumped T-10s from 800’ and landed like a sack of shit.
Good times! I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss it.
Pucker factor. The patient lives. The diagnosis is at the end.
Where the hell do they jump like that with their arms and legs flailing? US Paratroopers have it drilled into their heads to maintain a tight body position until the canopy opens.
Comments on the Youtube page say they are Brits.
I guess it is better than the Fallschirmjäger Swan Dive (see rt 1:15) used in WW2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLxkRa4W53Q
Mock Tower (see rt 1:15)
Out the door: (rt 2.56)
J.S. Feller
Happy Airborne Day!
BAC Fall ’10 when I was an instructor with C co 2-29 IN. Nothing like it… (Not staying in those antique barracks was probably the best part)
HAPPY AIRBORNE DAY! Wait! I thought the Dallassclown was the first to jump? I get it after checking the year.
WITTLESS fell out of his mum and landed on his head…
That’s why he can’t find me or PROUD..we’re in Florida and PROUD surprised me with our buddy Grog, TEACHING ME TO FLY A HELICOPTER for FREE….