View Full Version : Jump School
BMT (RIP)
11-05-2011, 13:26
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ6QX-OsWUc&feature=email
You FOG's will remember!!!
BMT
They're still showing that (as of June). They played that for hours in the harness shed after we were JMPI'd waiting for air.
greenberetTFS
11-05-2011, 13:37
The hardest job for me was being "rope man"........:rolleyes:
Big Teddy :munchin
BAC in the early 70s pre-co-ed - pretty much the way we looked in Jan 71 except we had no C-130 jumps - jump week was 4 x C-119 and 1 x C-141.
Richard
Ambush Master
11-05-2011, 15:03
Normandy DZ Ft Bragg!!
Somebody dumped this link, so here goes!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DZPIGhL3bY
mark46th
11-05-2011, 16:16
Richard- Did you have to jump the C-119 that landed with one engine on fire? I had no problem un-assing that aircraft....
Buffalobob
11-05-2011, 17:15
Every time I think of running all of those miles in leather combat boots on concrete and asphalt, I wonder how any of us ever made it. :lifter
Every time I think of running all of those miles in leather combat boots on concrete and asphalt, I wonder how any of us ever made it. :lifter
We made it because we had too.........;)
tom kelly
11-05-2011, 17:27
The green fatigues, (not the BDU's or ACU's) the old style pot that weighed a ton, the "Black Hats" screaming & cursing, permissable in the early 1960's @ the Cuban Missle Crisis, the 4 week jump school, they forgot to tell you about the 18 hour/day KP for 1 week, Sat & Sun included. The easy part was the Cony Island Parachute ride, Tower Week was the best; Sound off with your name and tower number- than jump & if the black hat was not satisfied you ran back up the stairs and got to be first in line to do it to you got it right, After that week I think I would have jumped out of the C-119 with out a chute! Good Memories, I would not trade that experience for spring break at Padre Island,TX with all the co-eds from Texas,Alabama, and OL MIss....Regard's, TK
Utah Bob
11-05-2011, 18:22
It would have been more fun if they had played music all the time.:D
ZonieDiver
11-05-2011, 19:31
I was in 45th Company, and our sister company (49th) was made up of USAFA cadets and cadre. They called the 'Dollar Nineteen' the 'Flying Deathtrap' and I was always anxious to get out of it (though it was akin to falling out of bed). Our 5th jump, like Richard's, was a C-141. (Getting to Bragg and being introduced to a C-130 was quite an experience - I realized why they emphasized a 'vigorous' exit, and good body position.)
I never ran, in formation or PT Test, in ANYthing BUT boots, even with the PT uniform. We also did all those now 'bad' exercises. No wonder over half the guys at my SFA meeting today hobbled in.
You are right, Big Teddy. Being 'Rope Man' sucked! I watched our class leader take on the job by contradicting a Black Hat who was making the Rope Man 'beat his boots' over and over again. Papa Alpha 25 took his place. I learned a lot about leadership that day, just by watching.
I'd do it all again, even though I know I'd never make it now. It would be fun to try!
5 C119 jumps...the 141 broke down. Can't remember anything too much about Jump School tho except that I thought it was a piece of cake....over hyped
ZonieDiver
11-05-2011, 19:45
I ran Cross Country in HS and college (for 2 years), and felt that BAC was pretty easy - physically... but that damned PLF Pit nearly killed me. (I found it SO much easier to do a PLF in actuality, than in practice. Maybe that was the point!)
I was in Infantry OCS from Oct 72 to Apr 73 next door to the 250 foot towers and everyday we would see some poor bugger steer into the towers and cling for dear life to that damn tower. When the winds were gusting a little, it would happen several times a day. After having the weekend off after commissioning, most of us started our Airborne class. Blackhats didn't like us much because there was little they could do to intimidate us. After 6 months of OCS bullshit and physical training, there wasn't much in the form of harassment that we hadn't already seen and their running pace was a lot less than we were used to. Remember running around the track across from the entrance to Infantry Hall for hours, daytime/nighttime, didn't matter. Only good memories of Airborne School. 2LT pay was much better than E-5 pay and as an officer there was no KP.
ZonieDiver
11-05-2011, 20:48
KP sucked! Younger troops have NO idea. I'd sleep in and end up as "back sink man" - greasy pots and pans all day... and no one messing with you.
mojaveman
11-05-2011, 21:13
What memories.
Wonder if the kids going through today still have to do their boots every night?
The 250' towers weren't working so we went right from the 34' towers straight to a C-141 for the first jump. When they opened the doors and put the spoilers out all I could hear were the screaming jet engines. I suddenly thought to myself, "what the f&*k am I doing here?"
Was so long ago it almost seems like some type of fantasy...
ZonieDiver
11-05-2011, 21:20
Spit-shining a pair of salt-soaked boots was always fun!
Truth be told, I'd rather do what I did than what they do. There is something to be said for ignorance. We showed up having NO idea what awaited. We might have run had we known, but were the type (probably through wise selection) who didn't run.
Last hard class
11-05-2011, 22:35
Wonder if the kids going through today still have to do their boots every night?
Only did mine once.
Two pairs of shoes. White dots and no dots. It was a lot easier to change dots each day than spit shine the boots. I remember the guy below me shining his boots in the dark with a flashlight. I preferred to be well rested. Finally got caught at the end. The TAC threw my boots up on the wire and I had to PT on those big rocks barefoot.
The extra sleep was worth it.:D
LHC
ZonieDiver
11-05-2011, 22:39
I remember sitting in a "beer garden" and relaxing after having completed the day's training... reading "Army Times" and seeing the list of Viet Nam casualties,and of the six or so guys at the table, NOT being able to say - "I know that guy." 250-300 casualities a week will do that for you!
mojaveman
11-06-2011, 10:35
Only did mine once.
Two pairs of shoes. White dots and no dots. It was a lot easier to change dots each day than spit shine the boots. I remember the guy below me shining his boots in the dark with a flashlight. I preferred to be well rested. Finally got caught at the end. The TAC threw my boots up on the wire and I had to PT on those big rocks barefoot.
The extra sleep was worth it.:D
LHC
Unlike most of the other students who chose to participate in the bootblack scam I actually shined my boots well every night. Whoever was providing that boot service for the airborne students had themselves a nice little business going.
Ret10Echo
11-06-2011, 11:10
What memories.
Wonder if the kids going through today still have to do their boots every night?
Getting old.... :D
Not a whole lot of shining going on I would imagine. Do they get issued a suede brush?
Unlike most of the other students who chose to participate in the bootblack scam I actually shined my boots well every night. Whoever was providing that boot service for the airborne students had themselves a nice little business going.I had a plan to make extra bucks in Basic. My first job, at age 12, was shining shoes and boots in a barber shop. I got good and fast at spit-shining. I was going to charge fifty cents a pair. Turned out that our CO had a tour in RVN with the 1st Cav and told us that shiny boots would get us killed. We had to put paste on them for conditioning and water proofing but didn't have to brush them bright until graduation (we wore Class As with bloused boots). I made a couple of bucks then, but not enough to retire on. :D
Pat
greenberetTFS
11-06-2011, 11:25
Because I took Jump School at Ft, Bragg in the spring of 1955,I was kinda sorry we didn't get to do the 250 ft.tower training,feel like I missed out on something........ ;) BTW,we jumped C-119's............:D All Airborne recruits were sent to the 82nd,the 101st wasn't re-activated yet,however the guys that took basic at Ft.Jackson wore the "Pukin Buzzerd" patch,without of course, the Airborne tab...:p
Big Teddy :munchin
1966 - all 5 jumps from C-119's. One night during jump week, some LT decided we needed an inspection (we were already asleep) more than we need the rest. I said screw it, I'm not going to bother putting my boots on, so I stood inspection wearing shower thongs, with my pants bloused in my socks. LT gets pissed, and starts yelling at me. Luckily the senior NCO walks in and tells the LT to knock it off and go to bed!! I remember doing police calls out side the mess hall before breakfast, and it being so dark you couldn't see the ground.
mojaveman
11-06-2011, 12:17
The night before the last day of training I didn't shine my boots thinking that since it was going to be the last day they probably wouldn't really check.
Wrong.
Was sent to the gig pit my first and only time during jump school and got smoked. :p
It would have been more fun if they had played music all the time.:D
I didn't know they had color photography at Jump School back in the days of black and gold Army tapes.
dollarbill
11-06-2011, 14:44
White dots and no dots along with pickel suits. The sure sign of an old fart. Gotta love it. :lifter
Graduated March 6th from OCS, 21 days later, March 27th jump school...
We had one weekend off..
Loved every minute... :D:lifter:D
White dots and no dots along with pickel suits. The sure sign of an old fart. Gotta love it. :lifter
I don't remember anyone having two pairs of shoes...must have been a leg unit thing.
:munchin
mark46th
11-06-2011, 19:09
I wish I had a copy of Col. Welch(Wild Bill) giving his speech to the students....
I don't remember anyone having two pairs of shoes...must have been a leg unit thing.
:munchin
lol Maybe he went to steward school.
I took my BAC at Dong Ba Thin, RVN. It was 11 days in a row...:lifter
Mike
Ambush Master
11-06-2011, 20:20
Pictures from an earlier post:
http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1500&highlight=airborne
Stopp700
11-07-2011, 06:54
I was convinced by the Blackhats to volunteer to be Rope Man, "the best job at Jump School". My Dad told me before I enlisted never to volunteer, I believed him after that...
We got to jump C-123s (scary as hell when you hear the turbojets start up for the first time) and C-141s. I remember walking towards the door asking myself why am I doing this :). Met two of my best friends there, Kelly and Culinhan.
cetheridge
11-07-2011, 08:23
Thanks BMT....
Ahhhhh! The memories....brings a tear to the eye!:)
1968...stopped by Benning for BAC enroute to SFTG (after volunteering for SF at Ft. Sill).
All 5 jumps from the C-119. Would like to do it again!:lifter
Here are some informative 2010 video reports on what the BAC entails today - FYI LTC Ring (BnCdr) PCS'd last year and LTC Cummings is the Bn Cdr now but Chip Mezzaliine is still the Bn CSM.
Ground Week (Mann Field) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQJerLpLuyM&feature=related
Tower Week (Eubanks Field) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W-3Z6vnubc&feature=related
Jump Week (LAAF) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR0vWpi54NU&feature=related
Richard :munchin
January 1969
4 each C-119, 1 - C-141, what a contrast in exit experiences !
greenberetTFS
11-07-2011, 17:15
Here are some informative 2010 video reports on what the BAC entails today - FYI LTC Ring (BnCdr) PCS'd last year and LTC Cummings is the Bn Cdr now but Chip Mezzaliine is still the Bn CSM.
Ground Week (Mann Field) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQJerLpLuyM&feature=related
Tower Week (Eubanks Field) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W-3Z6vnubc&feature=related
Jump Week (LAAF) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR0vWpi54NU&feature=related
Richard
Richard,
I thought they were going to shut down Tower training,I read that in the Drop sometime ago,but obviously not,since this is a 2010 video........... ;) The cadre weren't wearing wings on their uniforms,any reason why not?........ :confused: Weren't you in charge of the Towers at one time?............:D
Big Teddy :munchin
12th Grp sent me to Jump School along with several others from Grp.
Durning the first week my roomie decided, without my knowing, that it would be a great idea to steal the "Black Hats"Airborne Student equalizer -a baseball ball - engraved with that discription, which they hung each morning outside their office window..... on returning from one the days activities the Instructors keep us outside doing rigious PT for hours wanting the return of that bat...several hours into it, my roomie informed me he put it in my wall locker, he did this right after thay annoused they were go to inspect all the rooms....It was a tough couple of weeks.
Richard,
I thought they were going to shut down Tower training, I read that in the Drop sometime ago, but obviously not,since this is a 2010 video.
The 250' towers were shut down a few years back for a major maintenance overhaul and are shut down whenever they require maintenance (they are old and take a lot of work to keep them going) or when the weather won't permit their use. Rescuing a "Joe" who is hung up in "the steel" because of maintenance or weather is not a fun experience for anyone.
The cadre weren't wearing wings on their uniforms, any reason why not?
If you'll notice in the videos, there are several things going on and I'll explain each of them.
**The XO standing on Eubanks Field (tower training area) is in 'garrison' ACUs w/all of his badges/patches and beret w/rank and 507th flash.
**The BN CDR (LTC Ring) and CSM (Chip Mezzaline) are out on Fryar DZ and - because they have removed their metal skill identification badges - are obviously being interviewed after having just made a jump.
**The "Black Hats" (instructors) wear the following depending upon what they're doing and time of year (weather):
- Garrison ACUs w/badges/patches and Black Hat (wings/507th oval and rank are worn on Black Hat) or maroon beret (507th DUI and flash on beret)
- Black Hat and black nylon windbreaker w/white name tape and Airborne Command SSI for historical ties to the original Parrachute School - windbreakers may also have sewn on Pathfinder badge, foreign jump wings over name tape, unit SSI on left shoulder w/Airborne/Ranger/SF tabs, and combat unit insignia on right shoulder.
- Brown t-shirt w/Master Wings stenciled on back (cadre shirts) and Black Hat.
Weren't you in charge of the Towers at one time?
I was the last OIC of Tower Training Branch before the 4th Airborne Training Battalion became the 1-507th Parachute Infantry and reverted from a 'committee' to a 'unit' training model as practiced by the original airborne units in WW2.
I hope that helps with what you're seeing in the videos.
Richard :munchin