Air-Borne

[39mto39g]

Thanks to all for information

Ron

[frisco-kid]

You're welcome, Bud.

[exlrrp]

Originally posted by PHO127 Much like the others, Got to go to Jumpmaster School at 8th ID in Maintz, Germany. The 8th had a basic jump school there also. on one of the mass tacticals we were flying out of Sembach and jumping on a DZ called Dermstein. Dermstein DZ was a long valley with grape vineyards on the hill sides. When making the final approach and comming in over the village the jump was greenlighted about a mile too soon. We jumped into the grape vinyards. You couldn't have drivin a 20 penny nail up my ass with a 10 pound sledge hammer. It was winter and you were not able to see the thousands of wooden stakes sticking up from the ground untill about 500 feet up, then it became apparent we were in a lot of trouble. They say you can not slip a T10 and they are correct. I had pulled down the risers and was grabbing handfulls of line to try and slip the chute, when I looked up at the chute it was almost sideways and I let go of all the line. As I recall, 28 of us hit in the vineyards and not one person got a scratch. One guy landed on top of a VW van and broke his leg when he fell off the Van.

I think about the scaredest I ever was jumping was the time I came down through the trees. This was in Panama and most of our drop zones were very short compared to the ones in Bragg. They had 10 second drop zones which meant no more than 12 very quick people. We also wore water wings for al the time flying over water
Someone had froze in the door for a few seconds and it was enough to send the last 4 guys out into the trees.
You can't slip a T10?? news to me, I must have been frting in panic. Guess you can't walk across the tops of trees either but I was trying to. I came crashing down through some20' high trees, legas together about as tight as I could, wound up swinging about 6' off the ground fairly scrunched in th groin area.
The person who froze in the door got a sevre talking to and had to jump last from then on.

[nataliemarie]

I loved reading all your accounts of jump school.. thank you so much for posting those! Here's mine ...

To be airborne wasn't in my original contract. I had thought about it, and admired those who had gone through the school. But, it wasn't until AIT that I decided I wanted to be a paratrooper. Every Thursday our company attended "Values Training".. we would sit down for an episode of Band Of Brothers, and then review every Army Value we could pull from their story (which was more of a privilege than a chore..). It was while watching the story of our men.. our first paratroopers, that I made up my mind.

I wasn't alone in thinking this (God had a plan too), because a few months later while standing in formation, my drill sgt asked if anyone would like to volunteer for an airborne slot. (Let's just say its not real pertinent for a 96D to jump out of planes.. so this was a huge opportunity for me). I threw up my hand.. and a month later was signing the proper paperwork.

I went through jump school less than a year ago, in March of 2003. We were yelled at, made to run everywhere with no exceptions (not so good when you just finished chow..), woke up before the sun for some good PT, were given a number instead of a name... and I loved it. I smiled the whole time (except when the black hats were around of course).

Ground week: This marks the beginnings of learning how to fall. The Parachute Landing Fall. Left side, right side, back, front.. needless to say I was hurting after this whole ordeal of falling into a gravel pit for 5 long days. But.. I loved it. I remember our last day of ground week, we were back at the company.. only half an hour, and then we'd be released for the day.. and then, "Hey Airbone, (directed my way) get over here... run down to the pit (the gravel we were falling in all week) you and the other four square it away." Apparently the pit of rocks was too bumpy for the weekend. Nothing like attention to detail.. Airborne!

Tower Week: Along with experiencing our first "jumps" out of a C-130 mockup, we jumped out of a 34' tower and of course dropped from the 250' beast of tower. I don't see why everyone was so scared... it was like a ride at a carnival! "In the hole Poleman! In the hole!" Peaceful, if you will. Okay, maybe thats a bit of a reach.. but I still loved it!

Jump Week: We woke up, formed up, ran to the hangar, harnessed up... all good to go. You could hear the silence. Each of us were stuck between a feeling of pure anxiety and excitement.. and the absolute dread of "what if.." And then, when we had finally convinced ourselves that we were ready and were pumped up to do this.. the weather went bad. The winds were too fast, the ceiling not right. There was no way we were going to jump today. So we'd try it the next day, still no jump.. and again, the next.. still no luck. THEN, when we all though we may never get to jump out of that bird... it was go time!

My first Jump: All I remember is trying to waddle onto the back of the bird... sitting as close as I could to the guy to my right and the guy to my left.. and then it was "10 minutes!", the next thing I knew we were standing.. going through all of our checks.. I shuffled to the door...and as I handed my static line off to the jump master, we hit a thermal. An air pocket, a thermal, turbulence.. whatever you want to call it, the plane jumped up and down like it just won the lotto! I flew forward and met the far edge of the door.. face first. My nose was bleeding and my eyes filled with water.. all I could think was "Go.. proper exit, check body position... JUMP!" But, I couldn't see the door! Never fear, SGT Airborne came to the rescue.. and booted me right out!

Jump 2, 3, 4, and 5: .... nice

Airborne school was the experience of a lifetime, the best training I've ever received and I couldn't be more proud to be a paratrooper! God bless all those who went before me, those serving now, and those to follow. Broken nose and all... I loved it!

AIRBORNE!

Respectfully,
PFC Natalie Hughes

[nataliemarie]

Class 20-03
A Co 1/507th PIR
Ft. Benning, GA

[Keith_Hixson]

Which one is you?
How many women in the class? ( 3 or 4)

Keith :cd:

[nataliemarie]

There were 5 women in our class at this point.. the picture was taken at the start of tower week. By the time we graduated however, there were 3 of us..
I'm all the way to the right on the second row from the bottom.. the one smiling!

Natalie

[1CAVCCO15MED]

And thank you for what you are doing for your country. As long as there are old, grumpy Vietnam veterans around you will never lack for gratitude or a welcome home.

[PHO127]

posted this before, if so, so what. My youngest, shortly after jump school

[frisco-kid]

I think that is very cool. Did you have to take a PT test to qualify to go to the school? We did back then. There were quite a few guys that wanted to go airborne, but were unable to because of the PT test.

Which girls in your picture dropped out? How many in your class dropped out? It seems to me that when I went through, it was something like 20%. Made me that much more proud to have completed the course. If it was easy, everybody would do it .

What type plane[s] did you make your jumps from?

Stand tall, trooper. I'm proud to call you a fellow paratrooper, and am grateful for your service.