Edwards AFB News

Army Paratroopers storm drop zone at Edwards to train and to remember 9/11

  • Published
  • By Kenji Thuloweit
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Four armed services came together to train and also remember those who were lost on and after Sept. 11, 2001.

On the 10th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in United States history, three Army Reserve units, a German military contingent and C-130s from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., united for a day of memorial operations at Edwards.

Nearly 150 Soldiers jumped at the chance to leap into the cloudless skies Sunday and land on Edwards' Farm Drop Zone located near the south gate in an operation called Vigilant Warrior.

"It's our second year in a row doing this," said Brig. Gen. Gary Medvigy, commander of the 351st Civil Affairs Command from Mountain View, Calif.

"It's a joint effort with Edwards Air Force Base, and this year, with the Marines. The Marines provided our C-130s, Edwards provided the drop zone, and we rigged up and took off from March AFB, so it's a joint effort. Each time we've jumped into Edwards it's been a cooperative effort between the different branches, and in this time of constraints and efficiencies we need to work together."

The 426th Civil Affairs Battalion of Upland, Calif., coordinated the event while two psychological operations companies from Texas - the 344th and 345th PSYOP Companies from Austin and Dallas, respectively - came west for the commorative operations.

Family and friends sat in bleachers and tents covered in camouflage netting to watch the paratroopers float to the earth after each C-130 pass. They were treated to refreshments and barbeque throughout the day.

Lt. Col. Chris Bocker of the German Armed Forces pinned German parachutist badges on the airborne Soldiers in ceremonies following the jumps . Bocker serves as a foreign liaison officer at Fort Bragg, N.C.

The jumpmasters on the C-130s - also German soldiers - issued the jump commands in German, which through the NATO alliance, authorizes the American troops to be awarded the German wings.

"It is very important that we train together," Bocker said. "We train together, because we have to work together when we are (fighting) in Afghanistan."

The presence of two of the oldest paratroopers in the world made the day even more special.

Arthur M. Petersen and retired Sgt. Maj. Robert Forties, who served with the 101st Airborne Division and 82nd Airborne Division respectively, both made D-Day jumps into Normandy, France, during World War II.

They traveled more than 100 miles to be in the high desert among the paratroopers courtesy of the Santa Barbara chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Both paratroopers also dropped into Holland during Operation Market Garden and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. The operations became better known in films like "A Bridge to Far" and television dramas like "Band of Brothers." After D-Day, Petersen actually joined Lt. Richard Lewis' unit that was depicted in the HBO made for television series.

"If they would have invited to me to jump I would have jumped," Petersen said. I belong to all the [veterans] organizations because I support all veterans, I don't care where you served."

"For the last 16 years I've been doing work at the VA clinic and I've been talking to all the new veterans who have been coming from Iraq and Afghanistan," he said.

Following the jumps, General Medvigy presided over a 9/11 remembrance ceremony where troops stood in reverent formation before a rifle planted barrel-first in the ground with helmet fixed atop the stock and boots flanking the barrell. The symbol represented the loss of those servicemembers killed during the War on Terror.

"We memorialized our Soldiers. Between the 7th PSYOP Group and the 351st, we've lost 18 Soldiers in this war, a very heavy price for our respective commands," said Medvigy.

Pfc. Tyler Stubbs, 344th PYSOP Co., from Austin, Texas, was on the first jump and said it was nice to see California.

"I've never seen mountains or the desert up close so it's been a great trip. I'm going to Los Angeles tomorrow," said Stubbs.

When asked about getting to jump on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, he said it was an honor.

"It's a blessing because there's thousands of Soldiers in the Army that are airborne (jump qualified) and there's not many who are jumping today. Just to be out here with these World War II veterans is truly a blessing."