During the invasion of Normandy (WW2) - was there any paratroopers chutes that didn't open? Statistics?
115008
here is about the only relevant link i could find when i searched for "parachute failure" and d-day:\nhttp://fas-history.rutgers.edu/oralhistory/Interviews/quade_joseph.html\n\nin which this guy who was a paratrooper at d-day talks about one time he can remember chute failure during a training jump.  this out of thousands and thousands of jumps witnessed.  so if it did in fact happen on d-day, i'm sure it was some kind of freak accident.\n\ni get the impression that the paratroopers were very heavily laden with equipment - 70-90 lbs each, and many of them came down in swampy areas, where they drowned under the weight of their gear.  this probably accounts for a far greater number of jump fatalities.
493783
You are absolutely correct.  In Vietnam we used to watch the unique smoke spirals from the charcoal fires the Vietcong would use to cook their breakfast at dawn.  We could tell by the number of spirals how many troops where in that particular geographic area and take the appropriate action.  Believe it or not, we could also tell by the amount of urine vapor that would float into the air at dawn how many enemy troops where also in that particular geographic area and take the appropriate action.  I can't say any more since it is still classified. You would be amazed at the level of technology that is in use today.
933975
When I was a kid (born in '62), I lived in Bad Hersfeld (located approx. 100miles north of Frankfurt/Main, Germany and 25 miles north of Fulda). The border to communist Germany was close ( the Fulda Gap), and I think 11th Armored Cavalry was stationed in Fulda and Bad Hersfeld. In Bad Hersfeld, the compound was called McPheeters barracks, lying on a small hill, with admin and personnel buildings close to the gate and more uphills, the area for vehicles and tanks. These buildings in fact were painted light green and had been used by german armed forces before 1945\nI also remember the MP station and motor pool situated in a separate compound about 1 mile away. Local discotheque was called "Big Ben" Hope this helped,\nMichael
47026
June 6, 1944 Normandy, France\n\nedit: \nyep, December 7, 1941 December 7, 1941 December 7, 1941 December 7, 1941 December 7, 1941 December 7, 1941
236903
Yes there was...one of them that I remember was a dude who tried to defuse a tripwire by cutting it..It didnt work. He was an NCO and should have known better.We also took some fire at the beginning but nobody wants to admit it.Nobody wanted to upset Bill.Then you have to count the crash of the airplane with the VIP. Oh and the guy who said hundreds is full of crap as always...He wasnt there, I was.
328934
The invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944 exists as the largest build-up and movement of soldiers in the history of mankind.  It also marked a significant turning point in the second World War, one that would aid in the eventual defeat and downfall of Hilter's armies. \n \n.  \nThe release of Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan will rekindle a lot of interest in the second World War, and in particular the real events which took place on June 6, 1944 - also known as D-Day.
588723
Here's a firm that has German parachute wings:\nhttp://www.milprom.com/German/badges/superior-badges-3.htm\n\nIn the German army the Parachutist Badge (Fallschirmschützenabzeichen) was first established by order of Hermann Göring on November 5, 1936. It was first awarded to all soldiers of the Luftwaffe who finished the parachute training and accomplished the required number of jumps. The award was made of silver and depicted a diving eagle holding a swastika in the claws and surrounded by a silver wreath. It was worn on the left breast, above the pocket. On September 1, 1937, General Werner von Fritsch introduced similar badge for all the Wehrmacht soldiers who also met the requirements.
558982
This is an estimate, but the last actions of these types were probably used in the Korean conflict, at least to public knowledge.  Bluntly, airborne is how alot of special ops missions are sent out (hence the HALO 'High Altitude Low Opening' jump that the seals and other spec ops do.)
1028479
On November 8th, 1965, the 173rd Airborne Brigade on Operation Hump, in Vietnam, were ambushed by over 1200 V.C. \n\nForty-eight American soldiers lost their lives that day.\n\nqbqbqb, I hate to break the news to a historian, but there's no such thing as a "VC Regular." There's VC (Viet Cong, Victor Charley, which was like a militia) and there's NVA (NVA Regular Army). The the case of the Ia Drang Valley, those were NVA.\n\nTOYS 'R' US KID, don't mind what sgt_k says, you're welcome to your opinion. I'd like to see 'em come home too.
40408
That was the code name! \n\nIt was code for the Allied invasion of Europe by way of Normandy, France.
1094157
Well it depends on the category you are talking about.... But D-Day was June 6th, 1944.... that was the day Allied Forces executed Operation Overlord.... the invasion into France during WWII.  It consisted of both sea and air assaults onto the northern coast of France and airborne and glider assaults behind the German front lines.
1148591
Not sure what you're asking, but I visited it in 1982. All sorts of neat stuff including a B-47. Not sure if it's still there, though.
776262
Omaha Beach  is in Normandy,France.It  was the Allied codename for one of the principal landing points during the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944. The beach is approximately 3.5 miles (5.6 km) long, from Sainte-Honorine-des-Pertes to Vierville-sur-Mer.
193509
A big possibility is the Military.  There is Camp Williams and Hill Air Force Base.  You may be seeing an aircraft or parachutes.  \n\nThey have schools and also have training sites that you don't know about.\n\nAlso, think about guns, motors, and other explosives that could play a part.  Army guys love to blow stuff up!
577922
This is turning out to be one of the most commonly asked questions:\n\nRepost of same answer I have already given:\n\n\nReasons why not parachutes (in the order they fell out my brain, not importance):\n\n1. It takes room and time for experienced people to put parachutes on - even if folks were given vintage chest mounted parachutes it isn't a practical proposition in an emergency (what about kids, the ederly and infirm?). Also - are we expecting freefall or will there be time to hook up a static line?;\n2. Even dropping folk out of two sides of the plane, to get a significant amount of people out in a stick type drop (like WWII parachutists) would take way too long even if you don't allow for a huge number of folks freezing/freaking in the queue;\n3. Storing that amount of even chest mounted parachutes is problematic (although not impossible);\n4. Assuming you had emergency opening doors (rather than the normal ones) the depresurisation (lack of oxygen plus cold) at normal altitude would kill most folks before you could get them out. If you wait until (say) 17,000 ft you are going to have very little time in an emergency to do anything;\n5. Depresurising the aircraft will make any aircraft problem worse;\n6. perversely available parachutes might make hijack/terrorims more likely ... Google "DB Cooper" for more information;\n7. The speed of exit would make the ride 'interesting for even experienced jumpers' - imagine a giant grabbing your back and throwing you like a toy (this is from personal experience);\n8. I could mention the amount of injures/deaths due to malfunctions, bad landing, collisions (with each other ... you are very very unlikely to hit the aircraft or engines) especially if a night jump or water landing but I suppose if the failure is catastrophic enough it is better than nothing.\n\nIf I think of more I will add them. \n\n\nBottom line, although it is possible to jump from a commercial jet, even at 40,000 feet (if you have supplimentary oxygen; cold weather clothing and freefall gear [unless you want to open immediately and land sometime the following day]) staying with the plane is going to be a much better bet, whatever the situation. \n\nAs a side-note, parachutes exist for entire aircraft (mostly microlights and small aircraft but their are test versions for big jets) - I suspect the sticking point is reliability combined with economics (such parachutes take space and weight quite a bit which equals money in air transport).\n\nIn the event of a controlled landing by a large jet onto/into water the floatation devices do have a use but I am not convinced that they are there for anything other than emotional support.\n\nBlue skies =8-)
768702
Paratroopers were originally trained and used by the Russian soldiers, under the Czar. This is a little known fact. They were never used in combat by the Czar's Army. The purpose of the paratroopers was to parachute infantry and support soldiers in areas of high intensity, to weaken and soften enemy Resistance while the main invasion force eventually linked up with them. Paratroopers were more extensively trained in physical fitness, especially running, because they would need to move fast an quick to get away from the enemy if they were detected. Paratrooper training was nothing more than another mode to transport soldiers. The last combat jump was during Operation Iraqi Freedom, in the NW corner of Iraq. It was one Battalion of the 173rd Inf Bgd (Abn) out of Vicenzia, Italy. The jump was considered a combat jump, and they were fighting the enemy within a few hours. Each participant in the jump was awarded a bronze star on his jump wings, to designate a combat jump.
1185312
Wild chicken, I remember it well. It was where we used to do our mortar gunnery trials. Great food, got to meet German soldiers... I didn't appreciate the blizzard during the winter of 75-76 though.