elm_creek_smith
US Veteran
Never went Airborne. Seems they couldn't airdrop tanks.
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ANY PARATROOPERS?
- Thread starter crazyphil
- Start date
OLDNAVYMCPO
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
I was a Navy Parachutist, a paratrooper is a whole different breed of cat. Paratroopers are trained to fight, usually surrounded and often without officer leadership. They are taught to use their own initiative and to fight alone if necessary.
Although I went thru Benning in July 1969, I would not pretend to be a paratrooper. My uncle Johnny was in the 82nd his entire 20+ years in the Army, jumped into Normandie and Holland. Now he was a paratrooper and a mean moto-scooter.
The photo is me at Ft. Benning in 1969. Only Navy in my class. On the last jump, some butter bar was slipping with the wind, slipped below my chute, stole my air. I fell thru his canopy and wiped him out on landing. I called him a few choice names.
Although I went thru Benning in July 1969, I would not pretend to be a paratrooper. My uncle Johnny was in the 82nd his entire 20+ years in the Army, jumped into Normandie and Holland. Now he was a paratrooper and a mean moto-scooter.
The photo is me at Ft. Benning in 1969. Only Navy in my class. On the last jump, some butter bar was slipping with the wind, slipped below my chute, stole my air. I fell thru his canopy and wiped him out on landing. I called him a few choice names.
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handejector
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Au contraire, Dai Wi.
In the 60's, the 1st Brigade, 8th Inf Div, stationed at Mainz, W. Germany, was both airborne and mechanized. I don't know if the other brigades were both or not. As far as I know, it was the only outfit at the time that was both airborne and mechanized. We could jump with attached armor that had M-60 Tanks at that time. We also could jump with deuce and a half's, APC's, artillery (105's), and the Colonel's jeep.
The theory was we formed a first strike, rapidly deployable and highly mobile unit to be used if the Russians got feisty. We were gonna be the speed bump dropped into the Fulda Gap to slow down a few divisions of Russian Tanks.
You know- kinda like stopping a charging cape buffalo with a real mean and highly motivated dachshund.
We could have cost them at least 15 or 20 minutes.
BLACKHAWKNJ
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I was in the 12th Engineer Battalion, 8th Infantry Division, 1970-1971, A Company was airborne, the rest of us were mech. The M551 Sheridan was developed-and adopted-as a "quasi" tank that could be more easily air landed. In WWII the British had the Tetrarch light tank, we had the M22 Locust, they were intended to be glider landed.
ChuckS1
US Veteran
Another Pathfinder here, Lee. I was at Lee Barracks in Mainz in 1987-90. I was assigned to the forward support battalion headquarters, along with the DS maintenance company. Back then, 1-8 IN, 3-8 IN and 4-34 AR were on the kaserne.
This reminds me of an interesting incident, a coupla
months ago. Saw a (new to me) gunshop had opened
in my area, and stopped in. Proprietor was wearing an
82d cap AND t-shirt...ok.
"So, you were in the 82d?"
"Yep, eight years (or--he may have said eleven years-- it's
been a few months)!"
"How many jumps?"
"Fifty two."
<thinking to myself...>
"You jumpmastered fifty two jumps?"
"No, 52 jumps. You gotta go
to jumpmaster school, to be
a jumpmaster."
Mmm hmm...ok.
Didn't buy a thing from him.
months ago. Saw a (new to me) gunshop had opened
in my area, and stopped in. Proprietor was wearing an
82d cap AND t-shirt...ok.
"So, you were in the 82d?"
"Yep, eight years (or--he may have said eleven years-- it's
been a few months)!"
"How many jumps?"
"Fifty two."
<thinking to myself...>
"You jumpmastered fifty two jumps?"
"No, 52 jumps. You gotta go
to jumpmaster school, to be
a jumpmaster."
Mmm hmm...ok.
Didn't buy a thing from him.
Ivan the Butcher
Member
When my son was in jump school, #2 son and I went his graduation. In his class was a USMC bird colonel, his jump wings were pinned on by his USMC Privet FC (E2) son, who had graduated about a month before.
ivan
ivan
Bozz10mm
US Veteran
Okay, I think I'm missing your point here. ??? I had to go to jump master school to become a jump master.
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He said fifty two jumps...in eight years.
ron_c
US Veteran
That's about 6 jumps each year, or every 2 months. We were suppose to make one jump every 3 months to stay on jump pay and status but it was found out more injuries would occur and guys had more time to think about if it was worth it or not, so they would jump us about every 6 weeks.
Back then, some of the NCO's would want to go on home and not have to hang around for a jump at the end of the day and these guys already had lots of jumps anyway, so they would pay the lower ranked $10 to make the jump in their name. You got to jump but not the credit and $10 (this was in '65 to '67) but they get the credit for the jump. Just before I left the 82nd and went into the 101st, they put a stop to this.
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Hmm...I was thinking status required a lot more than 4 jumps a year...but it's been awhile!
The swapping names is wild. USAF would have had a conniption fit if they thought the manifest was hinky. We had to show dog tags and ID card before every jump.
Sorry, I'm still missing the point, too. I had just over 50 jumps in 11 years on jump status. I also never went to Jump Master school. Could have, just never did.
Out you go
During a Jump School jump, a guy froze in the door of a C141. The Black hat instructors went into an immediate action drill. Two beat on his hands while one did a pull up on the air frame, swinging toward the guy, kicking him out the door. He had a static line and made it ok. Guy had no trouble after that. He said it was less scary just jumping than being kicked out the door!
During a Jump School jump, a guy froze in the door of a C141. The Black hat instructors went into an immediate action drill. Two beat on his hands while one did a pull up on the air frame, swinging toward the guy, kicking him out the door. He had a static line and made it ok. Guy had no trouble after that. He said it was less scary just jumping than being kicked out the door!
I agree. JM was not required for most guys. JM was extra responsibility and hassle. Many long time guys jumped every quarter, or 4 times a year. There was no issue with it. Commanders and 1SG's generally had to be JM qualified, but all others were volunteers.
Double-O-Dave
US Veteran
Our "Class Leader" when I attended Basic Medic School at Ft. Sam Houston was a "red beret" - a parachutist from the 82nd Airborne. I think the only reason they made him the class leader was that he was the only jump qualified student - that and he was a big son of a gun that really looked good in uniform. But my goodness, that guy was so full of it. He constantly told all of the men that they weren't real men unless they were jump qualified, and he thought he was God's gift to women. He was truly insufferable.
Two things I don't think he was ever without was his red (actually, maroon colored) beret, and a Samsonite briefcase. One day, on a class break, he left his briefcase on his desk with his beret prominently placed on top of the lid, and carefully centered on it. It looked sharp - I don't think anyone in Hollywood or in advertising could have made a more impressive looking display. Of course, things went south pretty fast once he tried to pick up his beret to don it and found that someone had decided to crazy glue the briefcase to the desktop, and his beret to the top of the briefcase.
Years later I did a detail with some paratroopers from the 101st Airborne ("Screaming Eagles"), and I was very popular for telling that tale.
Regards,
Dave
Two things I don't think he was ever without was his red (actually, maroon colored) beret, and a Samsonite briefcase. One day, on a class break, he left his briefcase on his desk with his beret prominently placed on top of the lid, and carefully centered on it. It looked sharp - I don't think anyone in Hollywood or in advertising could have made a more impressive looking display. Of course, things went south pretty fast once he tried to pick up his beret to don it and found that someone had decided to crazy glue the briefcase to the desktop, and his beret to the top of the briefcase.
Years later I did a detail with some paratroopers from the 101st Airborne ("Screaming Eagles"), and I was very popular for telling that tale.
Regards,
Dave
BLACKHAWKNJ
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Jump Master School was more of a ticket punch, it was one of the Required Merit Badges-along with Ranger School, Jungle Expert, Expert Infantryman's Badge-for officers. I knew an E-6, he said he had over 50 jumps, still wore the novice wings because he couldn't get a slot for Jump Master School.
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I googled, and sure enough...one jump every 90 days. Seemed like a low number, so I figured he mean't he'd JM'd that many. That's where the question on jumpmastering came in. That's "the point."
Cumulatively, my average was about 4 jumps/month, but some were in RIP--we'd do anywhere from four to six jumps, Monday was "Jump Day".
