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Soaring with Golden Knights

Army parachute team puts on show for Air Expo 2012

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At 2,000 feet, the Fokker C-31A slipped in and out of the greyish-white clouds covering McChord Field the morning of July 22.

At the back of the plane, the wind whipped in at around 120 knots through the two open troop doors.

At times, McChord Field was visible; at others it disappeared as we became wrapped in clouds.

Welcome to the windy and noisy pre-jump world of the Golden Knights - the Army's Parachute Team - as members waited to jump during Joint Base Lewis-McChord's Air Expo 2012.

Held July 21 and 22, the expo drew thousands of visitors to McChord Field who walked through and touched 40 displays ranging from World War II aircraft to B-1 and B-2 bombers. The Golden Knights' jump marked the beginning of each day's festivities.

"Performing at these events is the best thing ever," Staff Sgt. Kevin Presgraves said as he waited for the moment to jump. "It is absolutely the best feeling in the world."

There is some history attached, like a ripcord to a parachute, to those words.

In 1959, 19 airborne Soldiers from various units formed the Strategic Army Command Parachute Team.  Their intent was to compete internationally against the Russians, who then dominated the sport.

That Army team swept the international competition and later performed its first demonstration jump in Danville, Va.

With success came notice, and in 1961 the Department of Defense rebranded the jumpers as the United States Army Parachute Team. 

In 1962, the team earned the nickname "Golden Knights" in recognition of the gold medals the team had won and the fact that it had conquered the skies.

The team - which jumps about 100 times each year - is one of three authorized Department of Defense aerial demonstration teams, along with the Air Force's Thunderbirds and the Navy's Blue Angels.

Joining the team on Sunday's flight was Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry. Before and during the flight, he talked and joked with the Golden Knights. After the aircraft taxied to a stop, Petry helped ground crew members chock the tires.

"One of the things we look for in a potential team member is a sense of teamwork," Presgraves said as we skimmed along the bottom of the clouds. "Being an excellent parachutist, being able to work together, and being able meet the public are crucial to us."

A moment later, the jumpers got a green light to exit the C-31. 

As Petry and I watched, Presgraves and his teammates exited the aircraft in seconds.  With them they took and flew the Black Army Star, the Medal of Honor and State of Washington flags.

Once back on the ground, the Golden Knights and Petry talked with the public and posed for photographs.

"It's really great to meet them and the man with the medal," said Paul McCarthy, 7.  "They're the best."

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