I think the 250 ft. tower was scarier then the actual 5 jumps of jump school. We had time for most of the class to do two drops. I went through jump school November 1971 and spent 8 years in the 82nd Abn.
Went through jump school in 1966. We had 6 Seals in our class. I shared the same barracks as them, lots of fun and games were had by all. The morning of graduation, the Seals climbed the tower and hung bedsheets with the letters S E A L S. Now that took guts.
I was there also in 1966 (think it was feb , but it was a LONG time ago) 6 other marines in our company, I remember the sheets on the tower incident (they were in the company one week ahead of us) Thanks! forgot all about it until your note. 6 months later off to 'Viet Nam for a year.
Those Seals were real and the story was real. I went through early March, 1966. I am 76 now and still proud of my Airborne days. I still try to stay in shape, just about the same weight I was back in "67". I still try to encourage anyone I know who is entering the service now to go Airborne, Love you guys.
I enjoyed the view at the top so much that I forgot listen to the black hat's instructions via the bullhorn. Since I wasn't responding to his commands he threatened to lower me to the ground for recycling! I heard THAT! Airborne school Fall '82, Ranger school 11-83, 1st Ranger Battalion 1982-85.
Airborne March 1962....i was working the towers after graduation....4 drop arms on the towers because of wind shifts....one morning the wind swung just as a drop started....the soldier banged into the tower and collapsed his chute...cigarette roll...down he came...I stepped in under him hoping to break his fall...about 20 feet up, his chute blossomed and he crashed down on me....we fell into a heap in the sand...bruises and cuts, but all ended well....got a 15 minute break and back to work.......
Went through jump school Ft Campbell KY Jan 1962. Didn't have the tower. 1st Jump C130 what a rush. Proud to still wear my wings. 101 Airborne All The Way!
Yep, Class 17 in 1969, Number 63. I even volunteered for the tower jump. I was so excited that I failed to do a PLF and landed standing up. I never did so many push-ups after that! First 2 jumps were from a C-119 then the next 3 were from a C-141. I was one of three USAFs in a class of 500. The Army thought they'd have fun with us and put us at the end of a barracks full of Marines. They also put four SEALs down by us. The SEALs knew who we were and we all got along great, much to the disappointment of the Army and Marines
I went through jump school in 80, remembered it like yesterday! Then on to the 82nd Airborne Div. I've had the honor and privilege to have served with America best!! To all fellow veterans Hooah and Airborne All the Way! God Bless America!!
I graduated November 1974, Ft. Benning. My first jump was from a C-123. I've got to admit that I had second thoughts when I saw all of the smoke when they started those engines.
I lived at Benning in the mid 60's and remember well sitting in the back yard and watching the drop towers. And on Memorial day they would replace the parachute stuff with wood benches and families could be taken up and dropped. I was old enough to be allowed on the static line jumps. And we even got to shoot blanks out of various weapons. Life as an Army brat was the best.
I used to shoot at Ft Benning. Went for my nephew's graduation about 10 years ago and got to see the fear in these guys' eyes being hoisted up there! Also, went to the infantry museum. It's a must see. Great base, very large.
How could you see the fear in their eyes unless you were standing there right with them, I know when I went through jump school in 1981 we didn't have any civilians hanging around the free fall towers, Further more we all wanted to be Paratroopers so there wasn't a FEAR it was apprehension because of the unknown, they don't order you or make you jump you can QUIT at anytime it is strictly volunteer so WE WANTED TO BE THERE, the ones that had the FEAR didn't have it in them to be a paratrooper, every day our class size got smaller and smaller Because the FEAR made them quit,To become a paratrooper means you OVERCAME YOUR FEARS, Why would you do something that you have fear of doing over and over, it doesn't make sense, it take a special breed of person to overcome those fears and do what others are afraid to do, I went on from jump school to the 82nd Airborne Division as an Infantryman and jumped more times than you can fathom, we jumped with 120 jumpers per aircraft with FULL COMBAT EQUIPMENT with 8 aircraft loaded at 2 or 3am in the morning we would jump both doors one pass on sicely Drop zone at Fort Bragg N.C . I just wanted to set the record straight with you.
@@jackdaniel7465 Unnecessary bro, be an adult and let it go. No one needs an essay from you. You and I know what it takes, just let the others fool themselves. No need to bring yourself to that level.
This tower was a piece of cake for me. The one that scared the hell out of me was the 34 foot tower. I am commenting on my wife's computer so this isn't Dianne making this statement. I want through Jump School in June 1966 and served with the 1st Brigade separate in Vietnam as an 11B4P. After a year in Vietnam with the 101st I spent two more years in Vietnam with USARV. Left Vietnam in 1969 as an E6. Being a paratrooper is the only way to go. AATW.
A lot of paratroopers (most?) these days don't get to do the towers. It's not mandatory to graduate and they often get scratched because of high winds. I actually got to do it myself (once). It definitely helped my confidence on my actual first jump.
I know this comment is a month old but it’s worth a shot. There actually a place that will train you and let you do a few real drops, albeit from the door of a little sesna but I’d imagine that it’s close enough. Check out angry cops on RU-vid as he just went through and did a couple drops.
Use Google maps and type in Skydive 🪂 there’s likely a drop zone an hour or so away from most cities. I’ve got over 2000 jumps and I don’t want to jump rounds but my hats off to you. Thanks for your service!!
I graduated jump school at Benning in May 1970. The tower was awesome, except when working the ground crew. All 5 jumps during jump week were from C-141’s, which was great.
I lived there from 1974-1977. My Dad taught at the Infantry School. In 1976 they had the biggest bash which included the jump tower with a bench seat chute setup on wires.
AFROTC cadet. Graduated June 79. Finished finals and two days later formed up at Benning with a bunch of other, mostly Army, ROTC cadets. A bit of a change from a dorm to the barracks. Took a couple of days to get squared away to Airborne standards.
Thank you to all who served. The 82nd and 101st proud duty in WW2 and the 101st with Little Rock Nine to add to their list of distinction in protecting Americans. Many thanks to all the other airborne troops and those with parachuting duties associated with your roles. Thanks to all on the ground and under the seas and on them. I hope I didn't leave anyone out. Black Ops maybe? Thanks to those who cannot be known.
@@internetjunky3088 I don't know. There was a period of years the towers were not used. Replacement of cables was costly. Budget cuts under Clinton I think.
This airborne stuff looks so scary. Every time I see it I wonder if the Army is for me. I’ll do basically anything except for jumping from a high place.
First jump in UK was from a balloon at 800'. Then onto C130s, often not much higher! Later took up civvy skydiving - but no way you'd get me up one of those towers!
July 1975 for me. Pole man in Tower Week. I remember the ladies in the small buildings across the street from the towers. One asked if I had a will. I told her I didn't plan on dying. Returned in 1978 for Pathfinder School.
@@jackburgess357 Many will say jump school was 3 weeks. Enlisted 11Bs (Ft Polk for me) had 4 weeks. Zero was first: admin., guard duties & getting in shape. For Tower, one went up with a safety strap. That strap was flimsy-couldn't save a hampster. Black Hats warned us to pull risers away from the Tower. None of us wanted to hit the steel.
@@TC-ti2sr God help you if you screwed up and let both ends of the safety strap go!!!! Had one guy do that. Long ride down and hundreds of push-ups when he got down
First day of airborne school they take us to the tower so we can watch one of the cadre drop from the tower. The parachute malfunctioned and the guy plummeted to the ground and hit creating a giant dust cloud. Didn't take us long to figure out it was a mannequin and it was a big joke. Anyone else have that happen during their training? Class of 07 "Jumpers hit it".
I seem to recall them rigging mannequins with malfunctions and dropping them to show us what they looked like "in real time." But I don't remember any trickery like that. Class of 2008.
Been 46 years since my first tower drop!! The parashute covered me up after landing. I was shaking as the black hat uncovered me and said "that was a successful PLF, parashute landing fall... Get up and do it again!!!!!" I did three more that day! Before long I took my first step out the door of a C-141... Forgot to count too 4 opened my eyes and all I could see was my spit shined jump boots Silhouetted in front of a big what white cloud, the next feeling was the parachute opening, as I descended tithe ground in dead silence!!! Airborne all the way!!
I was going through PLDC in '85 and we had some down time. I walked over to the area by the towers and the kid up there was scared beyond shitless. Yes we could hear the instructor screaming, but were too far away to make out the words. I do believe we had a good idea what was being said. He finally get the last bit of the lift just before the release and he looked like a cartoon figure, his legs were running a 2 minute mile the whole way down.
I had a great time at y'all's school in February 21 1980. It was just before My birthday on the 27 when I turned 18. I had been in the Marine Corp almost a year. March 13 1979. Thanks for the memories.
I remember seeing those towers for the first time at Ft. Benning when I arrived there for Airborne training, wind was up and I landed on the rooftop!👍😁
Can recall they'd sprayed ''SEALS RULE'' on a couple of PT pit walls. After evening chow, we could hear them ''Seal Barking'' as they were made to run thru the barracks area alleys for about 2 hours; for a couple of nights in a row. ''Rig & Run'' 21 April 1972
My husband was an instructor in the 507th said he loved doing pushups with the students,he said he would get down and do 20 pushups,then standup,chew the students out,all the while resting his arms,then get down and do more pushups,they loved it,the seals that is.
I went there in the 70s as an ROTC exchange cadet (AF) while in college. I remember a tall Army guy (also in jump training) who constantly yelled at us during ground week, calling us all kinds of derogatory names. Well, when it was his turn on the tower, he froze and refused to give the signal he was ready to be released (which if I remember correctly was scissoring your legs). They tried a couple of times then lowered him to the ground. We never saw him again.
I attended Fort Benning jump school in late summer or early fall of 1983; I remember a lot about going through jump school, but I don't remember this tower. Seems like my class was hurried for some reason I don't remember now why it was hurried. I remember jumping off towers, but the tower I jumped from only had zip lines, and we had to practice our landings when we hit the ground- once we came to the end of the zip line run. I can't believe I don't remember a tower like this one in this video. (Is my memory that bad?) It does seem like I did see these towers, though. I was only 18, and now am 55 years old; again, I can't believe I don't remember jumping from one of these towers. Off course, I do remember my first jump; the instructors made everyone miserable; keep shouting on your feet, and then the instructors would tighten your jump harness, and then tell you to take seats, again. Over and over the instructors did this tightening. My harness hurt me so bad, not to mentioned almost being double over, that I was just glad to practically fall out of the plane, just so I could loosen my harness straps- once I was on the ground, of course. The more I think out it, this tower,, in this video does seem more and more, familiar.
I was stationed at Ft. Benning in 1967. Before I was shipped out to Vietnam.. Did a lot of jungle warfare training there. and was there when John Wayne was filming the movie Green Beret there.
My buddy in Canada 🇨🇦 ( Sargent AirBorne got tangled up in an accident with a tower.) Destroyed both his legs. One amputated. Ruptured his spleen, and other assorted injuries. A student they where training got tangled up and buddy tried to help him. The student was ok. Thanks for your service.
I went through Ft Benning jump school in Aug 1966 on the way to join the 101st. I was waiting for the release when the loudspeaker said there would be a delay until they could clear the landing area of an injured jumper. I waited forever, just let me go,please.
University of Gravity, Class of '79. First three jumps were from C 123s, flown by the Okahoma National Guard. The takeoffs were so horrible, no one wanted to land in the aircraft - Whole class, not a single refusal to jump.
Went through in 85’. I loved the Army Black Hats. Especially Sgt. Jacks. As a Marine, it was all about getting thrashed by the Black Hats. Favorite saying there was “Can’t burn me Sgt Jacks”.
I went through jump school in 85 with one Marine in our class. They messed with him every day. Such a high class Marine he took all of it and made it fun for our entire class. What an inspiration.
Question for airborne soldiers. For the Army Air Assault school every once in a while there was a class which graduated without the students getting to make rappel jumps out of an actual helicopter - usually because the weather wouldn't cooperate. As a result those students were referred to as "Tower Flowers" because they had only ever rappelled off of the AA training tower and not out of a real aircraft. Is it the same or similar for the Airborne school or does a student HAVE to jump out of an airplane in order to graduate?
When I went through you had to make 5 jumps before you could graduate and get your wings. If you did not get all 5 for any reason, you would have to recycle the whole course again. But there may be someone out there who had actual experience with not making all 5 jumps. But things happen, I never qualified on the 45 in AIT (MP School) but I graduated.
So...they've gone back to using the towers again? Because my airborne class never used them November of '97. At the time, I think they were worried about wind sheer liability. I think some guys had previously gotten blown against the tower and lost their air to fall the rest of the way. Mine was the standard training, except we went from the 34 foot towers straight to the C-130s the last week.
Did this in March 1967, the view was apectacular. Jumped from C-119. C130, C141, and from Hueys at Ft Bragg throughout 1967/1968 before going to Vietnam 1968/1969 and again 1970/1971.
Oct 80, I was scared to death. I felt like I was a carnival ride gone bad!! But once you're free, there's nothing like! Do they still do blood wings!!?
Back in the mid 80's I took a five-ish hour long static line class and jumped the same day, twice. I loved it, but I never jumped again. I couldn't afford to get addicted to that, I knew guy at the time who spent every spare cent buying rides up so he could jump.
Does this qualify as a jump? The British Airborne balloon jump is a better and cheaper way for gaining parachuting experience. It's quite terrifying jumping from 800ft from a balloon cage. It takes a lot of courage to step off.
This is only training, the trainees have to make 5 manditory jumps from an aircraft in order to earn their wings . The tower jump is from 250 feet, it can be skipped if time or weather does not permit.
Dropped from those towers in June 1981. Oddly I don’t remember a whole lot about the towers except that I didn’t wanna F up. Next week jump week. AIRBORNE! ETA I do remember a couple people crashing into the tower and getting their ‘chutes hung up in the scaffolding.
The Blackhats always focus on a few they don't like. I had one in '78 that dogged me every day. Didn't like my hair. In and out in 3 weeks with wings the best defense.
Brings back some good memories. Went through in May of '99 and still remember it like it was yesterday. I never did do a correct PLF. Always feet, ass, then head lol oh well, I survived.
Out of 545 that started 64 graduated. The "timed" qualification run was done at a dead sprint until you got 100 yards from the 1/4 mile marker then the CO would slow way down. Did that for 3 miles and lost about 250 right there. A Navy JAG officer died in that class - after that run on September 7, 2001. (That's right). I stepped onto the ramp of a C-17 when the loadmaster twirled his fingers and then pointed back to the harness shed - that was 10:45 on 9/11. We were shut down Tue, Wed, and Thur made 2 jumps on Fri and 2 on Sat. only needed one plane one pass on Saturday. Showed up to Ft Bragg Monday and ended up with 71 jumps with 20 NT/CE before I retired. Now - everyday I wake up in pain. I wish I had never done that.
Fishhooks...first of all...thank you very much for your service. I have always wondered how those abrupt contacts with terra firma affected the joints of a soldier. In 1966 I came this close to going Airborne, but chose not to. Have always regretted it...but, after reading your final sentence, and others like it, I am now glad that I opted out. Am having enough “bone” problems as it is. I do NOT recommend getting old.
The mighty ungawas, who was lucky enough to get to carry that big ass reel of rope when an idiot turned into the tower??? Damn that thing was heavy. For any troopers who want to jump come join us in Florida. Phantom Airborne Brigade look us up. We do water jumps a few times a year from C47 as well.
Should have turned the camera around. Across the street there are three huge regimental quadrangle. Each housing a full regiment at least. Spent a lot of time there over the years. Lot of time. And we would watch the towers operate. Frankly most if us preferred helicopters over chutes anyday.
