ONE-ONE THOUSAND

I watched ‘In Harm’s Way’ last night from my movie collection. It’s a 1965 black & white, WW2 movie that feels older than it is. I’m not a big John Wayne fan but I like this movie. Today’s movies go to great lengths for authenticity and a feel for the real so I notice things that don’t add up. I have ridden in and jumped out of lots of airplanes and even though it’s been a long time, I haven’t lost that sensibility. A parachute drop is one of the important parts of the plot and I noticed flaws there that nobody else would. There was a shortage of aircraft and they schemed to get some R-4’s from another unit but in the scene the borrowed planes were C-47’s. The ‘Duke’ goes along for the ride, stands by the door as soldiers jump. In that real world scenario, the doorway is a turbulent place with prop-wash but nothing was flapping. The movie set looked alright but it was obvious they were not in the air. Big John sat in the back next to the open door and spoke to the pilot when in truth he wouldn’t have been able to hear himself, much less the pilot. Everybody knows something about something and can pick movies apart so I’m not criticizing, just saying. 

I was a parachute rigger in the peace-time army of the early 60’s, before Viet Nam. When I was in jump school we used a mock-up of a C-123 where we practiced. We would wear dummy parachutes, go through the protocol, line up, hook up then on command, “Stand in the door” the first guy in the stick put both hands outside so he could pull himself out and the toe of one boot across the threshold. Then the jump-master would shout “Go” and we launched ourselves out the door into the pit a foot below, hopping out of the way of the next jumper, counting the five count and looking up, reaching up to check the canopy which should have been open by then. Then we did it again, and again. There was always somebody telling you what you didn’t do or did wrong. On our first, ‘Cherry’ jump it was from a C-123, just like the mock-up. But in flight you realize with the noise and the motion, crowded together, the jump wouldn’t be like the practice. 

We flew arund for at least an hour before we got the command to check our equipment,  then to hook up. Hooked up, standing up, all I could see was the parachute of the guy in front of me. That was all I could see as the first jumper went out the door. You could feel the cold air rushing in and around, hear the sound of feet on the floor and the wind. You really can’t see anything until there are only two, maybe three guys between you and the door. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. All the hype about freezing up in the door; you had to be conditioned to jump without thinking about it. We trained and trained until it was second nature and nobody was going to freeze. But as the 2nd guy in front of me moved to the jump position in the door, waiting for the “Go”, our drill sergeant jump-master pulled his static line out of the way. Instead of shouting the “Go” command he put a foot on the jumpers butt and kicked him out the door. I was shocked. They went to all the trouble to train me and I was going to be kicked out the door. When the guy in front of me got kicked out I knew that was BS. As the Man reached for my static line I moved up but I didn’t stop. I kept on going and like to believe I made it out before he could get his foot on my butt. Everything went like it was supposed to. On the ground I thought it was supposed to be more exciting and I just wasn’t feeling it. Four more jumps in two days and we were ready to graduate, sew new wings on all of our uniforms. 

Static line jumps are one thing while free fall is another. I joined the unit sport parachute club soon after and went through another training regime. This time you fall free for a while, for fun, five seconds at first and working your way up to higher altitudes and longer free falls. By then it was clear, no questions; a military career was not in my cards. I didn’t hate it but then I knew I would get out soon. When you get lemons you make lemonade. I jumped with a civilian parachute club after I got out and had two great years with them. You reach a point with anything where it’s either make a commitment or move on to something else. I had done all the fun stuff, competed in regional and national compititon with some medals and trophies and found myself on the bubble. To get better would require much more energy, time and money. To keep on doing the same old, same old; even sky diving, it just wasn't my nature. I loved jumping out of airplanes but I would come to love other things as well. No regrets.