European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 01, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse R or i i i a u la r n n try r to r to p t to i i i -. V i i � _. Us i la _ a a i a j a i i m of by Sio Whipple staff writer daredevil Doc club and his stupid son icarus took off from the Island of Crete on a couple pairs of homemade wings constructed of feathers and Wax. Daedalus cautioned icarus Don t Fly too near the Sun son said the bold papa in greek , ignoring the fact that he had no Parachute parachutes not having been invented disobeyed daddy s in Junction. His Wax works melted an there he was Flat on his Back at 40,000 feet aviation s first with this mythical tragedy and a possible Means of avoiding similar accidents the 15lh Century artist architect Engineer and inventor Leonardo Davinci put together a composite flying machine Parachute which looked like something Batman could use. He never perhaps wisely tried it out but it use to hang from the ceiling of his studio hovering Over a conglomeration of Skele tons derricks and sculptural mock a drawing of it is reproduced at right in a rambling but enthusiastic Book titled the Falcon s disciples past an press Howard Gregory traces the development of the Parachute from its experimental beginning As a lifesaving de vice to its modern use in the exhilarating sport of aerobatics skydiving. A goodly portion of the Book is devoted to military airborne operations but the most interesting part is the review of the inventions and exploits of the Pio neers who opened up the skies and eventually made them a playground Forman s Aerial gymnastics. The sport of ballooning bad its inception toward the end of the 18th Century when a couple of frenchmen Etionne and Montgolfier discovered a Means of getting into the air in a Basket tie beneath a hoi air balloon. Another Frenchman Sebastien Lenormand i said to have invented a Way to get Down again he Parachute. The Parachute was nothing but a big umbrella called by the French a Para Pluie a rain stopper. Parachute similarly Means a fall Otill another Frenchman Andre Jacques Gur Crin was the first Man known to have made a jump from a bal Loon. This was on oct. 22, 1797, and Gar Nerin was 2,000 feet in the air when remade the drop. Throughout the 19th Century intrepid balloonist amused themselves and fascinated Earth bound spectators with their exhibition and Downs. Scarcely county or state fair in America was considered Complete without its sensational balloon ascension and Parachute descent. The parachutist was generally an a the complis Hecl aerialist performing his feats on a trapeze that dangled beneath the balloon. Upon reaching the proper height he appeared to have lost his hold on the trapeze and began to plummet to Ward Earth while the horror stricken audience gasped. But then the big canopy attached to the newly invented Static line would open and the parachutist would float gently Down to the cheers of the relieved spectators. With the Advent of he air plane the problem of separating the sky ride from his machine and unfolding the Parachute became intensified. Parachute lines might Well become entangled wit the plane itself. The prop Wash was dangerous. But flying fools like the Youn Charles a. Lindbergh barnstorming the country in the Early 20s in Aerial shows gradually perfected both the mechanics of the Parachute and the techniques of jumping. Finally in 1922, the army made it mandatory for All pilots to Weara Parachute while in the air. Meanwhile during the first world War parachutes had been used Exten sively to save. The lives of observers in balloons thai i i Jenti were shot downy enemy fire not until the last few weeks of the War were parachutes used by air plane pilots and then Only by the germans. The allies were still debating their value when the War ended but re ports from the Field were regarded a significant. For example the american first Pursuit group from sept. 26 to nov. 11, 1918, reported shooting Down 11 enemy aircraft from which All pilots escaped by Parachute. Losses of planes were increasing but fliers lives were being saved. It is easier to replace an air plane than an experienced Pilot. Immediately after he War the . Army at Mccook Field Dayton Ohio began experimenting with the now familiar seat pack for pilots. More than 1,500 successful jumps were made with the new pack before it was adopted in 1919 As Standard equipment. Maj. Gen. William Mitchell famous for his advanced ideas concerning the use of air planes in War and for having been slapped Down by his superiors for such Radical proposals was probably the first american officer to advocate creation of Parachute troops. Gen. John j. Pershing rejected the idea As silly and but Between 1920 and 1935, the russians were developing Parachute operations to a Point where they were Able to drop As Many As 5,000 Menat a time with artillery. Other nations fell in line and Para Chute troops became Standard units inthe armies of every major Power. Operations of american airborne division sin world War ii Korea and Vietnam Are matters of historical record. War instead of being fought in two Dimen Sions is now fought in three. Fliers who had been somewhat reluctant to accept the Bulky Parachute equipment in peacetime flights enthusiastically reversed their position after a few experiences in abandoning disabled or malfunctioning aircraft. A select group of men who owed their lives to the Parachute formed what was known As the Caterpillar club and. As the years passed their ranks grew by leaps and Bounds no Pun intended. Then men discovered that Para Chuting could be something More than a grim and Chancy lifesaving business. Twas fun it was sport clubs sprang up. The sport developed its own rules for competitions were Fco nth to if on Puje l t i v do Vinci designed Chute to but jumping did t really get going until 20fh Century. Going wednesday May 1, 1968 the stars and stripes going in mass jump Page u
