European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 25, 1962, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tending and Pilot Jonnet pow at  Barracks before historic leap seen in smithsonian institution photograph Abov. By Robert j. Serling up staff writer the big jump a army Captain if with it first Chut Bap just 50 a ars ago this month up off lib tent of  i a Wiotti it was just 50 years ago that an Arm Captain named Albert Berry mad history by jumping out of an air plane. Fortunately for both Biry and posterity. Strapped to his Back was a silk  the army officer accomplished on March 12, 1912, was the first official Para Chute jump from a plane. What followed was the steady development and increased use of an Aerial Elf jacket without which aviation could not have prospered. There is some controversy Over whether Berry s actually was the first jump Froman aircraft. The National geographic society says there is some evidence that a Grant Morton carrying a Parachute canopy under his Arm. Leaped from a plane Over Venice. Calif., in 1911 a full year before Berry performed his feat at Jefferson bar Racks  plane from which Morton jumped however was said to be going Only 30 . Berry s was doing a full 50 a Speed which the doubters warned amounted to suicide for a Chutis. Regardless of who was first the army Captain who jumped from the then fantastic height of 1,500 feet deserved full credit for bravery. The Parachute itself preceded Bot the Morton and Berry jumps by about4,100 years. Historians say a chinese emperor named Chun made the first jump around 2200 . Floating to the ground from a burning granary by holding up two Large circular Reed hats. It was Leonardo a Vinci who evolved the theory of the modern Parachute. In the 16th Century he sketched a device that looked like a four sided tent and commented that it would let a Man fall from any height without danger Early parachutes were just Large Para sols or umbrellas. But a Frenchman Andre Jacques garnering contributed a major Advance in the Art after a jump from a balloon in 1797. He was using a new silk Chute but it swayed so violently that garnering became air  on the ground he Cut a Hole in the top of the Parachute canopy which allowed a Stream of air to escape. The vent which helped keep the Chute from swaying still is a feature of modern chutes. The . Army played a Large role i developing the Parachute. The army air corps in 191d came up with the far safer ripcord technique the Chutis wait ing until he was Clear of the plane and then pulling a Cord to open his Chute. The army also developed the seat pack Chuta which made the device easier to fit in planes than the old Back mounted chutes. And it was the army air corps which first made chutes compulsory for military pilots a 1922 safety measure that so ill holds True in these Days of jets and space Craft. Helicopter pilots however Don t use  Parachute As a life saving device came into full popularity after world War i and even led to formation of the famed Caterpillar club. This wag an informal organization of men whose lives had been saved by chutes started around 1919. The club gradually pasted into Mamba As a Hutu became Saler and parachuting wore not Tofu world War ii changed the Parachute t rom the status of an airborne h of preserver to a major military weapon. Military us of the Parachute  new. Napoleon once considered invading England by balloons from which troops would jump. Benjamin Trankita was said to have recommended using primitive chutes in the american Revol ution and Many German air Force pilots in world War i were saved by Chute an advantage not shared by . The French staged a Small scale Para Chute raid in 1918 when two officers Laden with explosives jumped from a plane. Landed behind the German lines and blew up enemy communications. From Billy Mitchell came phut to land an entire division by Parachute from 1,200 Bement Gen John 3. Penning approved the project but the War ended before Mitchell Rouw put it into operation. Mitchell plugged hard for airborne in Fantry in the postwar years. Yet his ideas bore fruit not in the United states but in Russia and Germany. Both Staldt and Hitler urged their generals to form and train paratroop units Early in the 1930s. The United states did t organize airborne troops until world War ii was almost upon it but in the War itself and since the . Army has taken a Back seat to nobody. An army Parachute team based by , n.c., has been engaging in Ward -. Parachute Competition since 195ft that year the team finished second ahead of a surprised russian outfit. In i960 the us. Team slumped  place but last year won All five first place trophies at the top meet defeating the russians by More than 1,000  e safety of modern parachuting is underlined by the mushrooming growth of sky diving one of the nation s fastest growing sports. There were fewer than 2.000 sports parachutists in the United states in 19s9. The following year there were 25,000 sky divers and last year sky diving clubs boasted 40,000 members including by the Way Federal aviation administer. Mujeeb e. Halaby. Chutung traditionally has been More popular overseas than in the United states. Many american officials still regard it As More of a stunt than a sport due partly to the fact that until a few years ago the Only jumping done outside the military was at county and state fairs. In 1940, for example the first Parachute wedding was held strictly As a publicity gimmick. The minister Bride bridegroom Best Man maid of Honor and four musicians jumped Over the new York world s fair and the ceremony was performed on the Way Down. Is stars stripes