International photographer (Jan-Dec 1941)

UincIe Sam's Parachute BattaUon By Guy Newhard One of the most outstanding assignments of the past few years was the location to Fort Benning, Columbus, Georgia. RKO Radio Pictures Studio sent a large technical crew there during March to photograph scenes and backgrounds for their forthcoming picture, "Parachute Battalion." The story is an original by John Twist and Major Hugh Fite, U. S. Air Corps, directed by Leslie Goodwins, and will star Robert Preston, Nancy Kelly, Edmond O'Brien and Harry Carey. With the exception of three preliminary recruiting scenes laid in a poor home in the South, a big business man's office, a recruiting office proper, and one sequence on a railroad train, the entire balance of the picture takes place in and around Fort Benning, Georgia, the actual home of this country's only parachute corps, the 501st Parachute Battalion. This is the first depiction of that intrepid group of volunteers who have dedicated their lives to this newest branch of Uncle Sam's fighting forces. Thematically, the story deals with three young men drawn from widely different walks of life and of diverse temperaments, drawn into the mutating crucible of Army life. Here is depicted in gripping detail three lives through the entire training course up to and including the final heartstopping tests that will certifiy them as full-fledged parachute troops, trained and fit for one of the most rigorously demanding branches of the service. Interwoven with the thrills and drama of the subject are the human values, comedy, romance, hopes, dreams, ambitions, joy, pathos, success and failure. The authenticity of the picture makes it a visual chronicle of life in a branch of the service, a record and an example for the youth of the nation who may find themselves in the near future members of our armed forces. When photographing in the air or from the ground toward the sky, clouds really are essential and necessary. Without them, sense of motion and speed is lost. It rained, it snowed and rained some more and when we got a break in the weather, there would either be no clouds or the wind would be too great for the boys to make their jumps. Nevertheless, during the three weeks we were there some exceptionally beautiful scenes were made and "Parachute Battalion" will be an extraordinarily pictorial picture. Great care was taken with filters. Have you ever seen the ground in Georgia? It is brick red and with too heavy a filter, especially in the reds, the ground would become greatly over-corrected, but all cameras used a 25 (red) filter when pho tographing in the air and of all parachute jumps. Our photographic equipment consisted of three Mitchell cameras, two Eyemos and, through the courtesy of the U. S. Air Corps, we also had several Akeleys and more Eyemos. Maj. Fite has quite a large motion picture unit and his cameramen, Messrs. Haggermeyer, Andres, Rossi and Sgt. Fritz were of great assistance. A great many important scenes photographed by them will be used in the picture. This is done by the army for propaganda and publicity purposes and the motion picture companies are more than glad to cooperate with our national guardians. This article was intended as a photographic story for this magazine, but the modern Parachute Battalion is so new and of such universal interest I'll let myself run away from the camera angle and tell you some of the important things about these boys. The Army, in building up its parachute troops, has to depend on volunteers, cannot draft men. So it was delighted with the prospect of getting publicity through a movie thriller, kept Director Goodwins a month, sent him home with a technical adviser and 30,000 feet of film showing the troops in action which all but takes your breath away. The most exciting scenes of this will be used in "Parachute Battalion," making that movie the most authentic of its kind ever filmed. Captain William Ryder, one of the original organizers of the Battalion was brought to Hollywood as Technical Adviser for the picture. It was Capt. Ryder who made many of the picture's exceptionally daring jumps. He helped select all the troopers for the background roles according to Army standards. He supervised manufacture of the parachute troop uniforms and equipment, all vastly different from any in other branches of the armed services. Troopers, for instance, all wear special 4-pound boots, with ankle braces and sponge rubber pads. As the captain points out, a parachutist would be no good in war time if he sprained an ankle. By special dispensation, the officer even obtained from Fort Benning the loan of regulation parachutes. They were guarded like gold dollars, locked in a safe every day after use before the camera. "I've seen Service pictures at times," said Captain Ryder, "that contained some very funny boners. So I'm determined that when soldiers laugh at this picture, they'll laugh only in the right places." Fort Benning, Georgia is 98,000 acres big and I understand they are adding 50,000 more on the Alabama side of the river. That, I think, will be the largest Fort in the world. It has the Infantry school there as well as other branches of the Army. Fort Benning, at present is 65,000 soldiers strong, including many selectees and regulars. If you are single and 21 to 31 years of age and have had at least a year of Infantry training and a Private First Class, you are eligible to volunteer for Parachute Battalion. Most of the officers are West Point men and have had extensive army service. At present there are about 500 in all assigned to the Battalion. Everyone jumps, except a few of the administrative overhead, but they, too, want to be one of the gang and usually jump voluntarily. Since the Battalion's inception, collectively, over 3,000 successful parachute jumps have been made. When the boys transfer over to the Battalion from the Infantry they are given from six to eight weeks ground training. They are drilled, given calisthenics, such as jumping from various heights, tumbling, rolling over, etc. An important factor is in landing under all conditions and naturally much stress is put upon this phase, but more important is parachute-packing. The boys roll their own. A three by forty foot table is used for packing and this is done most carefully by each man, as his packing is his life insurance. Eventually, they take to the air first only for a ride and often times, to many of the boys, it is their first airplane experience. The next time they go aloft, they are told to jump. It is generally, the first time, at 1500 feet. They can refuse, but if asked the second time and still refuse, they automatically wash themselves out of the Battalion and return to the Infantry. Considering how young the Battalion is and the number of jumps that have been made, very few men have refused. All precautions are taken before taking off and the men and equipment are subject to severe inspection at all times. Each man wears two 'chutes, the main one attached to his back. It is opened after leaving the ship by a trailing static line, which is fastened within the ship, thus insuring 100% efficiency in opening. The other 'chute is worn across their chest, for emergency. Occasionally this has to be used, but not often, and the jumper lands safely. The sixth parachute jump is graduation, as a parachute jumper, and then they receive their wings and parachute pin. Remember in warfare or any other time, the 'chute is only a means of transportation and after landing the man must be a good soldier, one with great resource and initiative, a power of taking the lead. After graduation they continue further International Photographer for June, 1941 13