Authentic Sky Gods

[wartload 0]

How many of you who were in the sport fairly early on remember people whom you then (and still do)considered to be authentic Sky Gods? For me, these were the men & women who probably would have thought it silly for others to think of them that way. They didn't put themselves above the newcomer, or even the "wuffo".

They were in it for the joy of skydiving within them, rather than the joy of themselves within skydiving.

I have a few on my own list, but I want to list two of them now:

Gunnery Sgt. Davis, USMC - "Gunny" Davis was my Boy Scout troop leader at Camp Lejeune in the late 1950s. I don't think I ever heard his first name. He was always "Gunny Davis". He was in RECON and was the first person I ever met who jumped for sport. He passed the 100-jump level while I knew him, and modestly said that wasn't anything ... there were some guys that he knew with more than 200 jumps.

Gunny Davis took our troop from Lejeune to Ft, Bragg on a field trip. He'd arranged for the Army demo team (summer of 1959? ... slightly pre-Golden Knights, I think) to make a demo just for us. We were lined up, seated, on the edge of a grassy part of a runway. There was a fabric "X" laid out several feet in front of us. It was windy. I remember that their parachutes were the familiar OD color, and that the announcer for the jump said that they were special, because they could be steered. The guy closest to hitting the "X" landed immediately in front of me, missing the target by 9 yards, and missing crunching a few scouts by 3 or 4 feet. I remember the sound of his boots slamming into the ground, and the way that he rolled to distribute the shock. It was the coolest thing that I'd ever seen, and I was so grateful to Gunny for doing that for us. I sure wish I knew what happened to him, so I could thank him for my first introduction to skydiving.

Hank Henry - Hank was also a Marine, but I met him in his off-duty hours. I never really got to know him, but he made a definite impression on me in the few brief meetings and while watching him.

King's Dominion theme park, near Richmond VA, used to have daily performances by Barnstormer's Airshows in the 1970s (and perhaps into the '80s). Steve Hoffman owned that operation, if I recall correctly. Hoffman hired acro pilots to fly his Steerman airplanes for the shows, and there were also skydivers and wing walkers. The skydivers would jump into the main entrance of the theme park -- something that I'm sure the lawyers and insurance guys were responsible for stopping.

Hank was one of the skydivers (I think that Jimmy Davis did that for awhile, too ... wonder who else around here might have?). He also did a wing-walking routine, including hanging from the leading edge of the lower wing by his knees. He dismissed any comments about that being an incredible performance, saying that it was the sort of thing that *any* Marine would be able to easily do.

Anyone else ever meet either of these guys? How about your own recollections of authentic early Sky Gods?

[steve1 5]

In the 70's calling someone a "Sky God" was the ultimate complimate to give another jumper. It was the name given to someone that everyone else in the sport looked up to. Now days calling someone a Sky God might be considered an insult if you don't choose your words carefully.....Steve1

[wartload 0]

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In the 70's calling someone a "Sky God" was the ultimate complimate to give another jumper. It was the name given to someone that everyone else in the sport looked up to. Now days calling someone a Sky God might be considered an insult if you don't choose your words carefully.....Steve1

Yep ... that's why I added "authentic" to the title.

[airtwardo 6]

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to Ft, Bragg on a field trip. He'd arranged for the Army demo team (summer of 1959? ... slightly pre-Golden Knights, I think)

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...Which brings to mind another AUTHENTIC Sky God~

D-22 Jerry Bourquin...

Who was on the 1st Knights team, and was likely one of the guys that jumped that day for your group!


Ole D-22 is one of those guys that always has a smile and a good word for everyone. He'll jump with anyone anytime and can pretty much do it all...and STILL has a Hell of a good time DOING IT!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[itllclear 1]

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[

...Which brings to mind another AUTHENTIC Sky God~

D-22 Jerry Bourquin...

Who was on the 1st Knights team, and was likely one of the guys that jumped that day for your group!


Ole D-22 is one of those guys that always has a smile and a good word for everyone. He'll jump with anyone anytime and can pretty much do it all...and STILL has a Hell of a good time DOING IT!

We did some formation loads at Perris last Sunday -- 32 ways.

We got to the 2nd point on 3 of th 4 jumps.

Jerry was on the load and no, we didn't drag him out as part of the base. He flew his slot, just like everyone else on the load!

Blue Skies!

Harry

"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there."

"Your statement answered your question."

[NickDG 23]

>>Hank Henry - Hank was also a Marine, but I met him in his off-duty hours.<<

I knew Hank Henry and photographed his wedding at the Ramona DZ in So Cal in about 1981 . . . I remember his new wife, who was very pretty, had made her first jump earlier that week and was wearing a leg cast under her wedding dress.

One time after it rained a lot in Ramona a local stock pond filled enough for some club members to make their water jumps. We found a rickety rowboat that would serve as a recovery vessel.

Along with another jumper I launched the row boat and took up station in the middle of the pond. Hank, then Col. Henry, monitored things from pond-side.

As we waited for the plane we started to spring leaks all over and the boat rapidly sank. We swam through whatever was in that pond until reaching shore. Col. Henry then stated he was impressed, and proud of us, as we went down like men . . .

NickD BASE 194

[MissBuffDiver 0]

Sure.. I remember many....To me a Sky God was someone I looked up to for their abilities and their achievements....FEMALE would be Purple Patty from Elsinore. She did it all....MALE would be? There's Al Krueger..at the top of my list...what a guy. They don't come any nicer than Al. Got to jump with him. There was a drawing for us [not to experienced] to jump with the big guys. Well, they drew my name out of the hat. Chuck Anderson also an amputee was on the load. Al said whatever you do, don't break wrists on Chuck and I if we are hooked. Well, I found myself there in the slot staring at 2 hooks. Oh, what to do? Never gonna get this chance again. So, I broke wrists on Chuck and Al. I also broke my nose.There was blood all over my face and I didn't care. I believe there was a # and a patch to be had for coming in on 2 hooks. Never got it. I think I was the 3rd one to do it. The nose? Who cares,I got to jump with a Sky God. Quite an honor for me as I only had a few jumps at the time....SANDY

Sandy

[jbrasher 0]

Jerry sure, and how about Ray Cottingham.

Red, White and Blue Skies,

John T. Brasher D-5166

[FFAddict 0]

Im only new to the sport (about 4 months!) so im not exactly in the know when it comes to who is really hot and who's not.

But, to me anybody who has managed to turn there love for skydiving into a living is a sky god.Whether they instruct AFF, do tandems... it doesnt matter, they are doing something they love everyday and that is something i really want in my life. And to me that makes them a skygod

[SwampThing 0]

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Im only new to the sport (about 4 months!) so im not exactly in the know when it comes to who is really hot and who's not.

But, to me anybody who has managed to turn there love for skydiving into a living is a sky god.Whether they instruct AFF, do tandems... it doesnt matter, they are doing something they love everyday and that is something i really want in my life. And to me that makes them a skygod

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"Sky-Saint" maybe.

But to qualify as a God, keep the attitude thing
going for a few decades!

The Pessimist says: "It can't possibly get any worse!"
The Optimist says: "Sure it can!"

[airtwardo 6]

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Jerry sure, and how about Ray Cottingham.

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If anyone qualifies it's gotta be RAY!


I just wish he'd let the rest of us in on the location
of his "Fountian of Youth ! "

....I could REALLY use a drink or 2!!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[MissBuffDiver 0]

No kidding! Ray doesn't look much different than he did in the 70's. I must admit he was pretty for a guy back then. I'm serious. Nice skin, perfect hair, a real cute guy. Now he has grown into a very handsome man. Still one of the beautiful people . SANDY.....A very handsome well-groomed nice guy.

Sandy

[steve1 5]

I agree...If anyone is a Sky God it ought to be Ray Cottingham. I haven't seen him in over thirty years. I'm glad he is back in the air after his heart attack....Steve1

[cutaway1 3]

If you think of a God as a creator, then I would have to say that the late Bob Buquor was a real authetic Sky God. Because, as far as I know, practically everything we do in freefall these days evolved from relative work or formation flat skydiving, and that all came from the first organized relative work, and that all came from the long, dramatic effort to achieve the first eight way round star, and when I was a young kid at Arvin, CA in the early 60,s and had the luck just to be there, the good guys were all attempting to make this eight way star, and, as far as I know, that eight way star goal was fostered, coached, insisted on, and filmed by Bob Buquor. He had this vision, very strange at the time, to get 8 people together in a circle, and he would be there to film it. It took years to achieve that, and another year to do it the second time, and he's the guy who stood up and said we should do this. Now I don't mean to leave out all the other great pioneers that were responsible for advancing the sport to the point that an 8 way was feasable, but in my mind, Mr. humble, likeable, generous Buquor was really a SkyGod in the best sence of the word, and he never even knew it.
Aloha,
Tim

SCR-21

[SwampThing 0]

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I agree...If anyone is a Sky God it ought to be Ray Cottingham. I haven't seen him in over thirty years. I'm glad he is back in the air after his heart attack....Steve1

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Tom Sanders...

He should be in there too!

How many have seen the sport because of his films?!

The Pessimist says: "It can't possibly get any worse!"
The Optimist says: "Sure it can!"

[skr 1]

Hey Sandy [MissBuffDiver]

I'm trying to think which Sandy you are.

Are you kind of tall with reddish hair and
jumped at Elsinore and kind of dated Bob
Sinclair for a while?

I guess I'm not as clear on last names as
I should be.

Skr

[MissBuffDiver 0]

No that is not me. I'm 5'1" and 105 lbs. dark hair and lived with Bill Hallam from 1971 - 1978. Bill was a freefall photographer and instructor at Perris. I ran the snack bar at Perris (now the bomb shelter) I was a jumpmaster for awhile. I knew Bob Sinclair as a friend only. If you go to www.ParachuteHistory.com and go to the womens section you will find an article on Tiny Broadwick and scroll down til you get to a picture of the Perris staff with Tiny on her 80th B-Day. I am kneeling in front of Hallam on the right side of the picture. That was in 73'.....SANDY

Sandy

[wartload 0]

I was thinking about this on the long drive into work this morning. I suspect that this guy isn't alive now (he'd be almost 100), but you never know. In any case, he fits the criteria for an Authentic Sky God.

"Mr. B" was a very gentle and quiet sort of man. He once told me that he worked in the ladies' lingerie department of a store (perhaps Montaldo's) in Charlotte, NC. I'm not quite sure how he spelled his last name, but it was something like "Biederbecke".

He jumped nearly every weekend and used to say that skydiving was the ideal sport for senior citizens ... the plane takes you up ... gravity takes you down ... all you have to do is get in and out.

He celebrated his 65th birthday by making 65 sport parachute jumps -- all on round canopies.

Everyone at the Midland DZ was packing for him, so he kept the plane moving that day. Yes, he admitted to being a bit worn out at the end of the day, but he certainly proved himself worthy of the Authentic Sky God title. I suspect that all of the then-younger jumpers from that era, who are now all about 10 years away from the age that Mr. B. celebrated that birthday in such an amazing fashion, appreciate him more with every passing year, puffy ankle, creaking knee, etc.

[GreenLight 5]

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Ole D-22 is one of those guys that always has a smile and a good word for everyone. He'll jump with anyone anytime and can pretty much do it all...and STILL has a Hell of a good time DOING IT!

I must agree! I've known Jerry since I got into the sport in 82 and he is the kind of guy who jumps for the fun and the comaradery of it all. We made him Air Trash about 5 years ago! Check out the pic... Of course we dubbed in the cap but he IS Air Trash... I need to get a recent picture of him in his cap.

http://www.airtrash.com/photos/jertrash1.jpg

Green Light
"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there."
"Your statement answered your question."

[airtwardo 6]

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Ole D-22 is one of those guys that always has a smile and a good word for everyone. He'll jump with anyone anytime and can pretty much do it all...and STILL has a Hell of a good time DOING IT!

I must agree! I've known Jerry since I got into the sport in 82 and he is the kind of guy who jumps for the fun and the comaradery of it all. We made him Air Trash about 5 years ago! Check out the pic... Of course we dubbed in the cap but he IS Air Trash... I need to get a recent picture of him in his cap.

http://www.airtrash.com/photos/jertrash1.jpg

***

Hi Larry~

Next time you see ole D-22, tell him "Twardo" sends regards!

I was looking through some really old Parachutist Mags a while back...in one from about '62...There he is 1/2 page shot exiting for a style serries...

I sent it to him.....

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[GreenLight 5]

You got it!

Green Light
"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there."
"Your statement answered your question."