FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:   JULY 25, 2003

Contact Patrick Tremblay, ptremblay@asomf.org (910) 483-3003 ext. 229

AIRBORNE HERITAGE DAY
Celebrating 63 Years of Army Airborne!

FAYETTEVILLE, NC. On Saturday, August 16 the Airborne & Special Operations Museum (ASOM) will mark its third anniversary and the 63rd anniversary of Army airborne. The event, Airborne Heritage Day, is an annual day of remembrance and celebration of all units and soldiers who wear the silver parachute or glider wings. The day’s activities are sponsored by the XVIII Airborne Corps and Ft. Bragg, United States Army Special Operations Command and Pope Air Force Base.

EVENTS
Airborne Heritage Day will begin at 9:30 am with a freefall parachute demonstration. The jumpers will land outside the museum’s main entrance, officially beginning the day of celebration. The 82nd Airborne Division Band will perform for the crowd prior to and after the jump. Immediately following the jump, LTG Dan McNeill, XVIII Airborne Corps and Ft. Bragg commander, will make remarks and present to the museum the Joint Combined Task Force 180 colors that flew over his headquarters during his command in Afghanistan. Static displays of airborne and special operations equipment will be in the museum and on the grounds until 3 p.m. These will feature weapons and equipment used by the XVIII Airborne Corps and by Army and Air Force special operations. A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, artillery, air defense, and parachute rigging equipment are just some of the exciting equipment scheduled to be included in this rare public display.

The museum doors will open following the ceremony, and visitors can see in vivid detail the legendary history of this unique sector of our military. LTG (Ret) Edward M. Flanagan will be signing copies of his book, Airborne, from 11 am – 2 pm. In addition to the permanent collection, the museum’s special exhibit, Evolution of a Friendship, Selected Documents on German-American Relations will be on display. Evolution examines the long and sometimes troubled relationship between Germany and the U.S.

BIRTH OF THE AIRBORNE
In the summer of 1940 the U.S. Army, recognizing the awesome potential of airborne warfare, created the Parachute Test Platoon at Ft. Benning, GA. On August 16 of that year 48 soldiers jumped, becoming the first American paratroopers. Sixty-three years later airborne and special operations soldiers are still spearheading our nation’s interests around the world.

ON THE WEB: www.asomf.org

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