History of the American Paratrooper

[RFleischman]

The History of the
American Paratrooper



(As printed in SH 57-5: Guide for Airborne Students, October 1987)



Perhaps no military development has been so revolutionary as the employment of paratroopers. Certainly none has bee so spectacular or singularly effective. The history of the American paratrooper is one of the most colorful in U.S. military history.


It was during our own Revolutionary War that Benjamin Franklin asked the question: "And where is the Prince who can afford so to cover his country with troops for its defense as that ten thousand men descending from the clouds might not in many places cause so an infinite deal of mischief before a force could be brought together to repel them?" It is generally agreed that the late General Billy Mitchell conceived the idea of parachuting troops from aircraft against the enemy. It was shortly after World War I that General Mitchell arranged for the first display of his concept at Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas. In the demonstration, six U.S. soldiers parachuted from a Martin Bomber, landed, and less than three minutes after exiting the aircraft they assembled their weapons on the field and were ready for action. Unfortunately for the United States, the officials who witnessed this historic event dismissed the whole idea as a folly.


Not all of those observers arrived at the same conclusion. Representatives of the Soviet Union and Germany were greatly impressed with the demonstration. Parachuting was introduced in Russia as a national sport. Young and old alike were encouraged into the Russian Airborne Corps.


In August 1930, Veronezh, Russia, paratroopers participated for the first time in military maneuvers. Their use was so effective that a repeat performance was given in Moscow one month later

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German observers also quickly grasped the potential of parachute troops, and planners worked feverishly to develop an effective military parachute organization. The effectiveness of the paratroopers startled the world. No longer was there any doubt about the power and capability of this new instrument of war. At the outbreak of World War II, both Soviet Union and Hitler's Germany parachuted troops in their respective spearhead assaults.


Early in 1940, the United States awoke from its dream of isolation, and all branches of the armed forces began an all-out preparedness program. Spurred by the successful employment of airborne troops by the Germans in the invasion of the Low Countries, wheels began turning in developing this new form of warfare.


In April of 1940, after much controversy among the branches of the armed forces as to who would assume command of the proposed "Air Infantry," the War Department approved plans for a test platoon of Airborne Infantry. The platoon was to function under the direction and control of the U.S. Army Infantry Board.


Before the final decision was made, several colorful proposals were presented by interested branches within the Army. The most interesting was a proposal made by the Air Corps that the Air Infantry be called "Air Grenadiers" and be members of the "Marines of the Air Corps."


On 25 June 1940, the Commandant of the InfantrySchool was directed to organize a parachute test platoon of volunteers from the 29th Infantry Regiment, stationed at FortBenning. Later that year the Commanding General of the 2d Infantry Division was directed to conduct tests necessary to develop reference data and operational procedures for air-transported troops.


In July 1940, the task of organizing the test platoon began. First Lieutenant William T. Ryder of the 29th Infantry volunteered and was designated platoon leader. Lieutenant James A. Bassett was designated assisstant platoon leader. Forty-eight men were selected for the platoon from a pool of 200 enlisted volunteers. Selection was primarily based on high standards of health and rugged physical characteristics. The platoon was moved into tents near Lawson Field, and an abandoned hanger was acquired for use as a training hall and for parachute packing.


Lieutenant Colonel William C. Lee, a member of the staff of the Chief of Infantry, was keenly interested in the test platoon. He recommended that the men be moved to Highstown, New Jersey, for a week's training on the parachute drop towers which had been used in the New York Worlds Fair. At the time, the towers were located on the premises of their owner, the Safe Parachute Company, thus, 18 days after its organization, the test platoon was moved to Highstown and trained for one week on the 250-foot towers.


Training on the towers was particularly effective. The similarity of a drop from the tower, to that of a drop from an airplane, added a touch of realism to the training that was impossible to duplicate otherwise. In addition to this, dropping from the towers proved to the troopers that their parachutes would function safely.


The Army was so impressed with the towers that it purchased two of them from the Safe Parachute Company and erected them at FortBenning. Later two more were added. Three of these towere are still in use at FortBenning.


Fortified by the knowledge that they were receiving the best training possible, the troops of the test platoon continued their training with added spirit and determination.


The first jump by members of the platoon from an aircraft in flight was made from a Douglas B-18 over Lawson Field on 16 August 1940. Before the drop, members of the platoon held a lottery to determine which man would have the honor to be first to follow Lieutenant Ryder out of the door. The drawing was won by Private William N. King, who thereby became the first enlisted man to make an official jump as a paratrooper in the United States Army. On 29 August, at Lawson Field, members of the platoon made the first platoon mass jump held in the United States.


The first parachute combat unit to be organized was the 501st Parachute Battalion. It was commanded by Major William M. Miley, who later became a Major General and commander of the 17th Airborne Division. Members of the test platoon were the cadre for the battalion. New jump areas were cleared at FortBenning by Civilian Conservation Corps workers and three new training buildings were erected. Several B-18 and C-39 aircraft were made available to the Infantry Airborne Army for training.


It is a little known fact that the paratroopers traditional cry "Geronimo" originated in the 501st. It was first used by a Private Aubrey Eberhart to prove to a friend that he had full possession of his faculties when he jumped. "Geronimo" was adopted by the 501st as a battle cry and has been used by paratroopers ever since.


The 502d Parachute Infantry Battalion was activated on 1 July 1941. Men of the 501st were its cadre. The 502d was far below authorized strength, and Lieutenant Colonel William C. Lee assumed the task of recruiting 172 prospective troopers from the 9th Infantry Division at FortBragg. The response to this request for volunteers was startling. More than 400 men, including noncommissioned officers who were willing to "take a bust," answered his call.


Airborne experimentation of another type was initiated on 10 October 1941 when the army's first Glider Infantry battalion was activated. This unit was officially designated the 88th Glider Infantry Battalion and was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Elbridge G. Chapman, Jr. Lieutenant Colonel Chapman later became a Major General and commanded the 13th Airborne Division.


As more airborne units were activated, it became apparent that a centralized training facility should be formed. As a result, the ParachuteSchool was established at FortBenning on 15 May 1942. Since that time, the Parachute School has been known by a variety of names: The Airborne School, 1 January 1946; the Airborne Army Aviation Section, The Infantry School, 1 November 1946; The Airborne Department, the Infantry School, February 1955; Airborne-Air Mobility Department, November 1956; the Airborne Department, August 1964; the Airborne-Airmobility Department in October 1974; the 4th Airborne Training Battalion, The School Brigade in January 1982; and the 1-507 Parachute Infantry, The School Brigade in October 1985.


Although several types of Airborne insignia for the headgear have been worn by parachute and glider organizations since 1942, an Airborne insignia was not authorized until 1949 and did not appear in Army Regulations until 1956.


The authorization of the Airborne insignia first appeared in AR 670-5 dated 20 September 1956, which stated, "Airborne insignia may be worn when presribed by commanders...The insignia consists of a white parachute and glider on blue disk with a red border approximately 2 1/4 inches in diameter overall."


In December of 1943, the all black "555th Parachute Infantry Company (Colored)," later redesignated Company A, 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion and remembered as the "Triple Nickel," arrived at Fort Benning for airborne training, marking a milestone for black Americans in the combat arms.


On 14 December 1973, another milestone in Airborne history was established when PVT's Johnson and Kutsch became the first two women to graduate from the Airborne Course. The need to qualify women as parachutists came about as a result of a critical personnel shortage in the Parachute Rigger field in the early 1970's. Other countries in the world train and use women in the role to pack and repair parachutes and related aerial delivery equipment. Therefore, DA authorized the USArmyInfantrySchool to conduct a modified course of instruction to see if it was feasible to train women as military parachutists. A POI was developed with the emphasis placed on technical proficiency rather than physical proficiency, and the first two women completed the training...


The World War II, Korean, and Vietnam combat records of Airborne units is a story of unexcelled valor. From their very first major combat jump in North Africa through Vietnam until the most recent one in (Iraq), U.S. paratroopers have fought with a spirit, determination, and tanacity that has captured and held the imagination and respect of the world. Future events will continue to find the American paratroopers in the forefront.