Mail it, he said.
No, the Army said. We’re coming out.
Midst all the fakes and wannabes comes THIS story.
He’s learned a lot in his two deployments to Afghanistan. He witnessed abject poverty, with people living in mud huts. And he witnessed the fragility of life, with buddies dying from Improvised Explosive Devices, or IEDs.
“The stress level is there,” he says about patrols. “You have to turn off your emotions when you’re out there.”
That’s what he did when word crackled over the radio that a vehicle had flipped into the river. Blain sprinted to the scene, shedding gear as he ran. In the distance he saw the wheels of a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected armored fighting vehicle — or MRAP — sticking out of the water.
Read the whole story… It’s worth the few minutes it takes. And he jumped out of perfectly good aircraft!
“perfectly good aircraft”? Who sez, these are military aircraft. LOL
That’s a good airborne attitude!
Agree with Frankly…they are only perfectly good to the air crew. I couldn’t wait to get out the door!
Helluva story.
This is a great start to the weekend!
What a great story! It ought to be required reading in every school in America. The Blains seem to make a habit of producing fine, brave, yet humble fighting men. ‘Just mail it’ has to be the line of the year. As for SSG Blain’s idol, Pathfinder George Blain, check this out:
“Jake McNiece, Schrable Williams, George Blain and Lockland Dillon, another one of the 506th pathfinders, finished the war with four combat jumps each. No one unit had made more than three combat jumps, and most only made two. These four men may hold the unique honor of being the only American paratroopers to survive four combat jumps during World War II.” Source: http://www.historynet.com/world-war-ii-pathfinders-resupply-101st-airborne-division-troops-in-bastogne-via-daring-parachute-drop.htm
@#6:
Great read there, 2-17 AirCav. Thanks.
‘Just mail it’ has to be the line of the year”
Yep, fricking awesome….
Jerry
“These four men may hold the unique honor of being the only American paratroopers to survive four combat jumps during World War II.”
CSM Plumley’s name appears to be missing from that list..
Just sayin..
Olafthe Tanker: CSM Basil Plumley is not to messed with in any way, shape or form. Interestingly, he has never said that he made the four 82nd jumps in WW II. I would also point out that the author did say “may.” Lastly, you might want to check this link out, especially the last entry.
Klondikefox.http://triggertimeforum.yuku.com/reply/37418/Re-Basil-Plumley-
My late FIL was with the 82nd in WWII.
His observations about the glider landing during Market Garden amounted to wishing he HAD jumped.
Well done SSG Blain!
As for WWII Combat Jumps, the 505th has credit for jumps into Sicily, Salerno, Normandy, and Holland. Hell, a regimental history of the regiment is called “Four Stars of Valor”, alluding to the stars worn on the parachutists badge signifying combat jumps.
http://www.amazon.com/Four-Stars-Valor-Parachute-Infantry/dp/0760326649
The 505th Association roster lists the names of all known members of the Regiment (to include attachments) with credits for 4 combat jumps. There’s almost 300 names on the roster. An elite club to be sure, but more than four guys.
Four combat jumps and surviving four WW II combat jumps are not one and the same thing, Charlie Six. The much-heralded and well deserved honors earned by the 82nd Airborne need no embellishment or exaggeration. It is what it is.
I do appreciate the distinction. Well over 100 paratroopers on the roster referenced in my original post survived all four drops, as documented on the ’05’s roster. Their 4th jump was made 3 months prior to the 506th pathfinders jumping into the Battle of the Bulge. The statement “no one unit had made more than three combat jumps” from history.net is embellishment and exageration, as is the notion that only 4 troopers “may hold” the unique honor in surviving 4 jumps.