tonybrogdon

Thanks Jim for the PICS of Smitty. Blue Skies! Tony Brogdon D-12855

Hello Jim and John; One of my scariest jumps happened over Otay Lakes in San Diego when we were reorganizing and forming Perris Valley Skydiving Society, Inc. In summer, 1985. I had just purchased a new rig from Sandy Reed and it had a new 9 cell called a Nimbus and a Paraflight 5 cell reserve. I was unfortunate enough to have opened over a 900 foot hill, had a tremendous hard opening breaking 5 lines. My altimeter said 1800 feet so I tried to steer towards the DZ then my canopy collapsed on me. I cutaway, then my reserve ripcord and patiently waited for it to open. I found out later (after getting a recall notice) the patterns had been switched at the factory causing a slow opening. My canopy fully opened with just enough time for me to pull down hard on the risers for a very hard landing. Meanwhile, after finding my cutaway main I climbed the fence to the road heading downhill to the DZ when I saw a fire truck approaching. They yelled out “did you see the guy who didn’t make it?” I found out shortly after getting back to the DZ the fireman was referring to me. The people at the DZ saw my body in free fall go behind the hill with a streamer for a reserve. From their angle, they saw me go in. Realizing then how close I had actually come. Tony Brogdon D-12855

Hi Mike & Jim; Your are both right- Jerry Bourquin is D-22. One of the best people we will ever meet. I ask Jerry for several years to say hi to Charlie Brown of the Golden Knights for me when he went back east to the Golden Knight reunions. Finally when the Knights were competing in the US Nationals at Perris a couple of years I ran into Charlie Brown. He remembered me back in 1978 in Petersburg, Virginia when we used to jump together. I had wanted to see him for years to remind him that he sold me a paracommander in a Green Star Express. I promptly went home and brought back the picture of me in that rig at West Point, Virginia DZ and gave it to him. Fornuately, I survived the infamous death rig the " Green Star Express". I also got some soft landings on my paracommander. Tony Tony Brogdon D-12855

Hi Jim; Thanks for your reply. I just thought it wouldn't be right to talk about the history of our sport without honoring our mutual friend, Smitty. Blue skies! Tony Brogdon D-12855

I jumped John Travolta's old DC-3 at Perris, Jim. The last I heard it was still flying at the Long Beach Airport. One of my favorite jumps was our New Years's eve midnight jump at Elsinore. Your Piro lite up the whole valley. Blue skies, my friend Tony Brogdon Tony Brogdon D-12855

I just remember Jerry referring to bring the first Paracomander over from France. I also remember seeing the Golden Knights doing a demo at Fort Sam Houston in the early 70's with Paracommanders. Tony Brogdon D-12855

Smitty was 87 when I brought to Perris 1985. He died at age 93 in the year 1991 in his trailer in Witchita he called his "wall of fame" in his sleep. He was a wonderful person. Hope this helps. Tony Brogdon D-12855

I would like to pay tribute to one of the true pioneers of our sport, Smitty the Jumper. Smitty was from Witchita, Kanas. He made his first jump in 1922 at the age of 36 with a parachute he made himself out of silk and had a horse harness maker make his harness. Smitty made about a dozen jumps with his orginal rig before he saw another parachute of any kind. I had the previdge of meeting Smitty at Hutchinson, Kansas when I made my first jump in September of 1977. I brought Smitty to Perris Valley Skydiving Center December 15th, 1985 where he made a tandem jump joined by the Mirror Image World Champion 8 way team sponsored by Coors beer. He brought along his orginal rig to show all those that were interested. He died a year after his last jump at the Oskosh Air Show at the age of 93. Smitty was a truly remarkable person and pioneer skydiver. Tony Brogdon D-12855

BJ Worth is someone to be admired for his many unique contibutions to the sport. To set the record straight on the 1988 Olympics in Korea, B.J. was Vice President of USA Skydiving Society, the oganization who secured the orginal written agreement from the Seoul Olympic Oganizing Committee for the Opening Ceremonies. I know because I was President and CEO of USASS and personally negoiated the agreement. B.J. did an excellent job of organizing the Olympic Rings portion of the exibition. What wasn't shown on NBC television was the 22 members of the Korean Army and a representative from 23 countries entered the Olympic Stadium before the Olm,pic Rings. After landing the 45 members of the pre-olympic rings group landed on the track and were joined by Korean dancers parading around track in a tradtional Korean dance. The political compromise that allowed the Olympic Rings was the encluding of the Korean Army and 23 countries. I have some of the Special moments with the Olympic Committee documented on my website: http://skydiving.web.com Tony Brogdon D-12855

just for the record, from someone with 100 paracomander jumps, the first paracomander was brought to the US from France from an orginal member of the US Army Golden Knights and someone I am proud to call a close friend, Jerry Bourquin. Blue Skies Tony Brogdon D-12855

Hello John, Were you really in a nude skydive? Blue skies! Tony Brogdon Tony Brogdon D-12855

Jimmy Smith did a chuteless jump as a stuntman on the TV show "That's Incredible". He connected with Dar Robinson who hooked up simular way you would hook up a tandem. This was before tandems, though. Tony Brogdon D-12855