Evening star., 1944-09-25
8 'Chutists, 4 Flyers
Killed in Cal Crash
Al Mass Maneuvers
Plane Hits Parachute
Floating Ammunition
Down to Troops Below
BY w. H. SHIPPEN, Jr.,

CAMP MACKALL. N. c., Sept.
25.-Eight paratroopers and four
creWmen were killed here late
last night when a CAT transport
plane struck parachute float
ing a load of ammunition down
to troops below during mass
parachute jump as part of
troop-carrier air-borne maneu-
verS in this area.
Ten of the men were consumed
in the blaze and two others were
killed when they attempted to leap
in their parachutes. The blazing
plane dived into the jump area about
a mile in front of hundreds Of official
observers and newsmen gathered
to witness the maneuvers. the largest
night jump ever held in this country
Airmen as we'll as spectators at
first believed that the burning air.
plane was a signal fare to guide the
paratroopers to their goal Hundreds
of men bailed out over the burning
wreckage, and side wind drifted
them to swamp pine thicket. Para
troopers were emerging from the
thickets today. while the pines be-
hind them were draped in fine silk
30 Other Men Injured.
Headquarters later announced
that 30 men required medical treat
ment after the jumps.
An Army board of inquiry was set
up to investigate the cause of the
accident Names of the victims were
not revealed, pending notification OF
their next OF kin.
The real thing seemed onlya a
jump ahead of the 10000 troops
bearing down on Camp Mackall
today.
The first paratroopers started
dropping on blacked out country
side last night shortly after their
pathf1nders slipped in from high al
titude to mark the way and the
operation continued through the
morning with gliders and finally
transports bringing up reinforce
ments.
The next time you guys hit the
silk" said platoon sergeant to his
stick of troopers, you may be on
a money run where you'll have to
do more than just 60 through the
motions. So make it good this
time
The first phase of the air-borne
show was completed this morning
when transports began to land here
after the flying field had been seized
by paratroopers equipped with ar
tillery and jeeps landed by gliders
in the early dawn.
Final Test, Is Belief.
Every man in the air-borne di-
vision and supporting elements OF
the troop carrier command is con-
vinced that this is the final test of
his training.
With the air-boIne army of 1t.
Gen. Lewis H. Brereton striking in
Holland. attention of many ex-
perts was focused on this advanced
training base where new technics
are developed and tested.
The troop carrier commands huge
new CG-l3 gliders. capable of car
rying more than 80 men each. were
used in a tactical maneuver for the
first time to ferry in sections of
complete evacuation hospital set up
in the field soon after the para
troops landed.
Other gliders loaded with wound
ed men were snatched from the
field by sky hooks dangled from
low flying transports.
1t was the first test of this meth
cd of evacuating litter cases from
behind enemy lines.
Imaginary Situation.
Use of the Blue Air-borne Divi-
sion to seize this air field was based
on an imaginary situation which
visualized a northbound Blue Army
halted along the Pee Dee River 100
miles south of here by opposing
Red Forces. Additional Red armor
was presumed to be concentrated
north>of here along United States
Highway No. l.
The problem was to fly in enough
troops quickly to seize the air base
block of reinforcements from the
north or south and hold the posi-
tions until the Blue ground forces
could fight their way up from the
south.
AS darkness closed down last
(see PARATROOPERs, Page A-5D