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Posts:
1
Registered:
9/30/05
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(1 of 7)
Looking for Paratroopers--- Jumper's Hit It!!!!!!!!!
Oct 3, 2005 9:42 PM
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I'm trying to find out about the history of Airborne School. Some sites have stated that the school has been in Benning since parachuting became a way of soldiering. I have also heard that it was once in Bragg, thought I could find anything to support this on the web. If anyone out there has gone to Airborne School aside from Benning, if you can give me dates it would be real helpful. I know that there is an Advance Airborne Training of some sort in Bragg and that it is the "Home of the Airborne." That's not what I'm looking for. I am looking for your Basic Parachutist School or training. Any feedback would be kindly appreciated, thank you.
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Posts:
65
Registered:
11/15/05
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(2 of 7)
Re: Looking for Paratroopers--- Jumper's Hit It!!!!!!!!!
Nov 16, 2005 7:34 PM
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The Army's original airborne school is at Benning and has always been there. Additional airborne courses were at one time taught at either Fort Bragg or Camp MacKall, NC. It was probably taught at Toccoa, GA as well. These were war-time expediencies.
The Advanced Airborne School at Bragg teaches Jumpmasters and a few other courses, but not basic airborne. Basic Airborne can still be taught by Mobile Training Teams or Airborne Units away from Benning, but since teh requirements to run such a course are so strict and resource intensive, I've never seen any unit actually do it.
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Posts:
4
From:
evansville in.
Registered:
3/24/07
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(3 of 7)
Re: Looking for Paratroopers--- Jumper's Hit It!!!!!!!!!
Mar 25, 2007 9:34 AM
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YOU left out a couple, the very first Airborne test platoon was at Camp. Campbell Ky. Whitch is now FT. Campbell, there was also Camp. cliborn LO.
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Posts:
10
From:
Chicago
Registered:
3/29/07
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(4 of 7)
Re: Looking for Paratroopers--- Jumper's Hit It!!!!!!!!!
Mar 29, 2007 3:35 PM
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I'm not sure where the first parachute test platoon was formed, but I know it was immediately moved to Fort Benning where it undertook basic parachute training. I went through parachute training at Benning in 1967 between tours of duty in vietnam. The command Sergent Major of the school was a old trooper nicknamed "Spider." I forget his full name, but he was a legend. He was one of the original members of the test platoon that was formed early in 1942.
When we graduated he came and asked me to join the training staff, but I told him I wanted to go back to Nam. He understood and wished me well.
The parachute training school has many interesting stories attached to it. Many troopers don't know that the 250 foot towers used at the school, were obtained from the coney Island Amusement Park in New York early in WWII.
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Posts:
2
Registered:
9/20/08
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(5 of 7)
Re: Looking for Paratroopers--- Jumper's Hit It!!!!!!!!!
Sep 20, 2008 12:05 PM
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Alright, the test platoon was formed at Fort Benning, GA in 1941 from members of the 29th INF REGT which was on Fort Benning. These guys then cadred the the 501st Parachute Infantry Battalion.
The school was started in its present place in 1942 also cadred from some members of the platoon. It has been there ever since.
Other locations for ABN School were. Fort Cambell, KY and Fort Benning GA. These were all consolidated in the ealy 60's at Fort Benning which is now the only ABN course for the department of defence.
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Posts:
1
Registered:
11/29/08
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(6 of 7)
Re: Looking for Paratroopers--- Jumper's Hit It!!!!!!!!!
Nov 29, 2008 9:23 AM
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I went through an airborne school at Ft Campbell, Ky in 1954. We did not have any towers like Ft Benning, but did have a 34 ft tower (fuselage mock-up) and earned the distinctive title of "trolley trooper" after jumps from it. Sub-
sequent jumps were from an aircraft-in-flight. After we got to southern Germany in 1956, our division (the 11th
airborne division) operated a jump school somewhere near Munich. They had an aerial delivery (heavy drop) school near the jump school which I attended while in Germany.
It probably is much different today, but in the past I believe most of the 5 airborne divisions each had their own jump schools.
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Posts:
2
Registered:
9/20/08
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(7 of 7)
Re: Looking for Paratroopers--- Jumper's Hit It!!!!!!!!!
Jul 14, 2009 8:08 AM
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Very true. When the 11th ABN DIV gyro'd over to Germany in 1956 they formed a school. MSG Mish was the NCOIC and the cadre came from Fort Campbell's Pathfinder and Jump Committee. They trained the first post war german army paratroopers who then cadred the current German parachute forces. The school then fell under the 8th ID, then the 24th ID until all schools were consolidated in 1964 at Fort Benning. During that time frame the 82nd had one, the 101st had one, the 11th ID had one and the school at Fort Benning. During WWII Fort Benning was the only school. However there was one formed in Chilton foliat, England and the 11th ran one in Japan after occupation. The 11th also ran one in the pacific prior to occupation. During WWII all classes ran outside of Benning were because of needs of the unit they were only temporary and can't really be considered a school. Also during Vietnam SF ran some "schools" for the Vietmanese. Hope this helps
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