The Briefing Room

General Category => Military/Defense News => Topic started by: famousdayandyear on August 20, 2013, 07:14:15 pm

Title: Through The Eyes Of A Paratrooper
Post by: famousdayandyear on August 20, 2013, 07:14:15 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nZVSDYgSM8
Title: Re: Through The Eyes Of A Paratrooper
Post by: Ford289HiPo on August 20, 2013, 09:13:47 pm
Geez! He's jumping a T-10 parachute! Those were old when I went through Jump School.
Title: Re: Through The Eyes Of A Paratrooper
Post by: Ford289HiPo on August 20, 2013, 09:15:15 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWgsdexkv18
Title: Re: Through The Eyes Of A Paratrooper
Post by: famousdayandyear on August 20, 2013, 10:01:15 pm
Geez! He's jumping a T-10 parachute! Those were old when I went through Jump School.

My husband was in 101st Fort Campbell.  August 16 was National Airborne Day.  Once he told me his first night jump made his heart beat fast--scary sh*t he said.  Only time he ever admitted such a thing.  During jump school they lost some--unanticipated strong ground cross wind.

And they had some tanglers.
Title: Re: Through The Eyes Of A Paratrooper
Post by: Ford289HiPo on August 21, 2013, 12:08:10 am
My husband was in 101st Fort Campbell.  August 16 was National Airborne Day.  Once he told me his first night jump made his heart beat fast--scary sh*t he said.  Only time he ever admitted such a thing.  During jump school they lost some--unanticipated strong ground cross wind.

And they had some tanglers.

I have to admit.....I had 87 jumps in 10 years, 86 of them were "night" jumps (eyes screwed shut!).

I had one in Germany where we were dropped out at 800 ft in high winds over an artillery impact area at night. The white lights were on in the aircraft, so we had no night vision...blind as bats. As soon as my chute opened, I lowered my rucksack. Instead if it jerking on my harness, it went "Plop". I went "Oh SH*T", and hit the ground. The winds drug my chute up one tree, and I was drug up the next tree. I managed to extricate myself and recover my ruck, but the chute was hopelessly entangled in the tree so I left it and made my way to the assembly area. On the way, I tripped over something that made a distinct metallic "clunk". I pulled out my flashlight and found that I had tripped over an inert artillery shell (whew....).

All-in-all, I made it out of there with a few bruises and bumps. Several others were injured. It was just a bad call to jump that night.

______________________________________________

Now, Jump School had some crazy stunts. We had a SEAL Pup (Trainee) who cut away from his chute about 40ft above the ground. He landed in the muddy creek bed that goes through the middle of Fryar Drop Zone and broke 3 tarsal bones. He reminded me of a lawn jart.

For the graduation jump, parents and relatives were allowed to go to the drop zone and watch. One student decided that he was going to land as close to the roofed viewing pavilion as he could. Well, he did. He landed on top of the roof, did a parachute landing fall on the roof, then slid off and landed like a sack of dirty laundry on the ground. As he lay there moaning, out of the pavilion comes his dad, taking pictures of his son like any proud father would, telling everyone, "That's my son!" , "That's my son"!

We had a passage of rights called "Blood Wings" where the metal wings were attached to the uniform, and the Black Hats (instructors)would punch the new paratrooper in the chest to "pin" the wings into them. One trooper wanted it done in front of his family by the 1SG, so the 1SG obligingly pinned the wings on his uniform and punched the kid in the chest. The kid passed out.......................... :whistle:
Title: Re: Through The Eyes Of A Paratrooper
Post by: famousdayandyear on August 21, 2013, 12:46:31 am
I think my husband is an adrenaline junkie; kept base jumping until a few years ago "for fun" he claims.  yall have my deepest respect--I get all the adrenaline I need just by leaving the house for a trip to the range. 
Title: Re: Through The Eyes Of A Paratrooper
Post by: Ford289HiPo on August 23, 2013, 03:24:40 am
I think my husband is an adrenaline junkie; kept base jumping until a few years ago "for fun" he claims.  yall have my deepest respect--I get all the adrenaline I need just by leaving the house for a trip to the range. 

I don't know how people can do that. I went across the bridge at Royal Gorge in Colorado and closed my eyes. I did the same on the observation deck at the Tower of the America's in San Antonio.

I HATE heights!  :scared smiley:
Title: Re: Through The Eyes Of A Paratrooper
Post by: EC on August 23, 2013, 04:11:53 am
You jumpers are - with all due respect - completely insane.

Only did 10 - and 6 of those were qualifying jumps. Scared the crap out of me every time, and I am being literal. You seriously don't want to be underneath me during a jump.