The WWII Airborne Demonstration Team Foundation was formed to honor and serve the memory of the men who fought and died to preserve America's freedom during WWII as members of Airborne units of the United States Army. The activities of the Foundation also recognize and honor those who served and survived that conflict.
The Foundation serves that honorable purpose through the participation of its members in active parachute jumping in the style of the WWII airborne soldier utilizing an aircraft that actually participated in the invasion of Europe. These activities serve to further the memory of their unbending loyalty to the cause of freedom.
Further, it is the goal of the Foundation to foster, promote and engage in research of WWII airborne operations and military history and to inform and educate the public through airborne operations demonstrations throughout the United States.
Who We Are
Jumping from a restored World War II C-47 aircraft, the
“ADT” parachutes the old fashioned way, wearing authentic 1940’s
uniforms and equipment and using round, static line-deployed World War
II style parachutes. “While safety is of the utmost concern, we strive
to be as authentic in form and action as possible because the
mission of the World War II Airborne Demonstration Team is educational.”
said honorary Col. George Hicks, Commanding Officer of the unit. In
addition to the educational aspect of our performance, we want to assure
that the heroic deeds of the U.S. Airborne units and all U.S. Veterans
of World War II are never forgotten”.
The WWII ADT is a living memorial to those brave sky soldiers who fought
and died for freedom during the darkest hours of the Second World War.
In fulfilling this mission the team has traveled several times to Europe
to jump historic drop zones in Holland, France, and Belgium as part of
commemorative activities there. As did the U.S. Airborne of over half a
century ago, the WWII ADT members jump from heights of one thousand feet
for demonstrations. “This is a far cry from the thirteen thousand foot
altitude that most skydivers employ!” said Richard C. Wolf, Founder and
Command Sergeant Major of the Team.
When the jumpers exit the aircraft door, the parachutes are deployed
when the jumper reaches the end of the fifteen-foot static line
(ripcord) attached to a cable in the aircraft. The main parachute will
open in three to four seconds. If it does not, the jumper has only about
four seconds to open the reserve parachute attached to his chest. “At
less than fifteen hundred feet a jumper hanging under canopy can
converse easily with people on the ground” said CSM Wolf.
In addition to actual parachute drops, the WWII ADT provides static
displays and interactive forums for the public to meet team members who
explain the various pieces of equipment used by WWII paratroopers.
Children’s groups, including both Boy and Girl Scouts are particularly
encouraged to participate. In fact, a special portion of most programs
are set aside to brief school age children about the early history of
America’s Airborne soldiers. This is also the opportunity for WWII
veterans and their families to see the “tools of the trade” that they used over six decades
ago. At most exhibition venues here in the States, we allow the public
to tour our C-47 aircraft to get a sense what paratroopers experienced
over sixty years ago.
Founded in 1998 by retired Army Special Forces First Sergeant Richard
Wolf, the Team has grown to include members throughout the United States
as well as members from allied European nations that also wish to pay
homage to those who liberated their countries so long ago. Jumpers come
from all walks of life including many active duty, reserve and retired
military personnel. “The one common thread that binds our troopers to
our mission is a desire to say thank you to surviving WWII veterans and
to tell the veteran's heroic story to coming generations” said Hicks.
Jumpers as well as all WWII Airborne Demonstration Team members are
unpaid volunteers. Each is a graduate of either the US Army military
parachutist course at Fort Benning, Georgia or they have completed a
rigorous sixty-hour WWII ADT ground school and a minimum of five qualifying jumps.
Based at Frederick Army Airfield in Oklahoma, the Foundation has
recently acquired genuine WWII hangar and outbuildings. The aviation
company of the WWII ADT now includes two aircraft of WWII vintage. “The
C-47 Skytrain was built in 1942 in Oklahoma City
and participated in the invasion of Europe in
1944” said CSM Wolf. The aircraft is painted, as it would have appeared
in the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, D-Day.
The World War II Airborne Demonstration Team Foundation is a charitable,
not-for-profit, corporation, presently recognized by the United States
government as an educational and research charitable trust with
501(C)(3) status under the US IRS Code. For further information contact
the team Commander COL. George Hicks or Command Sergeant Major Richard
Wolf at team headquarters: 918-424-4673. Print press, video requests and
other media related questions may be forwarded to 2Lt. Craig Singhaus in
the pubic affairs department at 410-340-9972 or email:
singhaus@infionline.net
