The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-09-26

m advance of the Red Army. disclosed, but the Leningrad Avia- ton Club alone trains more than 300 year, Moscow larger number and other cities are not far behind. Training has been conducted for four years.
 Some StiIl in Teens
 Most of them are pretty, between 19 and g years old. They are healthy, steel-nerved but gay and smiling, fond of dancing and sports.
 Typical were Lyuba Berlin and Tarnara Ivanova, friendly rivals in delayed jumps. Leaping from the same plane they smiled as each sought to be the last to pull her hip cord, felt fleeting moment of horer as they found it too late, as they plummeted to earth.
 The tragedy saddened fellow jumpers, but did not deter their work. Parachute jumping still re- mains Gas simple as taking walk" to such as Anna ShiSmareva and Galina Piatetskaya, joint holders of the women's world record for jump ing from 8 height of 7,923 meters without oxygen equipment.
 They are typical of the army of girl jumpers trained at government expense. Their experience ranges from 15 to 25 jumps, against the rec ord of 60 jumps held by the veteran, LiuSa Savchenko, who also is & pi- lot.
 Miss Sina Blokhina, veteran jumper and former record holder, is slight, seemingly frail, but with strong hands and tanned arms. She told of her experiences and ambi- tions. The daughter of crafts man, she has the equivalent of university education in the Soviet Institute of Physical Culture, and will become 8 teacher of physical education.
 One Is Aviation Engineer
 The daughter of an office work CT in the Soviet gold trust. Marina Barseva, another veteran, is mar ried to an engineer and is 8 grad- uate aviation engineer herself, em- ployed in an aviation factory. She has designed a safety airplane the cabin of which descendS by para chute in case of accident, and hopes to have 1t produced.
 Miss Shismareva left collective farm against the wishes of her par entS to become a parachute jumper, but healed the family breach with paternal pride when she came back to descend by parachute into her own village. She will become phy- sical education teacher and proudly wears on her red dress the Order of the Red Star.
 Miss Piatetskaya, who likewise wears the order, countered the ques- ton of whether she wished to mar " with, Sure, if can catch a man." and flashed 8 ready smile.
 Undergo Arduous Training
 Starting with & leap alone from height of 600 meters, progressing to jumps into water, leaps with ri- file, gas mask and skis, then delayed jumps, these girls underwent ardu- ous training. Preparing for altitude jumps, they were sealed within 8 baro-camera, training their lungs to use a minimum of oxygen.
 All have VoroShilov craftsmanship badges, would like to become pilots, are willing to use their training in defense of their country if called upon.
 None would give up her present life to marry an American million aire.
 The training and education of girl parachute jumpers leaves them wide-awake interest in domestic politics and world affairs.
 Curious About America
 They are much interested in Am erica, and when assured that women in America are as free as those of the Soviet Union, expressed doubt with the question, "1n law or in fact?"
 According to their scholarship records, girl parachute jumpers who are students, as are most of them, receive as high as $50 roubleS a month for their support in educa- tional institutions, although the average falls considerably below this figure.
 The Order of the Red Star, such as Miss Shismareva and Miss Pia- tetskaya display, is more than an honorable decoration. It permits free travel by rail or water once year anywhere in the Soviet Union, IS roubles monthly in cash, free street car transportation, relief from taxes of any nature, and from 10 to 50 per cent reduction in rent. The privileges of the order are in- heritad hv h,Ishond nY- xuife nf. nped