AMERICA IS THE LAND OF THE FREE ONLY BECAUSE IT IS THE HOME OF THE BRAVE! HONORING AMERICA'S BEST THE UNITED STATES PARATROOPER!	STAND IN THE DOOR! FIRST STEPS' A LONG ONE! REMEMBER 11 SEPTEMBER! ANOTHER DAY OF INFAMY!

FREEDOM'S ENEMIES CURSE U.S. PARATROOPERS, "ALWAYS FIRST!"
JUMP SCHOOL In the beginning... FORT BENNING, GEORGIA "MAMA, MAMA, NOW HAVE YOU HEARD? WE'RE GONNA JUMP FROM A BIG IRON BIRD!" Our society promotes tolerance. Our Drill Sergeants demand it! You will learn to tolerate much as a paratrooper! HOOK UP NOW! All photos © Copyright 2002 Peter S. Griffin 34 FOOT TOWER 34 foot tower - trolley jumping at its finest! The mockup- A strong exit from the aircraft is essential, if not...2 men shall be joined together! 250 FOOT TOWERS UP, UP AND AWAY! "Wind do not shift, NOT into the framework, I pray!" Black Hat rigger check - get your equipment right - OR ELSE! Think he has enough gear? AIRBORNE! Ready or not, here they come! Get away from me troop! Slip! Slip! Slip away! AWE MAN! AWE MAN! L-R, Col. (ret) Ted Crozier, Grif, Col. (ret) Bob Jones Just prior to pinning wings on graduates of a Jump School class. Grif at "Parade Rest" @ the 101st Airborne plaque on the Walk. Anxious graduates await their hard earned Paratrooper Wings! "Run, run, run... drop, drop, drop,!" Finally, YES, YES,...YES! CONGRATULATIONS! PARATROOPERS! HOOAH! ELITE BRITISH PARAS VISIT U.S. JUMP SCHOOL Our great friends, allies, and honored guests were on hand to congratulate and pin wings on the new Airborne graduates. HOOAH! L-R, Para veteran, Harry Caddow, served with the 5th Scottish Parachute Battalion and is a member of the Lothian Branch, Parachute Regimental Association (PRA). Harry participated in the campaigns in North Africa, and Italy. He also took part in the Drop on the south of France, then in action at Monte Cassino, then Greece and finally Palestine. The unknown active duty soldier is from the Scottish Infantry Regiment. British Para veterans parade their Standards in front of the "Slipping Sheds"; aka "Suspended Agony." L-R, Grif pictured with Scottish Para veteran, Miles Shanley, who is a member of the Lothian Branch, PRA. Miles comes from a family of brothers, all firmly entrenched with the Army and WW II. One of the brothers, Harry, served with 2 SAS and his story can be found in the Veterans Stories section of the Lothian website. Legs...in comparison? No four of a kind here! PARA SCOTLAND The beautiful plaque above was a gift from Scottish Para veteran, Charles Wright, to Grif. A most treasured gift, indeed! Thank you, Charles! Para Charles Wright CHARLES'S UNIT AFFILIATIONS The "Hunting Stewart" tartan was worn behind the capbadge of the wartime 5th Scottish Parachute Battalion and post was by the 15th Scottish Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Territorial Army) and is still worn today by the 15th (Scottish) Coy 4th Battalion Parachute Regiment (Volunteers). Territorials and Volunteers are the equivent of our National Guard. Pictured with it is the Queen's Crown and "REME". The letters stand for Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. The Queen's Crown (large) is worn on the their beret and two smaller ones are worn on their collars. The Berlin patch represents the Berlin Garrison and the circle represents their being surrounded by Communist Reds. The other patch is Southern Command - England. Please click the button above to visit the internet home of the world famous British Paras, Lothian Branch - PRA. You will find it well presented, most interesting and very informative. PARA JOHN DINGWALL - 1962 My sincerest thanks go to Para Veteran, John Dingwall, Regional Secretary of the Lothian Branch, PRA. John was of great assistance in setting up this page. He explained the significance of the various Para units and identified some of the brave veterans pictued above. Thank you, John! AIRBORNE! Grif THE UNITED STATES PARATROOPER A poem by Peter S. Griffin Old Glory will never die, Rest assured, Lady Liberty will survive! On this, our paratroopers pledge their lives, The Mighty Eagle will STRIKE from on high! Fearless soldiers will fill the skies, With HONOR, STRENGTH, VICTORY! Our citizens can rely. Evil doers will perish from God's globe! FREEDOM, secured, by talons sharp, The Eagle will forever hold! For blessed Saint Michael will always protect, Our righteous paratroopers so daring and bold! You can now order "When You Hear The Bugle Call" from Amazon.com by clicking the above cover. Please read THOUGHTS, MEMORIES AND TEARS customer reviews at Amazon.Com. Now might be the right time to place your order. Thanks for visiting, "Grif." AWARD - THE PCSD PURPLE HEART LAIR COMMOHUT GRIFFIN'S LAIR WELCOME PAGE HEROES FIGHT TERROR NO FREEDOMS! GRIFFIN'S LAIR TABLE OF CONTENTS THE AIRBORNE SPIRIT COMMENTARY PAGE - REMEMBER SEPTEMBER! UNITED WE MUST STAND! PLEASE HELP THE DEGA THOUGHTS, MEMORIES AND TEARS BROTHERS THREE THOUGHTS ABOUT PTSD MEMORIES OF MY BROTHERS' SERVICE WW II NAVY DIARY TEARS FOR OUR MOMS DALE F. YEE, U.S. PARATROOPER THE ODYSSEY BEGINS THE ODYSSEY CONTINUES ATTACK COMPANY WIDOWMAKERS 1 WIDOWMAKERS 2 AN AFTERNOON IN VIETNAM HONORING THE 327TH INFANTRY HONOR ROLL-COMPANY G, 187th ARCT PARATROOPER HEAVEN VIETNAM CHRONOLOGY THANK YOU VETERANS THE GOLDEN GRIFFIN AWARD LINKS AND WEBRINGS JUMP SCHOOL PHOTO ALBUM    Or Select a Site