Comments on: Parachute Training Towers

By: Airborne Blues

Airborne Blues — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 06:08:32 +0000

I went through jump school in 82….the towers were used everyday back then. I recall the 1st time for me…it was a sunny summer day and the black hats were yelling at me through his horn….i spread my legs and off I went…a awesome ride to say the least…Airborne all the Way…..

By: TTaaniel

TTaaniel — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 22:00:23 +0000

58°59′8.15″N
24°43′39.59″E

Here’s lower one, (shadow visible) used by soviet army for parachute trainings. Once soviet main sports organization ALMAVÜ (former OSOAVIAHIM) had such towers in every bigger city, as parachute jumps and other military activities were popular.

By: eric

eric — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 03:28:54 +0000

got a ton of pics of the towers on my site…graduated November 3rd from Airborne School…

Hit the hole, Pole Man, Hit the Hole!

By: Trevor

Trevor — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 13:50:37 +0000

Yes indeed………….I remember it well……”Hit the hole poleman…hit the hole…………..and make it hurt was the chant we used.

A I R B O R N E all the way and then some

By: Ang Song Chin

Ang Song Chin — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 08:29:43 +0000

Any idea who built these parachute training towers?

By: Gene Mattingly

Gene Mattingly — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 19:59:21 +0000

To Ed former abn trainer,

I am looking for anyone that may have come from Ft Campbell to Shaw AFB in the summer of ‘62 to train some airforce personell. They set up a 90 ft tower at the end of the old runway.

Thanks for any follow-up

By: scruff

scruff — Mon, 19 Jun 2006 19:03:21 +0000

I distinctly remember my Black Hat saying they came from the 1940 Worlds Fair. But then again, that doesn’t mean he was right. When I was there in 1989, one tower was rigged up with a seat, I guess for VIP guests or something.

When a jumper is tangled in the side of the tower, that’s usually because he was released from the dirty arm, meaning the side of the tower that’s into the wind. And jumpers at this stage still don’t have enough experience to be able to negotiate wind while under the canopy.

By: CJ

CJ — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 14:06:38 +0000

The jump towers are so cool! My brother just got back from the towers and he said that it was the greatest expiernce of his life. That he didn’t think htere was anything else that could beat the rush it gave him. The stories that he told me were amazing. I saw him graduate at it was so awsome. It would be awsome one day to be able to see the towers up close and personal the way he did!!!

By: WALT

WALT — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 15:58:55 +0000

MY FATHER TOOK SOME VERY GOOD PHOTOS OF THE TOWERS IN THE EARLY FORTIES,WHICH I STILL HAVE. ONE SHOWS A SOLDIER TANGLED IN THE TOWER,MAYBE 2/3RDS OF THE WAY UP.THIS
IS THE TALL TOWER.I WILL BE VISITING BENNING NEXT WEEK AND WILL BE INTERESTED IN SEEING THE DIFFERENCES 65 YEARS HAVE MADE!

By: Ed

Ed — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 03:44:56 +0000

They are parachute training towers. It is a myth that they came from the 1939 NY World’s Fair. Just GoogleEarth to the old Coney Island site and see that that tower is still there. It was different. Had 12 arms, not 4 like the Benning towers. They were designed after the Coney Island Tower and built in 2 stages: 2 were built in 1941 and 2 in 1942. One destroyed in a 1954 tornado, so three remain. Two are in use, hence the two with plowed up areas. Its also a myth that they taunt students with blinking lights. Likewise a myth that they warp in the summer. Oh- and the chant goes, “Hit the hole, Pole Man, Hit the Hole”
Former instructor at Abn School.