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Normandy vet sings "Blood on the Risers/Paratrooper thread. Any jumpers?
Posted on 5/5/24 at 8:06 pm
Posted on 5/5/24 at 8:06 pm
BotR w/lyrics
Just such a gallows humor sort of thing. Jumping into the maw of madness, with a good chance of death.
I remember my neighbor growing up, Mr. Ray. He was old then and had been a jumper in ww2. He had a glass eye and a wicked scar on his belly. He jumped over France...I forget what forest. Came down in a tree and was nearly disemboweled by a branch.
Crazy that even if the jump went well, if you weren't torn to shreds by Anti-aircraft fire, you could end up landing bad and having something like that happen.
And your reward if it all went as planned was to be fighting for your life behind enemy lines.
The Balls on those dudes.
My cousin is a jumper. He says it's "a flood of the most primal fear followed by euphoria followed by anxiety to land."
Just a wild concept. To hear him talk about the jumpers doing it in combat zones...those were some hard, hard men.
Any jumpers here? Or stories of them?
This post was edited on 5/5/24 at 8:07 pm
Posted on 5/5/24 at 8:31 pm to fr33manator
I was airborne back in the day. Great experience.
Posted on 5/5/24 at 8:33 pm to fr33manator
Where you been? Vincent Speranza’s story is a great one. Watch his YouTube interview on American Veterans Center channel. He’s is amazing. Unfortunately he passed away several months ago.
Posted on 5/5/24 at 8:54 pm to fr33manator
I spent my entire career in various Airborne Regiments.
Stewart
Bragg
Stewart
Bragg
Vicenza
Stewart
Stewart
Louis
Vicenza
Bragg
Bragg
Bragg
Bragg
I had my Master Wings before most around here were born.
We still wore count caps with glider patches (just like that Gentleman, which meant he had to be 2nd Brigade) when I got to Bragg in the 70s, but yeah, I'm #AATW and then some, to my very core.
First Beret I wore was black, when it meant something before every leg was handed one.
Black, the count cap, then black again then count cap the Maroon, then black again then bad injury then maroon the rest of the way.
ETA: it's pronounced qunt cap with glider patch for a reason. Not count cap.
Stewart
Bragg
Stewart
Bragg
Vicenza
Stewart
Stewart
Louis
Vicenza
Bragg
Bragg
Bragg
Bragg
I had my Master Wings before most around here were born.
We still wore count caps with glider patches (just like that Gentleman, which meant he had to be 2nd Brigade) when I got to Bragg in the 70s, but yeah, I'm #AATW and then some, to my very core.
First Beret I wore was black, when it meant something before every leg was handed one.
Black, the count cap, then black again then count cap the Maroon, then black again then bad injury then maroon the rest of the way.
ETA: it's pronounced qunt cap with glider patch for a reason. Not count cap.
This post was edited on 5/5/24 at 8:56 pm
Posted on 5/5/24 at 9:01 pm to fr33manator
With the amount of info/videos, etc available today on the WWW, I am torn with emotion.
My dad served in WWII from 6/19/41 - 9/28/45 in the Pacific theater...along with two of his brothers.
My mom brother was in the 101st and dropped into Normandy, Market Garden, etc.
I never heard any of them talk abouth the "horrors" of war, only the good times and funny things.
The "I am torn with emotion" part is, how would it effect them today if they were alive and able to see all the stuff that is now out there for the viewing.
My fear would be it would be too emotional for them.
My dad served in WWII from 6/19/41 - 9/28/45 in the Pacific theater...along with two of his brothers.
My mom brother was in the 101st and dropped into Normandy, Market Garden, etc.
I never heard any of them talk abouth the "horrors" of war, only the good times and funny things.
The "I am torn with emotion" part is, how would it effect them today if they were alive and able to see all the stuff that is now out there for the viewing.
My fear would be it would be too emotional for them.
Posted on 5/5/24 at 9:02 pm to scrooster
quote:
Vicenza
Caserma ain't half bad.
Posted on 5/5/24 at 9:02 pm to scrooster
If you don't mind me asking, what was the experience like?
I'm working on something and I just find it fascinating.
I'm working on something and I just find it fascinating.
Posted on 5/5/24 at 9:07 pm to scrooster
Ever since watching Band of Brothers as a kid I have always been obsessed with the paratroopers. Great Grandpa was a bazookaman who landed on Omaha in the first wave. He didn’t talk much about it but grandma told me he was the only guy in his squad/platoon that survived.
Posted on 5/5/24 at 9:21 pm to fr33manator
Army airborne artillery.
Posted on 5/5/24 at 9:28 pm to fr33manator
There was a man that worked on a pile driving crew for us in the 70’s. He was in his mid 50’s or early 60’s. He jumped at Normandy when he was 17 years old.
The man was a walking muscle. Worked on boats and a truck farm since he was a child.
He was incredibly strong as I watched him stab 60’ creosote piling and handle the leads. He was strong and tough , didnt take any shite, killed many men.
He was also a very kind gentleman with an absolutely beautiful wife and family from down the bayou.
He got along pretty good with the folks in France because he could speak French. It was his first language.
He was called upon for his French speaking by officers above him. He was also n great demand because he could speak French to facilitate back room deals. The world is crooked. Always has been ,always will be.
This post was edited on 5/5/24 at 9:34 pm
Posted on 5/5/24 at 9:33 pm to fr33manator
Yep, 3rd/75th here. Thank GOD we had black berets, not the new “tan” berets…
Posted on 5/5/24 at 9:41 pm to fr33manator
I have jumped many times and I sang that song with them with nostalgia. But I had an opportunity to go to Normandy a few weeks ago and spent 4 days studying the campaign. We started at Sainte-Mere-Eglise and it was incredibly humbling.
But then i went to Omaha Beach at low tide, walked out to the water’s edge and turned around and looked at the cut “Dog1”. As a Combat Infantrymen, all I can say is “Holy shite”. I pulled my sunglasses down, got off by myself and cried like a baby. And gave a prayer of thanks for the sacrifice given.
But then i went to Omaha Beach at low tide, walked out to the water’s edge and turned around and looked at the cut “Dog1”. As a Combat Infantrymen, all I can say is “Holy shite”. I pulled my sunglasses down, got off by myself and cried like a baby. And gave a prayer of thanks for the sacrifice given.
Posted on 5/5/24 at 10:17 pm to PSUMMERS
quote:
As a Combat Infantrymen, all I can say is “Holy shite”. I pulled my sunglasses down, got off by myself and cried like a baby. And gave a prayer of thanks for the sacrifice given.
I’ve never been military. Can only imagine what you and others I have known went through.
I have had the privilege of hearing first hand accounts of what y’all Vets faced.
Would like to think I would have had the courage to go do what y’all did.
Posted on 5/5/24 at 10:37 pm to duckblind56
quote:
how would it effect them today
I recently heard death referred to as “man’s last true friend” and I know that’s not a reality for everyone. But for those old vets, seeing what this country has turned into, death truly is a friend.
Posted on 5/5/24 at 11:36 pm to PSUMMERS
It's just a mind frick.
I mean look at them.
They were barely more than boys, and still more a man than I'll ever be.
Facing the most unfavorable odds, and yet they did it. Nothing short of heroic.
I mean look at them.
They were barely more than boys, and still more a man than I'll ever be.
Facing the most unfavorable odds, and yet they did it. Nothing short of heroic.
Posted on 5/5/24 at 11:45 pm to fr33manator
I was a Coscom rigger in the nineties.
Posted on 5/6/24 at 12:33 am to fr33manator
JFC ,I appreciate the -130 even more. I don't recall seeing a C-47 from this perspective. The 130 is a Lexus comparatively. Looking at BoB, etc., doesn't quite bring home the tight quarters of the C-47 the way this shot does. I guess it makes sense regarding the size of the B-17s, etc., but i can't carry the weight of one set of balls that was a temporary passenger in that.
Posted on 5/6/24 at 12:47 am to fr33manator
My greatest accomplishment in the military is kicking the Army out of C-130s. I ain't one of them, but I'm glad I could help.
Taking off out of Benning(Lawson AAF) and hearing them in the back over the engines was surreal. "STAND UP" "ONE MINIUTE"
Nothing like it.
I've had the privilege of kicking out around 5 thousand of them, amounting to what I estimate to be at least 1000 pairs of jump wings. Maybe more, maybe less. Loved helping them get their wings.
I've heard that version of the song before too. Beautiful rendition that captures the danger of what those 18 year olds are doing. It aint Normandy, but it's still dangerous, even in the training environment.
Taking off out of Benning(Lawson AAF) and hearing them in the back over the engines was surreal. "STAND UP" "ONE MINIUTE"
Nothing like it.
I've had the privilege of kicking out around 5 thousand of them, amounting to what I estimate to be at least 1000 pairs of jump wings. Maybe more, maybe less. Loved helping them get their wings.
I've heard that version of the song before too. Beautiful rendition that captures the danger of what those 18 year olds are doing. It aint Normandy, but it's still dangerous, even in the training environment.
This post was edited on 5/6/24 at 1:04 am
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