The Jump That Changed US Warfare History
WASHINGTON — Since the inception of airborne warfare, the practice of using parachutes to insert troops into combat zones without land passage has turned the tides of conflicts. Commanders use airborne forces to seize the initiative. A brigade of paratroopers can envelop the ground from the sky in moments, allowing an army to strike deep inside enemy territory to gain key terrain and rapidly build combat power.
Paratroopers today learn their craft in the Basic Airborne Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, where Soldiers leapt into history 85 years ago.
On Aug. 16, 1940, 48 volunteer members of the Army Parachute Test Platoon jumped from a Douglas B-18 Bolo bomber at 1,500 feet. The jump was less than 45 days after the establishment of the platoon and marked the true beginning of U.S. airborne forces.
Paratroopers everywhere now celebrate that date as National Airborne Day, commemorating “the bravery and daring spirit of sky Soldiers,” according to the 2002 presidential proclamation that established the observance.
The Art of the Jump
Ever wonder what it’s like to learn to be a paratrooper? Check out The Art of the Jump on Defense.gov to find out what it’s like for students of the Army’s Basic Airborne Course. Get ready for a crazy ride!
By DOD News
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