FORT SILL, Okla. (May 30, 2013) -- Almost 200 Soldiers gathered for Fort Sill's Airborne Day May 23 -- each with a set of wings and a good jump story.
"Paratroopers are definitely a pack mentality, we like to hang out with other paratroopers," said Col. Gene Meredith, 428th Field Artillery Brigade commander.
Meredith along with Maj. Jason Yanda, 428th FA, and retired Sgt. 1st Class Jerry Ring, Oklahoma All Airborne Chaptersecretary and treasurer, created the day in honor of All American Week at Fort Bragg, N.C.
The smaller version here invited every paratrooper on post, as well as the Oklahoma All Airborne Chapter and the WWII Airborne Demonstration Team from Frederick, Okla.
The day included a 4-mile cohesion run, a field artillery live fire, tour of the Army Field Artillery Museum and finally a night of socializing at the Patriot Club.
Soldiers young and old could not help but reminisce on their time in flight.
Even those who had not taken their first leap were eager to join in. Carter
Lybarger, a senior in high school, and Junior ROTC cadet, made it a point to travel from Joplin, Mo. to Fort Sill as an honorary paratrooper. He said he would like to be on the chalk line some day, taking advice from Ring who invited him to the event.
"There's an honor and prestige that comes with being a paratrooper. I encourage these young kids if they're going into the service it would behoove them to get wings because it helps in their promotions for the rest of their service," said Ring.
Firing away at Operations Location Mow-Way, 13F Advanced Individual Training students showed off their firepower to the paratroopers.
At 81 years old, Ring said he hadn't heard field artillery since the last time he served in 1962. His jump stories were a generation apart from most of the others in attendance and unique as he spent 13 months as a POW in Korea.
"They took us out to work in the rice paddies every day. I developed a pattern. On the way back there was a spring fed pool by the side of the road and we didn't get much water to drink. So, I would stumble and fall and I would stick my head in that water and get a gulp or two before the guard could club me back," said Ring.
"I got tired after 13 months and I decided that I was going. So when he came down to do his ritual I grabbed him, stuck his head under water, and drowned him ... took his knife, his bayonet and I took off. It took me a few weeks to get back to my lines. I didn't know exactly which way to go but I had an inkling. I hid out in the daytime and moved at night, stole food, stole some clothes. Any way I got back."
Ring said though he survived, he could tell post traumatic stress was still causing him to suffer.
"When I came back from Korea I was very moody. I didn't say much. And as time went on I realized it was eating me alive so I began talking about it a little bit. I feel like it does me good to talk about it. On the other side of the coin, I'm always afraid that whoever I'm talking to wouldn't believe me. You just had to have been there to get the full picture and to understand," said Ring.
Even after that experience, Ring didn't stop striving to be a better Soldier. He went on to become a Special Forces Soldier.
Col. Raymond Steeley, WWII Demonstration Team commander, was another paratrooper in attendance. After almost a combined 40 years serving, both enlisted and as an officer, his mandatory retirement date is next month.
Dressed in a WWII paratrooper uniform, Steeley said the team offers the opportunity to remember honor and serve those airborne veterans who have gone on before.
A group of young Soldiers came up to hear his war stories and he gladly recalled them. He said the fact that he will soon retire isn't upsetting because he will stay associated with the 82nd Airborne Division.
"We even have a retired command sergeant major who is 82 years old and he says he lives to be a part of our team. He jumps the graduating jump with them," said Steeley.
The demonstration team is a group of current Soldiers, veterans and civilians who keep the experience of WWII airborne operations alive. For more information call 580-305-2289.
Social Sharing