The Liberty Jump Team was formed and organized initially to fill a request from the local mayor and the KERDUN organization in Carentan, France who invited Dominique Launay - President of LJT and Senior Jump Instructor - to perform a commemorative jump for their premiere LIBERTY Airborne Festival for D-Day ceremonies in June of 2006. A group of jumpers, both Static line and HALO, from various organizations came together and executed the jump to a crowd of over 7,000 people from a C-47 ‘Drag Em Oot’. They jumped as well in Amfreville , France that same week.
The decision was made by Dominique, Peter Plank (Chief of Veteran Affairs) and Roger Wolf (Jumpmaster) to organize and incorporate the team in September of 2006 after requests from the jumpers that they continue on as a formalized team. The three men came with a wealth of experience to begin this venture. Dominique was formally a paratrooper in the French Special Forces -13eme Dragons - and had continued to jump after leaving the Military. Peter was a LTC in the Army Reserves- had qualified to jump static line with a civilian group and was very committed to handling the WWII Veterans. Roger, who was a Sgt 1st Class in the US Special Forces and US ABN trained Jumpmaster, had helped to start another demonstration team in 1998.Liberty Jump Team now has a solid professional membership of 80+ members including both jumpers and ground crew and is constantly growing.
The three men’s vision was for a team of commemorative jumpers who would perpetuate the remembrance of not only the brave men and women of World War II but all Veterans of all wars through performing jumps done in WWII style just as were done 60+ years ago. A team who could professionally jump into the most difficult of drop zones with accuracy and safety. This team is made up of primarily active duty, retired or reserve US and Foreign Military, both men and women, with countries represented being the USA, France, Canada, England, Ireland, Holland and Belgium
Liberty Jump Team runs twice yearly jump schools to either teach new jumpers the skills and accuracy they need to jump or to refresh active duty or retired Airborne Military who have not jumped in several years. Our jump instructors are all former Military Airborne who have the qualifications and professionalism to safely instruct the school attendees. This is a rigorous and physically demanding seven day jump school to refresh former Airborne or to train new jumpers where the jumpers have to complete their training and a minimum of five qualifying jumps.
The team utilizes vintage C-47s to perform their jumps –most of these having been used overseas during WWII to carry US paratroopers for the D-Day landings. Although most of the members dress in WWII uniforms, their members who have served in the past or are current today have the option to wear their own service jump uniforms. They jump static line using Military steerable round canopy parachutes. They also bring in various flags from different countries or military regiments which are carried down by their many HALO jumpers as well.
The team has grown to include many well qualified and professional personnel including a former USAF Jumpmaster and Pararescue Cpt- Dennie Darnell (FAA Master Rigger) as our Senior Jumpmaster and retired SF Sgt.Chris Koers as Asst Jumpmaster, who was trained as a JM at Fort Lewis WA with the 1st SF. Both are well qualified US ABN trained jumpmasters and instructors. These two men are just a sample of the professional and dedicated people we have on the team.
Liberty Jump Team jumped into Normandy 2006, 2007,2008 and 2009.They jumped Holland in 2008 and Bastogne in 2007. They will again jump in Bastogne in 2009. For the Normandy 2009 65th commemoration of D-Day, LJT jumped a night drop on Amfreville DZ 'T' along with members of the Airborne Infantry School at Ft Benning. This jump was done on the 507 PIR designated DZ so for the current 507 members this was a night to remember.They were also the lead in for the US Military jump at La Fiere Causeway DZ. The team also jumps in the US at air shows and Military reunions such as the Andrews AFB JSOH and the 440th Troop Carrier Group Reunion. LJT has a full slate of events for the coming year in the US.
Perhaps even more important to the members of LJT then the jumps they perform are the interactions they have through various reunions and events where they interact with both the Veterans and young people they seek to educate about the history they all so love. LJT team sponsors WWII veterans to return to the European events, so that they too might return to the grounds where they fought and left a part of themselves. Many of the Veterans have never returned and to walk the areas with them where they walked and lost friends is a moment in time that is difficult to forget. To see the Veterans meet the people, especially the young people whose hearts need the knowledge of these great men is amazing. The Veterans also always experience the older generation of the countries liberated during WWII coming to them and ‘thanking’ them for what they did 6o+ years ago. Bonds are formed not to be taken lightly and our team is proud to have helped to accomplish this for all concerned. Often they will also ride in the C-47 when the team jumps- the smile on their faces after one of these rides is not to be forgotten as they relive their own experiences.
Liberty Jump Team also sets up static displays of many WWII artifacts as well as artifacts from other periods of war in the history of the US. Our members are knowledgeable about these and enjoy sharing this with the general public-many of who never get to see such displays. Often the very person who may speak to someone about the artifacts was involved in that very time period during his service.
The Liberty Jump Team is a charitable 501C (3)-non-profit corporation recognized by the IRS statutes as an educational and research entity. The work of the team is supported by donations from the general public and its members volunteering their time and resources as well. For inquiries LJT may be contacted at LibertyJumpTeamI@aol.com or see our website at www.libertyjumpteam.org . For Public Relations or for info on our jump school or events please call Jil Launay at 817-431-2286 or email at JILA519@aol.com . |
