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After another safe landing at Ford Ord. Jumping cost us $1 per day at first, then $1 per jump. Ahh, the bad old days! |
Defense Language Institute, Monterey, CA
Jan 69 - Jun 69
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After another safe landing at Ford Ord. Jumping cost us $1 per day at first, then $1 per jump. Ahh, the bad old days! |
Memories from here:
Learned Spanish.
At Fort Ord Parachute Club, started first of 58 sky dives. Most interesting, #8: 45 second delay over 20-25,000 people at Fairchild AFB, Spokane, WA, Armed Forces Day. Succeeded in opening my chute at 800 feet. Checked my pants for any extra weight or color change! Any jump you walk away from is a good landing.
Got married to a woman I met sky diving. I thought she was a great adventurer. After we hitched, she never jumped again. Damn!
Top man in Spanish class earned me another merit promotion to Sgt. Letter to CMC earned me a trip to Vietnam. Damn! Actually the top half of the class went to Vietnam, bottom half went to Puerto Rico. That must be why we call it, "military intelligence".
People I have found: Mike Stahl, Special Forces, who was the rigger for the backup 'chutes at Fort Ord Parachute Club. I met up with Mike later in RVN. Also, Joe Rice, same club.
People I want to find: The Lt. in my class who went back to Vietnam (he was second in class, apparently he should have been fifth to use his Spanish.), also my Army roommate who tried to talk me out of getting married. and anyone else (besides Mike) in the Fort Ord Parachute Club, including the husband (Jerry Ryburn) and wife (Annie) who had been a U.S. (world?) freestyle women's parachute champion. I think Jerry and Ann raise long haired dachshunds but have not been able to find them.