Photo By Spc. Gregory Argentieri | The 82nd Airborne Division's All-American Chorus sings the national anthem during the...... read more read more
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FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — The 69th National Airborne Day was celebrated by more than 2,000 friends, family members and distinguished guests at the $22 million Airborne and Special Operations Museum in downtown Fayetteville, N.C., Aug. 15.
National Airborne Day traces its beginnings back to 1940 when 48 Soldiers answered the call and became the Army's first parachute test platoon. On Aug. 16, 1940, these volunteer Soldiers performed the first official parachute jump and became America's first paratroopers.
IN HONOR OF THE PARATROOPER
"When I think about what we really celebrate here today, we celebrate the spirit of volunteers who answer the call that included dangers they could not fully comprehend," said Maj. Gen. Dan B. Allyn, Deputy Commanding General of the XVIII Airborne Corps and the host of the National Airborne Day ceremony.
The unknown dangers Allyn spoke of were magnified during the celebration when two symbolic black roses were laid on two monuments followed by a silent pause honoring all fallen paratroopers.
"The black rose recognizes and symbolizes the grief and sorrow we all feel for our fallen heroes," said Allyn, who in 1989 led one thousand paratroopers on a combat jump into Panama while commanding 1st Ranger Battalion. "The American heroes that have served our airborne over the years are worthy of pause and worthy of commemoration, and that's what we're doing here today."
Before the events even started, Allyn said farewell to 500 paratroopers heading out the door to Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Just one year ago, the XVIII Airborne Corps Headquarters was leading a coalition effort in Iraq, and on National Airborne Day last year, we paused to recognize the awe-inspiring legacy that we as paratroopers are obligated to perpetuate," said Allyn, has made nearly 200 parachute jumps.
The featured speaker was retired Army Gen. Dan K. McNeill. McNeill served eight combat tours, spent more than 24 out of his 40-years of service here at Fort Bragg and retired in 2009 having made close to 300 jumps as a paratrooper. In his final combat tour, he served as commander of NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
"[America] is a country that was born of revolution. It was a fight against tyranny then and we find ourselves fighting against tyranny extremism today," McNeill said. "In the strategy of this country, there is still a dimension that requires people in the dark of night to go into foreign hostile places, and the only way they may be able to do it is by parachute."
"We remember our brave and beloved service members today who are deployed around the globe in service to our nation," said retired Col. Jim Huggins, the museum director. "This is a day of celebration and also one of remembrance."
According to Huggins, when World War II, Korean or Vietnam veterans come to the museum, they want to see what today's paratroopers are doing to carry-on the airborne legacy.
Among the day's events were many paratrooper family reunions. One of those family member made an emotional discovery.
'SKY SOLDIER' GLIMPSES THE PAST
Joseph Bazan, 73, traveled all the way from Corpus Christi, Texas, to be with his son, Joe Bazan, 51, who lives in Fayetteville, to attend the day's events. Both are proud paratroopers who served in the same unit, even in the same company.
"I followed in my dad's footsteps because he served in the [1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division], so did my uncle, his brother," Joe Bazan said. "We actually served in the same company, A Company."
This was the elder Bazan's first trip to the museum. Completely unknown to him and on the museum wall was a large photograph with Joseph Bazan and other paratroopers moving a casualty into a hovering helicopter during the Vietnam War.
The photograph was part of a new addition at the museum featuring the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team ("Sky Soldiers"). The elder Bazan said he served three tours with the "Sky Soldiers."
"When I first saw my picture in the museum, it was heart-throbbing because of the number of people I got to serve with in the 173rd," he said.
He served in the Army for 23 years, had 147 jumps, and retired as a first sergeant. His son served in the Army for 21 years, had 82 recorded jumps, and retired a sergeant first class.
"It's a tradition," the younger Bazan said. "My daughter, who's in the service right now, is with the XVIII Airborne Corps. I have two son in-laws who are both [airborne-qualified]. It's something that gets in your blood, and when you join an elite unit and you come here and see how far it has gone since day one and you are part of that, it has great meaning.
"Once you pin those wings on your chest, you become part of a brotherhood," he added, "and you will never forget it for the rest of your life. It's just something I picked up from dad, watching him become a paratrooper and what he went through."
"It's something a lot of people don't understand,", the elder Bazan said. "No one else—none of the other services, none of the regular Army, Marines—no one has the tradition that the airborne has, and that's something that's recognizable anywhere you go.
"When you see another paratrooper, you greet him with an, 'Airborne,' and he answers, 'All the way!'"
Closing out the ceremony, McNeill declared, "The men and woman of America's airborne will continue to come forward of their own volition and indeed to go forward without hesitation as long as they have the unfailing support of the American people. So for each of us here today, and as part of this celebration, let's renew our resolve to support our airborne. They are a national treasure."
| Date Taken: | 08.21.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 08.21.2009 14:48 |
| Story ID: | 37809 |
| Location: | FAYETTEVILLE, US |
| Web Views: | 445 |
| Downloads: | 356 |
This work, The legend continues: Airborne & Special Operations Museum celebrate 69th National Airborne Day, by SPC Gregory Argentieri, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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