chamber@udel.edu (Sam Chamberlain) (07/10/90)
From: Sam Chamberlain <chamber@udel.edu>
This information is 10 years old but I doubt it has changed much. It comes
from personal experience as an artillery officer in the 82d Abn Div.
Heavy items are dropped by tightly strapping them to platforms with a bunch of
corrugated cardboard sandwiched between - the cardboard accepts the shock of
the landing. The chutes (normally 3) are then attached. In particular, one can
drop the M101A1, M102 (Airborne standard) 105 mm and the M114 and M198 155 mm
howitzers. However, if possible, it is preferred "to drive them off" because
the shock wreaks havoc on things like sight mounts and other precision
appendages. In the late `70's there was no way to (successfully) drop a 5-ton
truck, the prime mover for the M198. But I understand that this is now a
routine operation.
When combined together, a heavy drop precedes the main personnel assault -
this is always true at night when most airborne assaults are scheduled.
However, the practical sequence is normally:
1) initially assault a few hours before BMNT (Beginning of Morning Nautical
Twilight - 1 hour before sunrise) to secure the drop zone (typically
called "establishing the airhead" - no jokes please).
2) Once secured, bring in the heavy drop aircraft and hope they hit the
center of the drop zone (it is an ominous experience being in the shadows
of the descending heavy equipment).
Artillery was typically a day or two later because it took that long to
establish the airhead. The infantry with artillery FIST (Fire Support Teams)
typically relied on A-10s and mortars for the first 24 hours. We nearly always
had A-10 support. Since A-10s have FM radios, direct communications was
possible, although the Battalion or Brigade ALO (Air Liaison Officer - Air
Force) usually preferred to do the talking - quite simply, pilots trust pilots.
Mortars are dropped using standard "A-series" containers: they are the first
out the door on the first pass. Both the company 81mm and battalion 107 mm
were dropped this way since they can be broken down into smaller components.
In combat jumps, supposedly each soldier is given a mortar round to carry, but
I never had this good fortune, let along room after packing a radio, extra
batteries, binoculars, plus my own stuff.
I have heard that the primary reason for the MC1-1 chutes (maneuverable, 8
knots forward speed, 360 degree rotation in around 15 seconds) was deployed
(no pun intended) to allow crews to get to their heavy equipment quicker. The
artillery battery folks nearly always got them, as do air defense crews, etc.
Heavy drops at night were usually tough - rarely did one get a beautiful,
moonlit night. The Army AMO (Air Movement Officer) usually had to keep a
close eye on the equipment to keep the Air Force loading crews from stealing
the Chem Lights - these were popular at the "disco's". Chem lights marked
the equipment sitting on the drop zone so that: 1) they were more easily
found, and 2) so they could be seen and avoided during the main assault
(the real reason). Landing on a howitzer can be very painful.
When I was in, training jump were done at 800 - 1250 feet. Combat jumps are
typically done at 500 feet (e.g., 75th Rangers at Granada; I haven't heard
about Panama). Keep in mind that a parachute requires about 250 feet to open;
this takes about 4 seconds. Then the chutes drops at around 15 - 22
feet/second. That is a total time of 15 to 20 seconds at 500 ft. No reserve is
used at that height because there is no time to activate it.
However, parachutes are extremely reliable. Virtually every deployment failure
I ever heard about was caused by two folks getting entangled and one or both
chutes collapsing. This is a real problem. For example, take 10 aircraft, 60
folks per aircraft, 2 exits per second (staggered, one per second, out of
opposite doors) results in 600 folks in the air within 30+ seconds. Add to
this MC1-1 chutes (each with a built-in forward speed of 8 knots), and
darkness (poor visibility). For this reason, I preferred T-10 chutes (they
drop straight down). Being the jumpmaster also added some extra safety (for
the responsibility) because, being the last one out of the plane, you could
wait a second or two to insure some distance from the other jumpers - it was
worth the extra walk.
Most casualties were the result of soldiers getting tanked up on a Friday
night of a payday weekend down on Hay Street and getting the crap beat out of
them trying to take on a half dozen "civilian wimps". It was always a bear
being SDO (Staff Duty Officer) on a payday weekend. I presume that some things
never change.
Sam Chamberlain
(Old paratroopers never die, they just go to hell and regroup.)jpulliam@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Jacqueline Pulliam) (07/11/90)
From: jpulliam@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Jacqueline Pulliam) Sam, you may have been out for a while, but your memory is fresh as if you'd jumped yesterday! A few things have changed, though. The steerable MC1-1B (and now MC1-1C) is no longer used on mass tactical jumps because of the very problem you mentioned: soldiers trying to steer on a dark night while surrounded by other airborne troops is a formula for disaster. The latest version of the ASOP (Airborne SOP) published by the Division has an annex entitled "Combat Techniques". I think it was included to dispel rumors as well as to show which safety procedures of training jumps would be dispensed with during combat jumps. Among the points it makes: * The airborne commander can drop soldiers and equipment in any order he sees necessary to accomplish the mission. This includes the possibility of mixing door bundles in with troops, or even bringing a heavy drop in immediately after a troop drop. * Soldiers will wear reserves. I honestly don't know if a soldier whose main didn't open would have time to fully deploy his reserve or not from 500 feet AGL (I think the vertical drop is actually 190-something feet before full deployment of the main), but I would sure be trying if I were in that situation. 8-) * Jumpmaster and A/J jump wherever in the stick they need to, to land with their own unit. No safeties, either (really!). The ASOP says, "every trooper is his own Safety" on combat jumps. (personally, as a jm, I'd feel kind of funny jumping into the middle of a stick, knowing the rest of the troops behind me would have no-one to "see them to the door" other than the AF loadmaster, but there it is in black and white 8-). * Drop altitude will be negotiated between the Airborne Commander and the Air Mission Commander (normally the senior Pilot-in-Command). 650' is used for planning purposes, but the minimum altitude is below 500'. Finally, Hay Street has changed since you were at Bragg 8-). Completely cleaned up except for Rick's Lounge. Bragg Blvd and some of its side streets now provide a home for the dives. 8-). I hope my memory is as good as yours ten years after I'm off status! John Pulliam
Scott.Johnson@p0.f7.n391.z8.fidonet.org (Scott Johnson) (07/13/90)
From: Scott.Johnson@p0.f7.n391.z8.fidonet.org (Scott Johnson)
The scariest thing I ever saw was footage of one of the US'
first tries at mass paratroop dropping. They got the C-47s in a
completely wrong formation and troops were falling into each other
all over the place. I don't think they ever quite solved that problem
--
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------alan@decwrl.dec.com (Alan Hepburn) (07/17/90)
From: voder!nsc!dtg.nsc.com!alan@decwrl.dec.com (Alan Hepburn) In article <1990Jul13.015904.4354@cbnews.att.com> Scott.Johnson@p0.f7.n391.z8.fidonet.org (Scott Johnson) writes: > > The scariest thing I ever saw was footage of one of the US' >first tries at mass paratroop dropping. They got the C-47s in a >completely wrong formation and troops were falling into each other >all over the place. I don't think they ever quite solved that problem Troops falling into each other can be a common sight when you're dropping a batallion (or larger) formation. What's scary is when the pilots fly a "descending trail formation" where each suceeding aircraft is at a lower altitude than the one it's following. Have you ever seen hamburger fall from the sky? -- Alan Hepburn "The little I know I owe to my ignorance." mail: alan@spitfire.nsc.com - Sacha Guitry
chamber@udel.edu (Sam Chamberlain) (07/18/90)
From: Sam Chamberlain <chamber@udel.edu> In article <1990Jul17.032035.23017@cbnews.att.com> voder!nsc!dtg.nsc.com!alan@decwrl.dec.com (Alan Hepburn) writes: > . . . What's scary is when the pilots fly a "descending trail formation" > here each suceeding aircraft is at a lower altitude than the one it's > following. Have you ever seen hamburger fall from the sky? If this happens it is the Army jumpmasters' fault. In the final door check (10 - 30 seconds out) this is one of the things checked (i.e., that no airplanes behind are lower). Nobody leaves the plane without the primary jumpmaster's approval. By the way, the door check is the highpoint of the jump for the jumpmaster. At about 60 seconds to the dropzone, the jumpmaster gets to stands on the little jump platform, forces his (her) feet against the corners of the door, grabs (hard) on the door rim and leans out as far as possible with elbows locked and back arched. Several items are checked, like the (correct) dropzone is ahead, but mostly, you just get to act cool since its hard to tell one DZ from another, especially at night. However, it is easy to observe if any airplane behind is below. Once in awhile you loose a jumpmaster early (i.e., he falls out). Life is not easy after that (for awhile). These are the things legend are made of. Sam Chamberlain
military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) (07/19/90)
From: uw-beaver!mcgp1!flak (Dan Flak) In article <1990Jul17.032035.23017@cbnews.att.com> voder!nsc!dtg.nsc.com!alan@decwrl.dec.com (Alan Hepburn) writes: >Troops falling into each other can be a common sight when you're >dropping a batallion (or larger) formation. What's scary is when >the pilots fly a "descending trail formation" where each suceeding >aircraft is at a lower altitude than the one it's following. Have >you ever seen hamburger fall from the sky? Ummm, some of those lighter guys catch the updrafts and drift above the formation. Not a very fun sight from within the cockpit too! Common experience with gravity is that things are accellerated earthward. -- Dan Flak - McCaw Cellular Communications Inc., 201 Elliot Ave W., Suite 105, Seattle, Wa 98119, 206-286-4355, (usenet: thebes!mcgp1!flak)
jpulliam@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Jacqueline Pulliam) (07/24/90)
From: jpulliam@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Jacqueline Pulliam) >From: Sam Chamberlain <chamber@udel.edu> > >By the way, the door check is the highpoint of the jump for the jumpmaster. >At about 60 seconds to the dropzone, the jumpmaster gets to stands on the >little jump platform, forces his (her) feet against the corners of the door, >grabs (hard) on the door rim and leans out as far as possible with elbows >locked and back arched. Several items are checked, like the (correct) dropzone >is ahead, but mostly, you just get to act cool since its hard to tell one DZ >from another, especially at night. However, it is easy to observe if any >airplane behind is below. Yeah, life is grand... See? You start talking about airborne ops and the people who have experienced it start smiling, they sit back and relax, some smoke cigarettes... I'm not saying it's as good as sex, but I'm not saying for sure that sex is as good as it, either. 8-) > >Once in awhile you loose a jumpmaster early (i.e., he falls out). Life is not >easy after that (for awhile). These are the things legend are made of. > >Sam Chamberlain My XO fell out the door on his hang in Jumpmaster school. According to one of his classmates, the scoring clipboard did indeed follow him out 8-). But the point is, he went right back to school, graduated, and has since proven himself to be one of the most professional and proficient jumpmasters I know, other than myself (the occupational hazard for paratroopers is pride 8-). I enjoyed your sketch of the jumpmaster's duties, Sam. John Pulliam