Paratrooper lands in Longleaf pine

A U.S. Army paratrooper that hung in a Longleaf pine tree in Seven Lakes West after a static-line jump was rescued by first responders on Thursday afternoon. The unnamed paratrooper landed in a side yard of a home in the 100 block of Morris Drive in West End. The intended target was Lake Auman.

Residents and emergency team members encouraged him to safety.

 

The paratrooper suffered minor injuries after being about 40 feet up in the tree. Moore County EMS Major Steven Manns said no charges would be filed.

“Can happen on any operation,” U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Terry Wright said. “That’s why we train for it – sustain airborne training. We rehearse, and he did everything right.” 

Wright is the malfunctioning officer and senior air drop systems technician who investigates incidents. Over the years, he has been on Fort Bragg for 21 years.

“We send invites to other units to participate in proficiency jumps with us, so I am not sure of his name,” Wright said.

Wright videotapes each jump to record issues and investigate malfunctions.

The jump was one of 10 total static-line jumps from the U.S. Army’s UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. Nine jumps were from an elevation of 1,300 feet, and one was at 13,000 feet. Each jump consists of at least eight paratroopers.

The 13,000-foot jump was a self-activated jump. When the paratrooper is given the command to jump, he pushes off, and the tension between him and the helicopter and gravity opens the parachute.

In the above video, it is clear how a paratrooper is at the mercy of the winds, gravity, and landscape. Each of the above paratroopers landed safely into Lake Auman and were taken to land by waiting boats.

Feature photo: A Fort Bragg captain of the rescue and dive team (in red shirt) climbed the tree to assess the paratrooper and encourage his descent to a waiting ladder.

~Article, photo, and video by Sandhills Sentinel Reporter Stephanie M. Sellers. Contact her at [email protected].