Preists and Parachutes

[PHO127]

I went to Jumpmaster school at the 8th infantry jump school in Mainz, Germany. We had to jumpmaster a cherry jump and prior to the jump the Chaplains were giving a short service for the jumpers. There was a Protestant and Catholic Chaplin and a Rabbi there to give a quick service for those who wanted to attend. I wandered by each group as they were being talked to by the Chaplains, the Protestant Chaplin was preaching hell-fire and brimstone, the Rabbi was orthodox and I didn't know was he was preaching but as I came up on the Catholic Priest his first remarks to his group were "alright, any of you ckickin $h!Ts don't want to jump with me get the F---- out of here now." He continued on about how the airplane was gods own and if you were hurt it was your own fault because you had been trained by the best. The Chaplains were the only persons that got to be picked up and ride to the chute truck. Anyone else walked and that was from the division CO on down.

[Keith_Hixson]

I saw an interview on the D-day landing. The guy said he saw a chute that didn't quite open and the guy hit real hard. He went over to him expecting to see the worst. The guy stood but sat right back down, he had a broken ankle and that was the extent of his injuries, but he noticed his rank, Captain, then he notice he was a Chaplain. He said to himself I guess rank does have its privileges.

Keith

[DMZ-LT]

Thank you for dinner toinight , bro and the arty fire 31 years ago and for so much more. We are both very lucky people.