Posted on Aug 9, 2015
Army celebrates 75 years of the American paratrooper. Will you be jumping on August 15th?
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The Army will honor the 75th anniversary of the American paratrooper with — what else? — a large jump into Fort Benning, Georgia.
The commemoration, led by the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade, will mark 75 years since the War Department approved the formation of a test platoon of airborne infantry from Fort Benning’s 29th Infantry Regiment. Less than 45 days after it was formed, on Aug. 16, 1940, members of the test platoon made their first jump from a Douglas B-18 over Lawson Army Airfield.
On Aug. 15, today’s paratroopers, along with the Liberty Jump Team, a group of civilian World War II airborne reenactors, will jump into that very same airfield.
“This entire year, we’ve been very cognizant of the 75th anniversary,” said Lt. Col. Korey Brown, commander of 1st Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Battalion, and commander of the U.S. Army Airborne School. “It’s a very key year for the airborne community.”
Read more at ...
http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/careers/army/2015/08/09/army-celebrates-75-years-american-paratrooper/31278775/
The commemoration, led by the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade, will mark 75 years since the War Department approved the formation of a test platoon of airborne infantry from Fort Benning’s 29th Infantry Regiment. Less than 45 days after it was formed, on Aug. 16, 1940, members of the test platoon made their first jump from a Douglas B-18 over Lawson Army Airfield.
On Aug. 15, today’s paratroopers, along with the Liberty Jump Team, a group of civilian World War II airborne reenactors, will jump into that very same airfield.
“This entire year, we’ve been very cognizant of the 75th anniversary,” said Lt. Col. Korey Brown, commander of 1st Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Battalion, and commander of the U.S. Army Airborne School. “It’s a very key year for the airborne community.”
Read more at ...
http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/careers/army/2015/08/09/army-celebrates-75-years-american-paratrooper/31278775/
Paratrooper
Airborne School
82nd ABN
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 33
Sorry Gunny. I will not be jumping that day. Im a dirty Leg, and I am proud of it
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GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad, No, as much as I would like to, I won't be jumping. I still remember my PLF's, keeping my toes pointed down, and looking straight ahead, but my bones are too sore now from all the previous jumps I made in the 82nd. 553 SGT.
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Sgt Tom Cunnally
Did you go through Jump Training at Fort Benning or Fort Brag?? I remember when 1st Recon Company at Camp Geiger formed the 1st Air Delivery Platoon. We were asked to volunteer to go through Jump School. Only one guy in my Company (1st Radio) got his jump badge and wore his "Jump Boots" . They did many of their practice jumps at Camp Geiger and we really respected these guys because they were not only "Jump Qualified" but were really into tough physical training with speed hikes, scuba, & long distance runs. All for about $50.00 added pay per month...
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SGT (Join to see)
Sgt Tom Cunnally, $55 a month. I did mine at Fort Benning, and when I got back from Nam, was stationed at Fort Bragg.
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GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad - Unfortunately, the only jumping I now do is jumping to conclusions and jumping through my butt several times a day.
I do, however, want to honor all current and former Airborne troopers.
I do, however, want to honor all current and former Airborne troopers.
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GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad, my last jump was on 31DEC76, so I'll not be leaping on 15AUG15! I also checked my logbook and I never made any Army jump on August 15 to celebrate the anniversary of the airborne.
A good friend of mine that I served with in the USAR is on the Liberty Jump Team.
A good friend of mine that I served with in the USAR is on the Liberty Jump Team.
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LTC Stephen C.
CW2 Donald Loughrey, no wonder we weren't celebrating the anniversary back in the seventies! Thanks for the info!
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**** UPDATE ****
WWII vets, others celebrate 75th anniversary of first Airborne jump at Benning ...
As he jumped out of a World War II era plane Saturday morning at Fort Benning, retired Lt. Col. Jon Ring was thinking about the very first paratroopers.
Ring was part of the Liberty Jump team, which helped celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first Airborne jump at Fort Benning in 1940 as the United States was gearing up for WWII.
“They were brave and bold, and they were right here 75 years ago,” said Ring, wearing a World War II era Army paratrooper uniform. “Do you know the night before the first jump, they passed around a steel bucket? Everyone put $5 in that bucket and the money was to be sent to the family of the one who didn’t make it. Back then they were not all that sure.”
All of the early jumpers survived, though their mission was new and risky.
About 230 current soldiers jumped into Lawson Army Airfield on Saturday to commemorate the anniversary of Airborne’s birth at the place it started. The 15 members of the Liberty Jump team flew in a C-47. The current soldiers jumped out of C-130s, C-17s and Black Hawk helicopters.
In 1940, the War Department approved the formation of a test platoon of Airborne Infantry from Fort Benning’s 29th Infantry Regiment. About six weeks after the platoon was formed, the first jump was made over Lawson Army Field the week of Aug. 16, 1940.
Saturday, the past touched the present as parachutes opened one by one above the airfield. For about two hours men and women jumped.
Read more here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/local/military/article31200122.html#storylink=cpy
===============================================
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/local/military/article31200122.html
===============================================
WWII vets, others celebrate 75th anniversary of first Airborne jump at Benning ...
As he jumped out of a World War II era plane Saturday morning at Fort Benning, retired Lt. Col. Jon Ring was thinking about the very first paratroopers.
Ring was part of the Liberty Jump team, which helped celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first Airborne jump at Fort Benning in 1940 as the United States was gearing up for WWII.
“They were brave and bold, and they were right here 75 years ago,” said Ring, wearing a World War II era Army paratrooper uniform. “Do you know the night before the first jump, they passed around a steel bucket? Everyone put $5 in that bucket and the money was to be sent to the family of the one who didn’t make it. Back then they were not all that sure.”
All of the early jumpers survived, though their mission was new and risky.
About 230 current soldiers jumped into Lawson Army Airfield on Saturday to commemorate the anniversary of Airborne’s birth at the place it started. The 15 members of the Liberty Jump team flew in a C-47. The current soldiers jumped out of C-130s, C-17s and Black Hawk helicopters.
In 1940, the War Department approved the formation of a test platoon of Airborne Infantry from Fort Benning’s 29th Infantry Regiment. About six weeks after the platoon was formed, the first jump was made over Lawson Army Field the week of Aug. 16, 1940.
Saturday, the past touched the present as parachutes opened one by one above the airfield. For about two hours men and women jumped.
Read more here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/local/military/article31200122.html#storylink=cpy
===============================================
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/news/local/military/article31200122.html
===============================================
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I've done the Normandy Anniversary jump ...way back when I was at Bragg....But have not jumped since I left my last airborne unit in Alaska. Pretty sure Im due for both JumpMaster Refresher and basic airborne refresher before Im qualified to jump again.
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GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad
Normandy Anniversary jump --- that must have been a site to see SGM Erik Marquez!
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SGM Erik Marquez
A once in a life time opportunity.. I did not fully appreciate at the time. Darn shame wisdom comes with age and not need.
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Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
To be fair, having seen the aircraft in our inventory.. can you say any of them are "perfectly good" as compared to "moderately functional?"
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LTC Stephen C.
SCPO (Join to see), I always looked at it the other way, especially when I was skydiving. If the plane had a problem, the pilot likely had to ride that bad boy down. However, when faced with the same circumstances, I had a choice. If I thought the plane wasn't going to make it, or I didn't know the pilot very well, all I had to do was jump. I KNEW I could get myself down in one piece under a canopy! GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
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SGT (Join to see)
SCPO (Join to see), They rattled and squeaked a little l buy were fine aircraft jump out of. I wouldn't want to on a long trip in any, except the C-141.
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