View Full Version : Navy Parachutists Rescued From Trees (SEALS)
Team Sergeant
06-16-2010, 08:01
LOL, ouch, that's going to leave a mark........:munchin
Navy Parachutists Rescued From Trees
June 16, 2010
Virginian-Pilot
VIRGINIA BEACH -- Five parachutists from a Navy special warfare unit became trapped in trees Tuesday in a remote part of Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story and were rescued with the help of the city Fire Department.
It took about two hours to get them all down.
The city was called to help military rescue workers about 9:30 a.m., said Bruce Nedelka, the city's emergency medical services division chief.
One of the five service members fell to the ground when a tree limb broke, Nedelka said, and was taken to a Norfolk hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Three ambulances, two fire engines, two ladder trucks, two specialty rescue trucks and two battalion chiefs were dispatched to the scene, Nedelka said.
The five service members, assigned to Naval Special Warfare Group 2, were on a routine parachute-training exercise, said Chief Petty Officer Robert Fluegel, a Navy spokesman. He said the accident is under investigation.
Special warfare teams include SEALs, the Navy's secretive, highly trained sea-air-land commandos. Fluegel would not say if the five parachutists were SEALs.
http://www.military.com/news/article/navy-parachutists-rescued-from-trees.html
craigepo
06-16-2010, 08:25
hehe. Been there, done that. Thank heavens there were no cameras around.
Being stuck in a tree is not cool. Parachute harness leg straps + stuck in tree=being perilously close to castration.
Whoever came up with the idea of "climb down your reserve parachute" had clearly never attemtped the task.
2018commo
06-16-2010, 08:33
I spent a night and most of the next day unscrewing a mess at AP Hill after most of our company landed in the trees. After which the dz became known as DZ Death... lots of stories from that night! I suspect most of us have that tee shirt.
It was dark last night. If the city was called arounf 9:30AM I'd assume it was a night jump.
When you think you're going into the trees on a dark night you don't have much time to adjust when you can start making out the trees from the voids.
I sneaked into a void one time just big enough for my -1. But the full moon helped, was able to pick out the spot from about 100', pull a toggle and slip in.
Thought I was going into the trees one dark, dark night and at about 10' realized it was a bean field. "Crap - splat" ate the ruck and busted the frame.
Dozer523
06-16-2010, 09:58
Jumping into Jordan late one night, my leg bag and ruck got all hung up. I'm trying to untie, shake stuff loose. (I think I waddled off the ramp at 2.5X my original weight) Looked around saw the trees below, "Oh I've got plenty of time . . . "
HEY WAIT A MINUTE . . . there aren't any trees here!
WAM! Augured in, next to a bush.
nousdefions
06-16-2010, 12:20
Funny .... I don't remember any bushes either .....
You didn't miss anything, it still hurt
I once participated in a 2 hr NOE flight, followed by a rough terrain jump. If I were asked today if I would do it again, I'd opt out saying I had an expense report to write or help the S1 with soldier family DEERs enrollment.
I prayed for a tree vs. the extremely rocky, (boulders) slope I landed on. I kept the ruck on for protection.
Jumping into Jordan late one night, my leg bag and ruck got all hung up. I'm trying to untie, shake stuff loose. (I think I waddled off the ramp at 2.5X my original weight) Looked around saw the trees below, "Oh I've got plenty of time . . . "
HEY WAIT A MINUTE . . . there aren't any trees here!
WAM! Augured in, next to a bush.
I had a similar experience on what turned out to be the hardest drop zone I had ever bounced off in Georgia. A 750 ft. ceiling and absolutely no light...descended to what I thought had to be tree-top level. Deployed the lowering line and felt the initial tug from the ruck, only to feel the lowering line go immediately limp. Thinking my ruck had separated from the lowering line, I looked down (opening my legs in the process) to see if I could spot my ruck. I quickly found out that the reason the lowering line went limp...I was just before impact on the DZ! That one left several marks.
greenberetTFS
06-16-2010, 15:04
Whoever came up with the idea of "climb down your reserve parachute" had clearly never attempted the task.[/QUOTE]Craigpo
When I was making a night jump I was doing PLF's in the sky because there was no moon and it was dark as hell........ I couldn't see anything and had no idea where the ground was at,I landed on some tall pine trees and since I could tell how high I was I pulled my reserve.............. I was in the process of going down when my feet hit the ground.......... yep I was about 4 feet from the ground and hadn't realized it........My 1st SGT was pissed when he saw both chutes deployed .......................:rolleyes::D;)
Big Teddy :munchin
The hardest DZ in the world, Guam. Nothing but old steel grates that supported aircraft during WWII.
Utah Bob
06-16-2010, 15:52
I remember the first jump I made in Tolz. Col beck gave all us newbies a speech about how maneuverable the TBM chute was and no reason you should miss your damn mark etc etc etc.
We watched as he boarded the chopper, jumped at 2,500 and scooted all over the sky above the DZ.
And landed in a tree. The only one around.
Nobody said anything. The Smaj just glared at us. Good times.
:D
I can imagine the stories and jokes going around the firehouse.
mark46th
06-16-2010, 18:32
Dark, moonless nights are no fun. We jumped into Ft Leonard Wood at night. Saw the inverted L, did a 360 to look for obstacles and when I came around the pots were out. I was counting so I could release my gear. As I reached to pull the releases, I hit hit the ground. Not the best PLF ever performed. I was out for a minute or so. I went back out the next morning to get the rest of my stuff, discovered I had hit in the middle of a patch of poison oak... We had six injuries(knee/ankle) out of the 12 guys on my team.
I think I would rather have had a bad ankle or knee than poison oak...
Most of our jumps were at night before moonrise or after moonset for obvious reasons - hope that hasn't changed...for obvious reasons.
Richard's $.02 :munchin
cetheridge
06-16-2010, 23:21
Two of my most memorable jumps were at night. Tactical jump at Bragg...slipped away from trooper under me stealing my air. Different shades of black indicated I was going into the trees, prepared for tree landing. Hit a tree, inverted, taking out limbs headfirst with my helmet, thinking "Damn, I'm gonna break my neck when I hit the ground". The lines snagged, jerking my upper body upright, landed softly on my ass. The second in Panama...went out the door, the pots on the ground went out...total darkness. Prepared for PLF when feet touched softly on the ground and did a slight deep knee bend...no need to roll. Oh, that was nice. Packed my gear, took 6 steps and fell into an 8 ft. deep ditch.
Middle of the night, dark as heck. Bobbed wire fence on the DZ, briefed that there would be chem lights on it :). Not briefed that they would be the mini-chem lights :mad:. landed well before I thought I would. Ouch :confused:.
Blue
Green Light
06-17-2010, 02:06
Clear night, 25,000' drop onto Sicily DZ in November 1984. We made a freefall to 3,500' using MC-3s. We faced into the wind but were steadily backing up and saw that we were going into the trees. Kept my rucksack up and my mask on for protection (hated the mask). As we backed up I saw an opening in the trees and hooked a turn for it. As I turned back into the wind at about 100' I saw the reflection of the moon on the "hole". I yelled "WATER", but since I still had on my O2 mask on, I was the only one who heard it before the SPLASH! While under water I struggled to get my harness and rucksack off, determined not to drown. Then it occurred to me . . . STAND UP DUMMIE. I did and the water was about waist deep. I took off my helmet and I heard a bunch of pissed off beavers slapping their tails on the water telling me I wasn't welcome there.
I got picked up in the DZ vehicle. They'd already policed up the rest of the team. There were lots of comments about "the creature from the black beaver pond" and lots of laughter. I reminded them that I was the only guy who'd missed a tree that night. :D
The good times. :p Gosh I miss that stuff!
Team Sergeant
06-17-2010, 08:43
Most of our jumps were at night before moonrise or after moonset for obvious reasons - hope that hasn't changed...for obvious reasons.
Richard's $.02 :munchin
I once did a jump with two others into the Fla. Everglades, static line, loaded with equipment. SGM said "You're jumping at midnight, no moon, etc etc etc. I replied, "Let me get this straight, you're making us jump static line into a gator infested area, loaded with equipment into the pitch black. Every body of water in that area has a gator attached to it. Should make a great headline the next morning."
We jumped at EENT instead.
ZonieDiver
06-17-2010, 12:00
Gatun DZ, Panama CZ - normally a 'bog' with tall 'elephant grass' but during the short 'dry' season it could get like concrete!
Oro Grande, NM - night jump, missed the 'real' DZ due to great JM-USAF work. Lotsa rocks (BFRs), yucca spines, and 'gopher-like' holes to trap your foot. Fun!
mojaveman
06-17-2010, 12:14
Jumped into Ft. Bliss, TX on our way to Orogrande, NM for desert training in late '86. It had just rained like hell for a few hours before we jumped and after landing everyone was covered from head to toe with mud. A number of us got even more soiled after we tried to push a 2 1/2 out that got stuck.
Training with the 1st Moroccan Airborne Brigade near Rabat in April of '85. The DZ was covered with sheep that began to run in all directions as we started hitting the ground.
I don't seem to have that type of fun anymore...
nousdefions
06-17-2010, 12:41
Ah, Desperation DZ .... lots of fond memories, including the time we had to abort due to a missle launch...
craigepo
06-17-2010, 12:50
Guys hung in trees on Ft. Lewis was interesting. Really, really tall trees.
Dude in tree: "Help"
First Sergeant: "Just get out of your harness and climb down, Ranger"
Dude in tree: "F*$k you"
We were performing a night jump using French parachutes (the one with the bar that goes across the chest). It was a mass tactical jump with the Tunisians (that's a long story in itself) but one of our guys later the next day told us his story and it went like this.
I came out and when I looked down some guy was directly below me. I yelled at him to slip away and I slipped to the left, they guy slipped the same way I did. I yelled at him again and I slipped to the right and he did the same. Every time I would slip he would slip in the same direction. That's when I hit the ground and realized I was looking at my shadow on the ground (it was a full moon).
Bad Tolz
06-17-2010, 14:39
1967, Tolz, winter...tailjumped a 123, no winds and landed in 3 feet of snow. It was like a featherbed!
Worst...Tolz, one guy went through a barn roof and another collapsed a chimney. He didn't walk for a while.
Utah Bob
06-17-2010, 16:14
Middle of the night, dark as heck. Bobbed wire fence on the DZ, briefed that there would be chem lights on it :). Not briefed that they would be the mini-chem lights :mad:. landed well before I thought I would. Ouch :confused:.
Blue
Managed to come down with the balls of my feet perfectly on top of a barb wire fence post. The night was darker than Drill Sergeant's heart. I assumed I was on the ground and did a plf. Imagine my surprise. At least I missed the wire.
Although it would have broken my fall.;)
greenberetTFS
06-17-2010, 16:50
Middle of the night,dark as hell,looking down and seeing the main power lines feeding the town of Joliet,Ill. and surrounding area.........I started cursing the pilot,the jump master and any others that came to mind..........I was drifting right toward them and my T10 parachute couldn't help my effort to miss them........I landed in the middle of those power lines which were on each side of me and thank JC for protecting me on that jump ............ Closest I ever came to being fried..........;)
Big Teddy :munchin
Trees aren't the only obstacles found on small DZs...a moonless night tactical jump into a mountain pasture near Bad Reichenhall - JR ENGR on the team landed on a cow who immediately bolted for about 10' and stopped - JR ENGR was thrown, failed to do a good PLF when he hit the ground, and broke his tibia.
And so it goes...;)
Richard's $.02 :munchin
Dozer523
06-17-2010, 16:59
JR ENGR on the team landed on a cow who immediately bolted for about 10' and stopped - JR ENGR was thrown, failed to do a good PLF when he hit the ground, and broke his tibia. yeah, but did he last 8 seconds?
yeah, but did he last 8 seconds?
Pete's feet landed on the cow - cow bolted - Pete hit the ground in probably what was one of the worst PLFs ever performed by a paratrooper - didn't last 1 second. :p
This was pre-NVG routine usage and our 'auxilliary' went looking for him when he didn't show up at the IRP or ARP within the specified time - he was still lying where he had landed - they almost stepped on him before finding him as it was pitch black and they were still operating in the tactical role-playing mode - they said he was lying there leaning against his ruck and going "Psssst...psssst....over here!" in a loud whisper when they found him. ;)
Richard :munchin
Team Sergeant
06-18-2010, 09:29
We did the infil jump for O&I, a twin Otter I think, static line. We jumped, chute opened and "one" second later I hit the ground. To this day I'd swear we jumped no more than 200-250 AGL.
Jumping a 130 at AP Hill. First stick goes into the trees on one side of the DZ. DZSO has the aircraft adjust its track. I'm in the second stick thinking we're in good shape. Exit the aircraft, look down and it becomes real clear after a couple seconds that this one's gonna be a tree landing. Entire second stick in the trees on the other side of the DZ.
I found a relatively clear spot, came down through (mostly), did the PLF and was pulled back to my feet with just the balls of my feet touching the ground.
We had a Maj that nearly choked himself by forgetting to release his chest strap (he was about 3-4 feet off the ground). Fortunately there were a couple other guys nearby who saw him, hefted him up and released the strap.
In the meantime, the DZSO had the aircraft adjust again. Third stick finally made it onto the DZ.
Curt
mark46th
06-18-2010, 09:50
Minimal AGL jumps- One of my favorite lines in "Band of Brothers" was when Bull was helping a newbie gear up for the jump into Holland- Taking off the kid's reserve and throwing it away saying,"You ain't gonna need this. We won't be high enough..."
2018commo
06-18-2010, 10:16
Night Jump, Brookley Field, Mobile Alabama, we were issued water wings due to proximity to Mobile Bay. Landed in real tall grass and hear someone howling bad, off goes the gear, headed to the sound of the commotion. Stumble into Weapons Sergeant who managed to inflate his wings getting gear off, not the source of the noise so I leave him to his devices. Find the victim in time to hear this priceless exchange. Medic One, “I see no obvious signs of deformity. Medic Two, “well what’s that bone sticking through his boot”.
The Reaper
06-18-2010, 11:16
Had a low jump or two myself, and a bad tree landing.
Jumped Key West low enough to ID the people in the safety boats.
I got one swing under a full canopy and my feet hit the water.
Later learned we were between 400 and 450 feet AGL at exit.
Anything lower, and I think you would not get full canopy inflation, with the MC1-1B.
TR
Basenshukai
06-18-2010, 11:20
I thought they jumped over at Raeford DZ when I first read the title. Which reminds me of a time I landed near a home my TS landed on that home - in Raeford. Well, I guess that's why we practice.