The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-07-17
.U s. ARMY TO TRAIN 400
 PARACHUTE 7ROOPSA YEAR
6ermons Hoye Proven Their Worth in Wor
BY MILTON BRoNNER

troops from the strategic island oi
 Crete, United States Army officials
 not only plan to have force oi
 nearly 2,o00 by November, but alsc
 have established a permanent schoo
 for training 140O parachute troops
 a year at Fort Benning, Ga, each
 year.
 That Is only beginning. Other
 schools may be founded or the one
 at Fort Benning expanded, If the
 parachute troops already trained
 make a good showing for them
 selves in the giant army man.
 euvers to be held in Louisiana
 and Texas next September.
 To complete preparedness, at Ft
 Lewis, Washington, soldiers are
 taught to be "paratroops." These are
 the lads whose special job 1t would
 be to shoot down enemy parachut-
 ists. In training, 150-pound dum-
 my troops are dropped from planes
 The job of the "paratroops" is to riddle these with bullets from machine guns and rifles.
 The first regular parachute com 11and the American army ever had was formed last October as the 50lst Infantry Parachute Battalion at Fort Benning, Ga. Major W. M Mi ley was made its commander Its strength was about 500 men. It put up such good performance that the 502d Battalion is being formed this month. The 503rd is scheduled to be formed on September l and the 504th on November l.
 U. S. 'CHUTISTS
 ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS
 Unlike the practice in the German and Russian armies, men are not ordered to service in these para chute battalions. The ranks are filled by volunteers. These come not only from the regular army, but trainees after completing their service with infantry regiments, may also volunteer under orders just is- sued by the War Department.
 The requirements for parachute troops are rather severe. Majors seeking parachute duty must not be more than 40 years of age, while Captains and Lieutenants must not exceed 35. They must be agile, athletic, and weigh not more than 185 pounds.
 Enlisted men and trainees must be at least 66 inches tall and not more than "A inches. Regulars must s1ave had ct least six months in the army and at least one more year tC serve their enlistment. Men selected as parachutists will get extra pay and a limited number will get chance to fill higher grades.
 All officers and men in the par nchute battalions will be placed on flying pay status until such time as Congress passes permanent legisla- ton fixing the monthly amounts of pay. Enlisted men who are rated as parachutists will get a specialist first class rating. This is done so as to provide compensation both be- cause Of the flying risk and the risk connected with the parachute jump proper.
 PARACHUTTsT MUST
 BE ARMS EXPERT
 Parachutists will have to know more than the ordinary infantry men. The reason Is that, when a parachutist lands, he must be pre- pared to use or help use the nearest weapons dropped from planes, whe- ther they be simple rifles, machine guns or light artillery pieces, in- cluding anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns. The required ages for private soldiers are from 2l to g, inclusive Minimum weight allowable is i2l pounds, maximum 1855.
 Contrary to popular belief, to learn to be a good parachutist is not an easy task. The men are in- tensively trained. They begin by jumping of a low platform to strengthen their leg muscles. There are various other exercises on the ground to harden the men and teach them how to take care of them- selves if they make rough landings from their parachute.
 Next the men jump from a train- ing tower to learn how to guide their parachute and how to land. But prior to that they have learned all the mechanism of the parachute how to repair it, how to fold 1t up once they have landed. They have special training in harness con- traption which teaches them how to make the parachute unfold, once they have jumped. After jumping from g training tower many times, they must make actual novice leaps from a plane.
 In the advanced training the parachutist must make two mass jumps with his platoon, carving full held equipment under simulated war conditions. Once on the ground he is taught how to go into action with weapons that have been dropped separately = rifles, light machine guns, bayonets, small trench mor- tars, hand grenades and demolition material. The parachutist is taught that his duty may be to fight such of the eenmy as may be near, or it may be to blow up bridges, telephone and telegraph installations, etc.
 When the four battalions are up to full strength late this year, the army will have nearly 2,OO0 men Of whom 1,500 will be active 'chu- tists. Nobody here knows exactly how many the German and Rus sian armies have, but it has been guessed that each has in the of 100000.
 The permanent parachute school established at Fort Benning will be eta1fed by officers, non n-commission- cd officers and enlisted men, who will no longer have tactical assign laents, but will form a permanent school faculty. At present, there are 2 offlcers and 47 enlisted men. The school will give six-week courses in baslc specialist training. To show that parachute troops are a perm mnent addition to the army, the authorities have consented to a reg szlax insignia for them.
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