The Airborne Times

Airborne Equipment: The Rupert

As part of the massive deception campaign waged by the Allies during the lead up to D-Day, Operation Titanic saw the use of this funny little fellow. The main force...

Airborne Equipment: The Rupert

As part of the massive deception campaign waged by the Allies during the lead up to D-Day, Operation Titanic saw the use of this funny little fellow. The main force of Operation Titanic dropped some 400 dummy paratroopers, nicknamed "Ruperts", in four drop zones around Normandy. The manikins had pyrotechnic...

Airborne Equipment: The Welbike

The Welbike. It didn't have suspension or mudguards and had only one brake in the rear. An underpowered engine that could hardly carry a fully loaded soldier, and tiny wheels...

Airborne Equipment: The Welbike

The Welbike. It didn't have suspension or mudguards and had only one brake in the rear. An underpowered engine that could hardly carry a fully loaded soldier, and tiny wheels that struggled with the rough terrain. After the container was been dropped, the paratrooper had to find and then make...

What I Learned Being a Paratrooper

Being a Paratrooper was an experience unlike any other. The chaos of a drop zone at night is hard to explain to someone else and yet it seems normal to...

What I Learned Being a Paratrooper

Being a Paratrooper was an experience unlike any other. The chaos of a drop zone at night is hard to explain to someone else and yet it seems normal to someone from the airborne community. I remember telling a friend from a heavy division that we dropped HMMWVs from planes. ...

Modern mindset and what can we learn from our p...

Let us slip back a few hundred thousand years, to the days of cavemen, to being eaten alive, to hunting, to fighting, to survival, and facing the terrifying reality of...

Modern mindset and what can we learn from our prehistoric ancestors

Let us slip back a few hundred thousand years, to the days of cavemen, to being eaten alive, to hunting, to fighting, to survival, and facing the terrifying reality of our own mortality on a daily, if not hourly basis. Life was tough, properly tough and a result, we as...

The Great GWOT Debate: Rip It vs. Wild Tiger

After 18 years of war, many in GWOT have grown accustomed to having as many cases of energy drinks as they do water. We have seen many off-brand drinks that...

The Great GWOT Debate: Rip It vs. Wild Tiger

After 18 years of war, many in GWOT have grown accustomed to having as many cases of energy drinks as they do water. We have seen many off-brand drinks that gave us the energy, power, and total activation we needed to stay awake. Yet, there are two cans of liquid energy...

Soldier. NCO. Dad.

After 15 years in the Army, I’ve held so many titles... Soldier. NCO. Dad. They all have importance, and not all in that order. Being a dad while also serving in the military is...

Soldier. NCO. Dad.

After 15 years in the Army, I’ve held so many titles... Soldier. NCO. Dad. They all have importance, and not all in that order. Being a dad while also serving in the military is definitely a test of patience and organization. It’s been a transition from taking care of my kids at home, to...

5 PLACES TO VISIT WHILE STATIONED IN VICENZA

Being stationed in Europe is a once in a lifetime opportunity. There are many things to do while you are stationed in Italy so get out of the barracks and...

5 PLACES TO VISIT WHILE STATIONED IN VICENZA

Being stationed in Europe is a once in a lifetime opportunity. There are many things to do while you are stationed in Italy so get out of the barracks and maximize your time there! Skydive ThieneAeroporto A. Ferrarin Via Prà Novei 16 36016 Thiene Only a short 20 minutes from Del...

Operation Just Cause

Operation Just Cause: In the early morning hours of 20 December 1989, the entire 75th Ranger Regiment, followed by the reinforced Division Ready Brigade of the 82nd, conducted combat jumps to...

Operation Just Cause

Operation Just Cause: In the early morning hours of 20 December 1989, the entire 75th Ranger Regiment, followed by the reinforced Division Ready Brigade of the 82nd, conducted combat jumps to secure the Rio Hato and Torrijos-Tecumen airports in Panama. This marked the first and only combat parachute deployment of the...

A Brief History of Paratroopers in World War II

It was a wild idea from Lewis H. Brereton. Drop-in American troops to the German city of Metz by way of a parachute from a bomber plane. World War I...

A Brief History of Paratroopers in World War II

It was a wild idea from Lewis H. Brereton. Drop-in American troops to the German city of Metz by way of a parachute from a bomber plane. World War I was in its final days and Lieutenant Colonel Brereton brought his idea to Brig. General Billy Mitchell. Up until then,...

Big Sarge

Master Sergeant Jim Lee, aka “Big Sarge”, joined the Army in 1959. He decided to join the 82nd Airborne as he noted that “Paratroopers were set apart and a special...

Big Sarge

Master Sergeant Jim Lee, aka “Big Sarge”, joined the Army in 1959. He decided to join the 82nd Airborne as he noted that “Paratroopers were set apart and a special kind of Soldier.” After 20 plus years of service, he still proudly displayed his 82nd Airborne Flag in his front...

Rescuing The Wounded

On March 16th, 1966, as a medic assigned to the Recon Platoon HQ CO, 1st Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Specialist Alfred V. Rascon was maneuvering...

Rescuing The Wounded

On March 16th, 1966, as a medic assigned to the Recon Platoon HQ CO, 1st Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Specialist Alfred V. Rascon was maneuvering to help reinforce their sister battalion who was under pretty intense enemy fire, the Recon element also became a target....

The First Jump

Forward: The American Paratrooper:What does it mean to be a Paratrooper? Suffice it to say it goes beyond just earning the coveted Silver Wings. It is indeed a way of...

The First Jump

Forward: The American Paratrooper:What does it mean to be a Paratrooper? Suffice it to say it goes beyond just earning the coveted Silver Wings. It is indeed a way of life. A mindset and a calling that has a proud history and storied tradition. A means of deterrence to those...

What I Learned Being A Paratrooper

Being a Paratrooper was an experience unlike any other. The chaos of a drop zone at night is hard to explain to someone else and yet it seems normal to...

What I Learned Being A Paratrooper

Being a Paratrooper was an experience unlike any other. The chaos of a drop zone at night is hard to explain to someone else and yet it seems normal to someone from the 82nd. I remember telling a friend from a heavy division that we dropped HMMWVs from planes. He...

First In France

“Let’s convince the Krauts of the error of their ways”. June 5th, 1944… the eve of D-Day, the largest amphibious invasion in human history. Captain Frank Lillyman, commander of the...

First In France

“Let’s convince the Krauts of the error of their ways”. June 5th, 1944… the eve of D-Day, the largest amphibious invasion in human history. Captain Frank Lillyman, commander of the 101st Airborne Division’s pathfinders, prepared his team for their harrowing assignment, to land on French soil before the main invasion,...

Testing A Russian

MAJ Mark Stoddard, then a captain, and the ABNSOTD testing the Russian LET-410 Aircraft for suitability for airborne operations in 2000. The ABNSOTD, Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate, are...

Testing A Russian

MAJ Mark Stoddard, then a captain, and the ABNSOTD testing the Russian LET-410 Aircraft for suitability for airborne operations in 2000. The ABNSOTD, Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate, are the Army’s independent operational testers for anything airborne or airdrop. The team successfully jumped the aircraft multiple times, noting that...

The Battle Of Yongju

October 21st, 1950 Korea - Spearheading the UN Forces' drive north, the 187th Airborne RCT conducted a combat jump north of Pyongyang in an attempt to cut off North Korean forces...

The Battle Of Yongju

October 21st, 1950 Korea - Spearheading the UN Forces' drive north, the 187th Airborne RCT conducted a combat jump north of Pyongyang in an attempt to cut off North Korean forces retreating from the capital. Although the airborne drop itself was a success, the operation came too late to intercept any significant KPA...

5 Things To Know About LTG James "Jumpin Jim" G...

The airborne community comes from a long line of historic leaders and icons. We want to honor their memory while also giving ourselves a set of standards to live up...

5 Things To Know About LTG James "Jumpin Jim" Gavin

The airborne community comes from a long line of historic leaders and icons. We want to honor their memory while also giving ourselves a set of standards to live up to. The first man we want to talk about is LT GEN James “Jumpin Jim” Gavin. James Maurice Gavin (March...

Own your jump

But there can come a time in your career as a soldier where you start thinking about leaving. Maybe the deployments, field exercises, and weekend staff duties are just testing...

Own your jump

But there can come a time in your career as a soldier where you start thinking about leaving. Maybe the deployments, field exercises, and weekend staff duties are just testing your family too much. You could personally be feeling the stress of the military grind and feel that for your...