In April of 2012 two paratroopers from the Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Mt. Ranier in Washington state got hung up in trees after making a training jump and had to be rescued by firefighters. It happened again Thursday afternoon when firefighters had to rescue three more paratroopers from the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. Members of the Thurston County Special Operations Rescue Team were the first to the scene in a wooded area inside the Army base.
Last year firefighters were able to position a ladder truck below the soldiers to rescue them, but this time they were not able to drive to the area.
The article at KOMO did not say if any of the soldiers this time were also dangling from trees last year.
Smokejumpers parachuting into wildfires occasionally land in trees but they are trained to use the ropes they carry to lower themselves to the ground.
Below is a video report from KOMO.
Did not the USFS “teach” the US Army how to jump from those towers yeeeeeaaars ago??
Yep… year around trainning for the US Army without traditional letdown gear….I would imagine to save weight and production of chutes and equipment…wait for it…by the lowest bidder.
Oh well….. US Army is still jumping and requalifying for their 6 month recerts and the winds….welllll eerrrrr….. they stil change and some folks are going to wind up somewhere….
Good story tho, Bill. Now we just have to have an SJ story captured by the media to “even” the score…hehehhe