1958 USMC !st Force Recon Co. skydiving tests

[Bob Hudson]

Found these at an estate sale: a 1958 newspaper article about the 1st Force Recon Co. testing skydiving techniques over Camp Pendleton. The bonus was getting the original photos (this was the estate of a longtime newspaper photographer). There are actually two copies of the article, two copies of each original photo (being made from the original negatives, they are each originals photos) and one 14-inch high photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

 

[Bob Hudson]

There's a history of the 1st Force Reconnaissance Company at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Force_Rec...issance_Company

[Bob Hudson]

Some of the Marines mentioned in this article are mentioned in the article about Marine Corps Test Unit 1 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Corps_Test_Unit

 

"The Marine Corps Test Unit 1, or MCTU #1, was an experimental testing unit of the United States Marine Corps. It was established outside the Fleet Marine Force for the development of specialized tactics, techniques and organizational concepts, and to evaluate its tangible employment in the nuclear age. It reported directly to the Commandant of the Marine Corps."

 

The article has quite a lot to say about the unit's development of jump techniques for recon Marines.

 

Major Bruce F. Meyers, the company CO quoted in the article wrote a book "Fortune Favors the Brave" and in it says that Msgt Harry H Walters (shown in one of the photos) was a paramarine whose old gold jump wings were sent to H&H to be used to make the die for new gold jump wings:

 

 

 

[Jason G]

Wow. Incredible. Would you mind if I posted some of this information on a Marine Corps website I moderate on? (With full credit given, of course).

[kammo-man]

Great images .

 

 

 

owen

[Bob Hudson]

Wow. Incredible. Would you mind if I posted some of this information on a Marine Corps website I moderate on? (With full credit given, of course).

 

Sure, go ahead.

 

 

Does anyone has a roster that would show Msgt Harry H Walters in the paramarines?

[Bob Hudson]

Sure, go ahead.

Does anyone has a roster that would show Msgt Harry H Walters in the paramarines?

 

It looks like his name was "Walter" with no "s" at the end.

 

 

[Jason G]

Wow. Where in the world did you find THAT bit?

[mes]

Thanks Forum support for the great links.Yes Harry H Walters is listed in the paramarine roster serving in HQ/2 of the paramarines and the 28th marines Thanks Mark

[usmcaviator]

 

 

Very neat, you can see that this was taken just Southwest of the Camp Pendleton airfield...you can see runway 03 in the foreground and the Santa Margarita River running north of the field.

 

S/F,

Mike

[Sabrejet]

Would they be modified football helmets they're wearing? :think:

[Frogskin7]

I know this is an old post but I wanted to share two items belonging to Bruce F. Meyers that I purchased a few months ago.

[Frogskin7]

Here's another

[Frogskin7]

[Frogskin7]

His other P44

[Frogskin7]

Here's Bruce in his jump suit similar to that ones that you have shown.

[Bob Hudson]

Very nice find.

[Basic Rifleman]

On 11/15/2011 at 10:34 AM, Bob Hudson said:

Sure, go ahead.

 

 

Does anyone has a roster that would show Msgt Harry H Walters in the paramarines?

 

On 11/15/2011 at 11:10 AM, Bob Hudson said:

It looks like his name was "Walter" with no "s" at the end.

 

 

Can confirm. It was Master Sergeant Harry H. Walter (with no "s" at the end) as per his signature as a certifying officer in this 1st Force Recon Co. jump log. His entries shown here were both from 1958. Also signed as a certifying officer in the same log is Major Bruce Meyers (also 1958) in the center of the third photo.