Evening star., 1948-09-12
BY Harry Lever

"A SKY tulI OF par2tTOOperS Will ram
down on Boiling Air Force Base in
an invasion" which will follow a
bombing" Of the airfield on Air
Force Day next Saturday.
Another spectacular Air Force Day
celebration will be held at Andrews
Air Force Base the same day.
Boiling will be the "enemy's tar
get late in the afternoon of the big
show which will commemorate the
first anniversary of the Air Force
becoming co-equal member of the
National Military Establishment.
Parking Arrangements Made.
The Air Force anticipates an at
tendance of between $4,000 and 100,-
900 persons at Boiling and has made
arrangements to park $4,000 auto
mobiles without charge. Admission
to the big show, as we'll as the one
at Andrews, will be free. Buslines
operating to both airbases are plac-
ing extra sections in service to con-
duct the large crowds expected. The
show opens at II am. and will run
until o'clock.
The spectators at Boiling will see
a hand-picked jump team from the
famed 82d Airborne Division para
chute to the runWays with full COM
bat equipment, assemble, and then
go into battle formation and attack
the base.
The parachutists will be flown to
the jump-area in q giant Air Force
C-82 Fairchild Packet. which is
commonly known as the Flying
Box Car" because of its 29l6 cubic
foot interior and 9-ton pay load.
This big plane, with its twin exit
doors in the clam she'll rear,
makes it possible for AZ combat
equipped paratroopers to clear the
interior in a mere matter of seconds.
To Show Wind Direction.
AS the Box Car" sweeps over
Boiling, it will droL one "parachut-
ist' on the first run, which will be
combat-equipped dummy showing
which way prevailing winds are
blowing. SO as to minimize any risk
to actual jumpers.
The second pass over the field
will see two jumpers descend to
bearing weapons, ammunition,
medical supplies and rations, will
follow AS they fall earthward the
invaders" will establish their Po-
tomac beachhead from the air.
In completing their demonstra-
ton, these troopers will join other
members of their division who will
have spent the greater part of the
day at the divisions display of
equipmetn.
Any chance that the paratroopers
might become entangled with the
superstructure of the plane is con-
sidered excluded becaus high tail
booms are IA feet above the ground
when the ship is parked. The fusi-
lage is slung beneath the blast of
the propellors, thus tending to les
sen dispersion of the air soldiers
when they land.
Many Combat Veterans.
There will be many combat vet
Grams Of the "All American" Divi-
sion among the troopers partici-
pating in this Air Force Day event.
All the invading" parachutists
will be flown to their Boiling jump
area by their wartime partners, the
Ninth Air Force. Mock engage
ments like the one being held at
Boiling Saturday will be made by
the 82d Airborne at Air Force
installations throughout the coun-
try during the Air Force Day cele-
brationS.
The 82d was activated during
World War I and began making
battle history on June Is, 1917, in
the Lorraine sector in France. The
red. white and blue All American"
patch was adopted because it's men
were recruited from all parts of the
country.
During the recent war the 82d