SF Boo Jump

[AlaskaDad]

I know this is an old photo ...... still cool bit o history
U.S. Army parachutists from the 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) perform a static line jump out of an Australian DHC-4 Caribou troop transport aircraft over Royal Australian Air Force Base Townsville, Australia, on March 3, 1997. The soldiers are participating in exercise Tandem Thrust '97, a combined military training exercise involving 28,000 personnel, 252 aircraft and 43 ships, and is designed to train U.S. and Australian staffs in crisis action planning and contingency response operations. The 1st Special Forces Group is deployed for the exercise from Okinawa, Japan. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Efrain Gonzalez, U.S. Air Force.

[Rocket1972]

Very nice piece of history and great picture!

[z0phi3l]

Did that in 91, it was at that place where they also practice carrier landings because of the wind. I was involved in Op Vampire Bite in late 91

[Purple]

I've got a 'few' Caribou jumps and my last Caribou jump was in 1982 on St Mere - I was the J/M and put a straphanger from Corps (a BG from the Staff) in the brambles/swamp on the west end of the DZ because he 'demanded' I record his jump as CE (he was wearing a pistol while we had rucks and weapons).

We (10 of us) had a USAFRes C7 for the entire morning, an M35 w/trailer load of MC1-1s, and were practicing ODA SOP jump procedures and grouping in the air. The C7 would land, we'd load, he'd take off and fly a short route, we'd jump, group, clear the DZ and hotwash, chute up again, he'd land and we'd go again.

The BG and his Aide came out and needed a pay jump so we gave him a chute, briefed him, and all was OK...until we were attaching our rucks and he demanded I make sure to give him credit for a C/E jump, too, because he was wearing his issued weapon. As this was done openly in front of my team, I quietly told my TM SGT (I was a 1LT SCUBA DET CDR in the 7th SFGA at the time) that I was going early and to let the BG follow me (he was jumping second and for the C7 the JM went first and the A/JM controlled the stick until all had exited and jumped last) - then hold the stick for a 5 count and jump. The pilots were giving us a green as soon as they hit the leading edge of the DZ and we were doing the spotting for SOP practice - so as soon as the green came on, I went and the BG followed - Top held the team for a 5 count and then they followed... all (except me and the BG) almost landing on the TIP by the truck. As soon as my chute opened, I turned to run as hard as I could for the DZ and made hard ground about 100m east of the swampy area. The BG, not knowing what I had done, found himself with only 2 options - the swamp or the trees - he found the swamp along the edge of the trees.

The Aide drove out to get the BG with his jeep - I walked in and we were prepping for another jump when they came back to turn in the chute. I apologized for the 'winds' which gave us that poor spot and asked him if he'd like to go again - he declined and they left - wet, muddy, and scratched up from all the wait-a-minute vines from that end of the DZ.

I recorded his jump as C/E with the rest of us (he did have his weapon)...and my TM SGT and I got a lot of laughs over the years recalling that jump. I still smile when thinking of it.

Purple