Paratrooper Helmet

WWII US Airborne Paratrooper Hawley Helmet  Liner M2 M1C by Lawdog Productions
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helmet US cricket clicker clacker 101 airborne paratrooper ww2 Normandy
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GERMAN WW2 PARATROOPER FALLSCHIRMJAGER HELMET
GERMAN WW2 PARATROOPER FALLSCHIRMJAGER HELMET
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WWII US M2 Dbale Paratrooper Helmet 326th Airborne Engineer Co NCO
WWII US M2 Dbale Paratrooper Helmet 326th Airborne Engineer Co NCO
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LOT OF 3 UNISSUED POST VIETNAM ERA PARATROOPER HELMET LINERS
LOT OF 3 UNISSUED POST VIETNAM ERA PARATROOPER HELMET LINERS
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Recon 101st Airborne WWII Paratrooper Helmet front seam
Recon 101st Airborne WWII Paratrooper Helmet front seam
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NEW US ARMY PARACHUTIST M1 PARATROOPER HELMET CHIN STRAPS AIRBORNE RANGER PARA
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WWII M 1C 82nd Airborne Helmet 505th Camo Paratrooper
WWII M 1C 82nd Airborne Helmet 505th Camo Paratrooper
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WWII M 1C Airborne Helmet 509th PIB Camo Paratrooper
WWII M 1C Airborne Helmet 509th PIB Camo Paratrooper
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US AIRBORNE M1 C HELMET CHINCUP STRAP WW II PARATROOPER PATHFINDER PARACHUTE PIR
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WWII M 1 82nd Airborne Helmet MEDIC Paratrooper
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WWII M 1C 101st Airborne Helmet 506th Paratrooper
WWII M 1C 101st Airborne Helmet 506th Paratrooper
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British WWII Paratrooper Steel Helmet
British WWII Paratrooper Steel Helmet
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helmet US cricket clicker clacker 101 airborne paratrooper ww2 Normandy
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Time Remaining: 1d 4h 39m

GERMAN CAMO PARATROOPER HELMET FALLSCHIRMJAGER FALLSCHIRMJGERHELM
GERMAN CAMO PARATROOPER HELMET FALLSCHIRMJAGER FALLSCHIRMJGERHELM
$117.54
Time Remaining: 1d 16h

GERMAN WW2 PARATROOPER FALLSCHIRMJAGER HELMET
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GERMAN DESERT CAMO PARATROOPER HELMET FALLSCHIRMJAGER FALLSCHIRMJGERHELM
GERMAN DESERT CAMO PARATROOPER HELMET FALLSCHIRMJAGER FALLSCHIRMJGERHELM
$117.54
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GERMAN NORMANDIE CAMO PARATROOPER HELMET FALLSCHIRMJAGER FALLSCHIRMJGERHELM
GERMAN NORMANDIE CAMO PARATROOPER HELMET FALLSCHIRMJAGER FALLSCHIRMJGERHELM
$117.54
Time Remaining: 1d 16h 11m

WWII Era Shrim Kit for M1 M1C Helmet Paratrooper 101st
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US Army 82nd Airborne Paratrooper M1 Helmet Liner Korea 100 Original
US Army 82nd Airborne Paratrooper M1 Helmet Liner Korea 100 Original
$31.00 (7 Bids)
Time Remaining: 1d 18h 37m

WWII Repro 1st Aid Kit Helmet Airborne Paratrooper Infantry OD3 A
WWII Repro 1st Aid Kit Helmet Airborne Paratrooper Infantry OD3 A
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WWII GERMAN FALLSCHIRMJAGER PARATROOPER M38 HELMET MATTE IRON GREY 31963
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WWII Repro 1st Aid Kit Helmet Airborne Paratrooper Infantry OD3 B
WWII Repro 1st Aid Kit Helmet Airborne Paratrooper Infantry OD3 B
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German Paratrooper Helmet
German Paratrooper Helmet
$202.50 (7 Bids)
Time Remaining: 1d 19h 45m

Vietnam Era Paratroop M1 Helmet Liner with Shell
Vietnam Era Paratroop M1 Helmet Liner with Shell
$81.00 (8 Bids)
Time Remaining: 1d 20h 44m

506th Paratrooper Helmet Economy
506th Paratrooper Helmet Economy
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ORIGINAL M1 M2 M1C Paratrooper Ranger Infantry Marine Helmet Net WW2 WWII
ORIGINAL M1 M2 M1C Paratrooper Ranger Infantry Marine Helmet Net WW2 WWII
$3.45 (3 Bids)
Time Remaining: 1d 21h 12m

4 bolts  4 nuts for Paratrooper helmet German ww2
4 bolts 4 nuts for Paratrooper helmet German ww2
$34.99
Time Remaining: 2d 2h 45m

USM2 M2 US PARATROOPER HELMET WITH LINER  NET D Bales
USM2 M2 US PARATROOPER HELMET WITH LINER NET D Bales
$195.00
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ANTIQUE PARATROOPER HELMET WWII US Military LINER Fixed Bale AIRBORNE M1 M2 602
ANTIQUE PARATROOPER HELMET WWII US Military LINER Fixed Bale AIRBORNE M1 M2 602
$41.00 (12 Bids)
Time Remaining: 2d 3h 9m

Helmet stalhelm German Germany paratrooper Fallschirmjager M38 WWII WW2
Helmet stalhelm German Germany paratrooper Fallschirmjager M38 WWII WW2
$599.00
Time Remaining: 2d 4h 9m

WWII Repro Airborne Helmet Paratrooper liner A yokes INLAND type
WWII Repro Airborne Helmet Paratrooper liner A yokes INLAND type
$20.00
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Vietnam Paratrooper Helmet Chin Strap
Vietnam Paratrooper Helmet Chin Strap
$7.99
Time Remaining: 2d 21h 40m

Original Vietnam Paratrooper Helmet Pad
Original Vietnam Paratrooper Helmet Pad
$7.99 (1 Bid)
Time Remaining: 2d 21h 48m

PARATROOPER Street Sign 82nd jumper warrior helmet airborne ranger parachute 101
PARATROOPER Street Sign 82nd jumper warrior helmet airborne ranger parachute 101
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WWII 11th Airborne  503rd Paratroopers Helmet Liner
WWII 11th Airborne 503rd Paratroopers Helmet Liner
$50.00 (2 Bids)
Time Remaining: 3d 1h 39m

US Army Vietnam Era M1C Paratrooper Helmet Liner w Chin Strap Made By Firestone
US Army Vietnam Era M1C Paratrooper Helmet Liner w Chin Strap Made By Firestone
$26.00 (3 Bids)
Time Remaining: 3d 2h 35m

Mini 1 6th Scale WWII Paratrooper German Metal Helmet
Mini 1 6th Scale WWII Paratrooper German Metal Helmet
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Vintage Army 1950s Korean War HELMET Paratrooper Estate Original
Vintage Army 1950s Korean War HELMET Paratrooper Estate Original
$40.00 (3 Bids)
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Vietnam War US Army airborne paratrooper helmet w liner WW2 front seam vintage
Vietnam War US Army airborne paratrooper helmet w liner WW2 front seam vintage
$65.00
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WWII GERMAN FALLSCHIRMJAGER PARATROOPER M38 HELMET MATTE GREEN 31962
WWII GERMAN FALLSCHIRMJAGER PARATROOPER M38 HELMET MATTE GREEN 31962
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Genuine US Kevlar Ground troop paratroop helmet sweat band small medium large
Genuine US Kevlar Ground troop paratroop helmet sweat band small medium large
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ORIGINAL SET OF WWII PARATROOPER HELMET BUCKLES
ORIGINAL SET OF WWII PARATROOPER HELMET BUCKLES
$8.99
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WWII German Paratrooper book WW2 Paratroop Helmets MORE
WWII German Paratrooper book WW2 Paratroop Helmets MORE
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WWII GERMAN FALLSCHIRMJAGER PARATROOPER M38 HELMET MATTE GREEN 31962
WWII GERMAN FALLSCHIRMJAGER PARATROOPER M38 HELMET MATTE GREEN 31962
$49.99
Time Remaining: 4d 3h 48m

PARATROOPER JUMP HELMET LEATHER CHIN CUP
PARATROOPER JUMP HELMET LEATHER CHIN CUP
$8.50
Time Remaining: 4d 14h 19m

SOVIET Russian Paratrooper KHAKI Helmet cap RED Star L
SOVIET Russian Paratrooper KHAKI Helmet cap RED Star L
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WW2 M36 Helmet Grommets Eyelets German Paratrooper WWII Rare Airborne 1936
WW2 M36 Helmet Grommets Eyelets German Paratrooper WWII Rare Airborne 1936
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German Paratrooper M37 M36 Helmet Chinstraps Paratrooper WW2 Fallschirmjger
German Paratrooper M37 M36 Helmet Chinstraps Paratrooper WW2 Fallschirmjger
$31.35
Time Remaining: 4d 20h 8m

VTG GERMAN MILITARY PARATROOPER HELMET TANKER DISPATCH RIDER PILOT
VTG GERMAN MILITARY PARATROOPER HELMET TANKER DISPATCH RIDER PILOT
$49.99
Time Remaining: 5d 3h 55m

WWII GERMAN PARATROOP HELMET M38 STEEL SPANNER BOLTS
WWII GERMAN PARATROOP HELMET M38 STEEL SPANNER BOLTS
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WW2 GERMAN PARATROOPER HELMET BOLTS  NUTS ORIG
WW2 GERMAN PARATROOPER HELMET BOLTS NUTS ORIG
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Captain WWII Paratrooper America Helmet First Avenger
Captain WWII Paratrooper America Helmet First Avenger
$250.00
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German WWII Paratrooper M38 Fallschirmjager Helmet
German WWII Paratrooper M38 Fallschirmjager Helmet
$84.95
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M1 M2 M1C Helmet Stencil 506th PIR 101st Airborne Early Paratrooper Template
M1 M2 M1C Helmet Stencil 506th PIR 101st Airborne Early Paratrooper Template
$5.47
Time Remaining: 5d 21h 20m

WWII Paratrooper helmet Liner ID
WWII Paratrooper helmet Liner ID
$9.99 (1 Bid)
Time Remaining: 6d 9m

VIETNAM ERA PARATROOPER CHIN STRAP FOR HELMET LINERS 68
VIETNAM ERA PARATROOPER CHIN STRAP FOR HELMET LINERS 68
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BLACKWWII GERMAN TYPE M38 PARATROOPER MILITARY HELMET
BLACKWWII GERMAN TYPE M38 PARATROOPER MILITARY HELMET
$61.00
Time Remaining: 6d 19m

Some type of German ParaTroopers Helmet No other category I see to put this in
Some type of German ParaTroopers Helmet No other category I see to put this in
$45.99
Time Remaining: 6d 2h 49m

WWII Repro Airborne Helmet Paratrooper liner A yokes Westinghouse type
WWII Repro Airborne Helmet Paratrooper liner A yokes Westinghouse type
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US Airborne Paratrooper Chin Strap M1C Helmet Liner NR
US Airborne Paratrooper Chin Strap M1C Helmet Liner NR
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WW2 GERMAN PARATROOPER HELMET LINER BAND ALUMINUM SZ 68
WW2 GERMAN PARATROOPER HELMET LINER BAND ALUMINUM SZ 68
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British WWII Paratrooper Steel Helmet
British WWII Paratrooper Steel Helmet
$94.95
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USSR Paratrooper Field Helmet cap RED Star +Sun Goggles
USSR Paratrooper Field Helmet cap RED Star +Sun Goggles
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Russian Paratrooper helmet liner cap M RED STAR
Russian Paratrooper helmet liner cap M RED STAR
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M42 Paratrooper Jump Suit Helmet  Gear 101st Airborne WWII 506th PIR 44Reg
M42 Paratrooper Jump Suit Helmet Gear 101st Airborne WWII 506th PIR 44Reg
$700.00
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FRENCH M78 PARATROOPER HELMET GENUINE MILITARY SURPLUS W WOODLAND CAMO COVER
FRENCH M78 PARATROOPER HELMET GENUINE MILITARY SURPLUS W WOODLAND CAMO COVER
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WW2 M1 M2 Airborne Paratrooper x2 Helmet Fixed D Bales Band of Brothers WWII D
WW2 M1 M2 Airborne Paratrooper x2 Helmet Fixed D Bales Band of Brothers WWII D
$7.83
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U S TYPE WWII HELMET M 1 GREECE GREEK WING PARATROOPER
U S TYPE WWII HELMET M 1 GREECE GREEK WING PARATROOPER
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OIF OEF 82nd airborne Paratrooper uniform grouping DCU BDU helmet 504th PIR CIB
OIF OEF 82nd airborne Paratrooper uniform grouping DCU BDU helmet 504th PIR CIB
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PARATROOPER Street Sign 82nd jumper warrior helmet airborne ranger parachute 101
PARATROOPER Street Sign 82nd jumper warrior helmet airborne ranger parachute 101
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WWII GERMAN FALLSCHIRMJAGER M38 PARATROOPER HELMET BLACK
WWII GERMAN FALLSCHIRMJAGER M38 PARATROOPER HELMET BLACK
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China PLA Peoples Liberation Army paratrooper jump helmet 2007 series
China PLA Peoples Liberation Army paratrooper jump helmet 2007 series
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Time Remaining: 6d 17h 27m

WW2 M1 M2 Airborne Paratrooper Helmet Fixed D Bales Band of Brothers WWII D
WW2 M1 M2 Airborne Paratrooper Helmet Fixed D Bales Band of Brothers WWII D
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A U.s. Marine Training in the Virtual Parachute Trainer. - 24 A U.s. Marine Training in the Virtual Parachute Trainer. - 24"W x 16"H - Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys

Sale Price: $33.99

 

Description

WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies...

WWII German Paratrooper Helmet WWII German Paratrooper Helmet

Sale Price: $42.95

 

Description

These are the best quality reproductions we have ever seen.
These would be perfect for WWII reenactments, collectors and museums.
Size 56-58 - 7-1/2"

G.I. TYPE OLIVE DRAB ABS MICH-2000 TACTICAL HELMET G.I. TYPE OLIVE DRAB ABS MICH-2000 TACTICAL HELMET

List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $30.50
You save: $9.49 (24%)

 

Description

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British WWII Paratrooper Steel Helmet British WWII Paratrooper Steel Helmet

Sale Price: $89.95

 

Description

New Made Item: Copied directly from an Original in the IMA collection, this is the British WW2 pattern Para Helmet made famous in films like "A Bridge Too Far". OD Green steel bowl with substantial foam padded leather liner and intricate khaki web chinstrap assembly...

German M42 Afrikakorps (DAK) Desert Tan Helmet with Affixed Decals German M42 Afrikakorps (DAK) Desert Tan Helmet with Affixed Decals

Sale Price: $119.94

 

Description

New Made Item: This is fantastic replica German WW2 steel M42 helmet painted in desert tan "sandgelb" with DAK palm tree swastika decal on the right-hand side and a tri band shield on the left-hand side...

GERMAN WW2 PARATROOPER HELMET ALL METAL REPLICA GERMAN WW2 PARATROOPER HELMET ALL METAL REPLICA

Sale Price: $114.00

 

Description

ize, 7 and 7/8 inches with an adjustable chin strap with a metal snap to hold into place.

Authentic reproduction of the Helmet used by Germany's Luftwaffe Paratroopers during WW2.
All metal construction, made with 18 guage steel for the authentic look and feel...

LIONS OF CARENTAN, THE: Fallschirmjager Regiment 6, 1943-1945 LIONS OF CARENTAN, THE: Fallschirmjager Regiment 6, 1943-1945

List Price: $32.95
Sale Price: $21.31
You save: $11.64 (35%)

 

Description

Although it is known that Allied airborne forces landed into a German buzzsaw on D-Day, far less is known about the troops they encountered in the dark night of June 6, 1944. One of the formations they encountered was a similarly elite group of paratroopers, who instead of dropping from the skies fought on the defensive, giving their Allied counterparts a tremendous challenge in achieving their objectives...

AMERICAN PARATROOPER HELMETS AMERICAN PARATROOPER HELMETS

List Price: $49.95
Sale Price: $32.97
You save: $16.98 (34%)

 

Description

Michel De Trez has agreed to open up the showcases and the reserves of the Centre Historique des Parachutistes du Jour-J to present us with this compendium of American paratrooper helmets. This study, the first made of the various helmet markings, stands out from other books of its kind by the quality of the collection presented and by the unpublished photos unearthed from among the veterans' possessions, providing the author with the pictorial testimony needed to illustrate the book...

German Paratroops in North Africa: Tropical Uniforms, Headgear, and Insignia of the Fallschirmjager in World War II German Paratroops in North Africa: Tropical Uniforms, Headgear, and Insignia of the Fallschirmjager in World War II

List Price: $100.00
Sale Price: $72.40
You save: $27.60 (28%)

 

Description

This large-format book is an in-depth photographic study of Luftwaffe tropical uniforms, headgear, and insignia worn by the Fallschirmjäger during the battles for Africa in World War II. Both full-color and war-era photographs illustrate rare uniforms and equipment including tropical jump smocks, Ramcke Brigade jump helmets, and officer's "Meyer" caps...

Star Wars® 3.75 Star Wars® 3.75" Airborne Trooper

Sale Price: $20.00

 

Description

Name: Airborne TrooperManufacturer: HasbroSeries: 30th Anniversary Saga '07Release Date: January 2007Details (Description): The 30th Anniversary Star Wars 3.75" figures will each include a collector's coin!

An Inspirational First BASE Jump

Answer for $200: What is the date and time of the leap into BASE jumping history?

Answer for $400: What object did the 1966 jump take place from?

Answer for $600: Which founding father of modern BASE was inspired to follow up with a first BASE jump of his own from the same object?

Answer for $800: What is a skydiving rig with round parachute?

Answer for $1000: What are the names of the two men that made the historic 1966 jump?

(Insert annoying clock ticking game show tune)

Time is up...

The answer is: Brian Schubert and Michael Pelkey.

Michael Pelkey

  • Age: 69
  • Marital Status: Married
  • Children: Two per marriage, two marriages
  • Current Location: Simi Valley, California
  • Hometown: Benton Harbor, Michigan
  • Education: Some college, no formal degree
  • Number of Base jumps: 2
  • Year of first Jump: 1964 (skydiving) 1966 (1st BASE jump)
  • Container: Military backpack and harness
  • Canopy: 28' TU modified military + 24' reserve
  • Profession: Electronics /Electromechanical Design Engineer
  • Number of Skydives: 207
  • Base Number: Not Applicable

In researching B.A.S.E. history, you’ll come across the story of an El Capitan jump circa 1966 and the events that transpired 40 years later with the passing of Brian Schubert at Bridge Day. If you are a regular on the forum you might run across a post by Mike, usually he comments in reply to a friend’s post here and there. Or in reading through the articles section you’ll come across his telling of “the jump”.

If Carl and Jean Boenish, Phil Smith, Phil Mayfield, Harrison Brothers, and their European counterparts are considered “Old School”, Mike and Brian are classified in an era of their own. They didn't pioneer B.A.S.E., or lay claim to founding the sport, but what they did was set off a spark with their fortitude.

No doubt like many others before them, including the designers of the parachute itself, the idea of jumping from a fixed object was given birth to as a lark. Twelve years prior to Boenish’s jump from El Capitan and the formation of modern B.A.S.E. jumping, Schubert and Pelkey had already made their leap into history.

In today’s world of B.A.S.E. jumping with forum members dictating their versions of “ethics”, “rules” and “what’s an acceptable way to enter B.A.S.E jumping”, to manufacturers of high end gear and First Jump Courses; Schubert and Pelkey’s jump illustrates the “why not?” of a B.A.S.E. jump, instead of the “do not’s”.

In talking with Mike I am again reminded that the “old school” guys show less concern with “controlling” other jumpers and more about answering that age old question “If your friend jumped off a bridge would you?” In this case, Pelkey resoundingly replies “Why not?”

1. Why did you feel compelled to jump from El Capitan?

It was more of a lark than a compulsion. Skydiving was a relatively new sport and the El Capitan was obviously jumpable, straight down 3,200 feet off the valley floor. If we hadn't got to it first, someone else inevitably would have.

I can tell you the "why" of it quite easily. We were two like-minded, somewhat adventurous 26-year-old sport parachutists who wanted to do something that hadn't been done before. The El Capitan was there and it had never been jumped. A co-worker of mine at Goldstone DSIF came up with the idea. When I mentioned it to Brian he was all for it. We did consider the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado as an alternative, but chose the El Capitan first because it seemed like a more adventurous jump.

As for the "how" part, our plans were a little better than the implementation. Our girlfriends were supposed to film the descent from the bottom and a friend, Jim Cleary, hiked to the top with us to take still pictures of our exits. None of us had any idea how long the trip to the top would take and the girls gave up and left their posts after patiently waiting for some number of hours. The hike to the top took us over eight hours, so we ended up without any movies or stills taken from the bottom. To top it off the stills taken of our exits turned out to be very poorly framed and angled. Our mementos of the jump turned out to be mostly unkind newspaper reports from all over the world heavily biased in favor of the NPS's official viewpoint.

2. What was your parachuting experience up to that point when you made the jump?

The El Capitan jump was my 183rd logged jump. Brian and I both held Class C (Jumpmaster) licenses issued by the PCA (Parachute Club of America, since renamed USPA) at the time. I laugh when I see the definition of “modern” fixed object parachuting suggesting that tracking was a brand new invention. Imagine dropping off the top of a terminal object depending on luck to keep you from smashing into it on the way down. We knew how to track.

3. How did you determine the exit point, gear, flying & opening, landing area and timing of the jump?

Gear was easy. The El Capitan was a “terminal” jump (I hate that term). We used our normal skydiving gear, including a 28' TU unmodified round military parachute main canopy and a 24' round chest pack reserve, along with everything we normally used for skydiving: helmets, goggles, sky gloves, jump suits, paratrooper boots, etc. Brian's main may have been a 35' T-10 with a TU mod. He was a big guy.

The exit point was a matter of dumb luck. Lady Luck was on our side to find the sweetest exit point possible: an almost perfectly horizontal rock platform that overhung the wall by 8-10 feet. It happened to be the first possible exit point we came to at the end of the trail.

I hate to say that we never discussed opening altitude or landing area. In retrospect we probably would have been able to make it over the trees and into the clearing if we had opened higher. Timing was also unplanned. When we got to the top, we geared up and jumped.

4. What were the steps in your process of planning the jump? (scouting, maps, research, ect.)

We got a few books from the library and studied what we could from them. The only real useful information we could glean was that the El Capitan was a sheer vertical monolith that rose 3,200 feet above the valley floor. Other rather important details such as wind patterns, landing areas, etc., had to be experienced empirically.

5. In jumping rounds were you left at their mercy as you could not control your flight pattern; at what percentage did you calculate the risk of striking the cliff?

Actually the rounds we used, modified in a TU configuration, were quite steerable and apparently had quite a bit more forward speed than commonly thought these days. The winds at the face of the mountain were the problem, not the equipment. They blew in every direction other than the most important one - out away from the face. The thought of striking the cliff never occurred to me until I began encountering the erratic updrafts and side drafts close to the face. I probably could have escaped injury if I hadn't made the mistake of turning to face the wall so I could kick myself away when I hit it. Bear in mind that there was no knowledge base or study material on the hazards of cliff strikes in those days – 12 years before B.A.S.E jumping began. I've heard that you can always recognize the pioneers by the arrows sticking out of their asses.

6. Did you discuss an emergency plan regarding injury or death?

We were 26 years old at the time and thus invincible. Injury or death were the furthest things from our minds. Our only plan involved a celebratory bottle of champagne when we got back to our cabins.

7. How long after Brian was released from the hospital was it before the two of you were able to discuss the jump?

It was quite a while, maybe two months. Brian's dad was irate with us for having made the jump. His parents took him into their home and cared for him under the strict condition that he would have nothing to do with me as long as he was under their roof. I should mention that his mom didn't particularly agree. She painted a beautiful picture of the El Capitan for a wedding present when my wife and I were married.

8. What effect did the jump have on you in your immediate life?

Very little, other than the fact that my immediate supervisor at Goldstone DSIF was Dennis, Brian's brother. That was the only job I was ever fired from in my life. The jump did give me some bragging rights at parties for a few weeks though.

9. Brian walked with a limp due to shattering his two feet in the jump; did you suffer any permanent effects from your broken ankle?

Not at all. My injury was very slight. I resumed jumping less than a month later with a small ankle cast on my left foot.

10. At what point in your life did you realize the significance of your achievement?

I considered it a personal conquest after it was all over. I took a moment to look up to the top after landing and thought: “El Capitan, you ain't so bad”. After our fifteen minutes of fame (or infamy depending on the viewpoint), I essentially forgot about it for nearly forty years.

In an effort to reunite Brian and me, Brian's daughter Tina contacted me by letter a few months before the Bridge Day event in 2005. Brian had already been interviewed for Marah Strauch's B.A.S.E jumping film “Gravity”. Marah was trying to locate me for an interview and Tina pulled it together by sending a letter to every Pelkey she could find an address for. I met with Marah and Jean Boenish in Hollywood for my interview at that time. Someone suggested that we should meet some of the B.A.S.E. jumping community at DZ.com. Thanks to our meeting B.A.S.E. jumping's noted historian, Nick Di Giovanni, on that site, we discovered that our El Capitan jump played a significant role in influencing Carl Boenish to begin B.A.S.E. jumping as a new sport.

11. Why didn’t you continue exploring the possibility of jumping from other objects?

We had some very poor quality still pictures of our jumps from the El Capitan. Life Magazine processed the film with the intention of doing a piece on it. They decided against it once they saw the quality of the pictures, and agreed to pay all expenses for exclusive rights to a jump from the Royal Gorge Bridge. They backed out a couple of weeks before the agreed upon date to “make room for a piece on Miss America in Vietnam”. I assumed their real reason had more to do with possible legal issues of being involved with parachuting from the Royal Gorge than not having room for it in their magazine. Life's backing out, along with being fired from my job and having been beaten to a bloody pulp by the press and almost everyone except most of the skydivers over the El Cap jump, it just went on my “to do” list of things I never got back to. I got married soon after and started a business. I did continue skydiving for a few more years but less frequently as time went on.

12. Were there any extenuating circumstances as to why you and Brian lost contact a year after the jump?

Brian went off to the Police Academy and my wife and I went back to my home state, Michigan, to start a business. I think Brian and I were both too busy seeking our fortunes in those days to properly keep up with our social lives.

We named our son after Brian who was born about 13 years after we lost contact with Brian. He was my best man at my wedding. My wife and I loved him to pieces. He and I never had a single argument or disagreement.

13. What compelled you to do the jump at Bridge Day in 2005?

Two reasons:

a) The equipment was just like stepping into the future. I was real eager to experience the evolved state-of-the-art parachute technology after about 34 years. I had never jumped a square.

b) Even with only two B.A.S.E. jumps under my belt, the BD '05 jump gave me the distinction of having been a B.A.S.E jumper longer than anyone on the planet. For the record I plan to make my next one in the year 2045, just to keep current.

14. The Los Angeles Times reported that Jean Boenish had advised Brian to not jump at Bridge Day 2006 and that he ignored her warnings. Did you have any concern for Brian jumping having not been active in the sport or receiving limited training? (Source: LA Times)

I did have some concerns. It seemed that Brian was able to handle only small portions of training at a time, but he was trained by the best. He seemed to forget some of the important things very quickly. He was not the same old Brian I knew when we were young. My concern was that he may have a malfunction he might not be able to remember how to handle correctly, or that he may end up in a tree somewhere, or heaven forbid, break a leg. Brian had two bachelor's degrees and a master's. He definitely knew how to count to two and throw. I watched him simulate it at least twenty times. Never in a million years did I dream that he would go all the way in with his pilot chute in his hand.

15. In your wildest dreams back in Michigan flying your Benson gyrocopter and having your first taste of skydiving, did you ever imagine yourself jumping from a cliff?

I must admit that the thought never occurred to me.

Bonus Questions: 1. What has been your experience in meeting people from the sport either through the forums or at the events?

I have met so many terrific and some not-so-terrific people through the B.A.S.E jumper forums. I wouldn't mind saying a few words about the terrific ones, except for the size it would add to the interview. My wife, daughter and I had dinner last night with Nick Di Giovanni and his lovely girlfriend, Dr. Julia Bell. We have become great friends with them over the past few years. Johnny Utah and Tom Aiello have bent over backwards to make me feel a part of the history of B.A.S.E jumping, along with others too numerous to name. Marah Strauch has been an absolute doll. She actually flew to California from New York to go to a party at Tina's house before Brian left us, and again to attend Brian's Memorial Services.

2. Some jumpers don't consider making 1 or 2 B.A.S.E. jumps as qualifying a person to be a B.A.S.E. jumper. What do you say to those individuals?

I agree with them. I may have wet the bed when I was two years old but wouldn't call myself a bed-wetter. I also have made one bungee jump and wouldn't call myself a bungee jumper. I only refer to myself being a B.A.S.E jumper in jest. I took Johnny Utah's course like any other first jump student to prepare for my jump at BD '05 after a nearly 40-year respite. I began my speech at the '05 awards ceremony saying: "This is the part where you listen to two old guys, one with one B.A.S.E jump, and the other with two, telling you experts what B.A.S.E jumping is all about".

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Note: Bridge Day jumper requirements:(Bridge Day Website)

  • Must have made at least 100 parachute jumps (skydiving and/or BASE jumping) prior to Bridge Day.
  • Must have made at least one parachute jump (skydiving or BASE jumping) in the two years prior to Bridge Day.
  • First time jumpers are required to attend a First Jump Course prior to jumping at Bridge Day.
  • About the Author

    Cynthia Lynn lives in Chicago, Illinois were she works as a Freelance writer of short story's and profile interviews covering a wide range of topics and personalities.

    "Homemade" WW2 M1-C Paratrooper Helmet Replica-Converted from a M1 Helmet!