US Navy Parachute Rigger 3rd Class 1956 to 1964

[five]

Herman, I note the subject above is listed as part of your bio in all your posts.  When I was commissioned as a young Army 2LT out of ROTC, I went to Fort Benning, GA, for parachute training, enroute to my first assignment with the 101st Airborne Division.  After I had been with the 101st a while there was a discussion of "quality control" for the parachute packers....how were they monitored and checked to be sure they were extremely careful in packing our parachutes.  What we were told by the NCOIC was  that after packing the parachute, the rigger put a tag on it with his initials.  He also said the riggers were closely monitored while packing the parachutes.  The ultimate test for quality control was when, on an unannounced day at an unannounced time, the riggers were instructed to go find a parachute with their initials on the tag....and go jump with it.

[hermanmullins]

A bit different in the Navy and Marine Corp. In 1959 when I went to PR at Lakehurst, NJ, we were required to pack our own chute and jump with it. I was the first man, first stick, in the first load on the first day of April 1959.

I was asked by a lieutenant (equal to an Army Captain), to pack his chute for his jump. He was a Major Frank Burns before there was a Frank Burns. I packed his chute and after the jump he said it was the hardest opening shock he ever had. I was very proud of myself.

Herman 

[manholt]

FIVE. I thought you was a Pilot, not an Eagle?  

 

[obedb]

All very interesting. My dad flew with a parachute strapped to his butt for a number of years before he received orders to report to a SAM squadron after returning from Nam. Then it was pressurized Convairs flying big wigs for the last five years. A Sam Squadron transports a lot of Big Wigs to and from Joint Base Andrews. One of them is the Prez.

[five]

5 hours ago, manholt said:

FIVE. I thought you was a Pilot, not an Eagle?  

 

Both, after a ground tour  in VN with the field artillery in the 25th Infantry Division, I went to flight school then back to VN for a year in the front of a CH 47 (Chinook).  Several years later I got in to Army fixed wing, and when I retired, I was an FAA flight instructor and flew corporate jets.