Local Veteran Trains to Jump from a C-47 for D-Day Anniversary in Normandy

“STAND IN THE DOOR!” Those were the final commands given by the Jumpmasters as they gave signal for paratroopers to jump one by one from the vintage Tico Belle last week in Palatka, FL.

The Tico Belle is a Douglas C-47 that at 0407 hours, June 6, 1944, lined up on Landing Zone “O” near St. Mere-Eglise and dropped US Paratroopers into Normandy. Last week, March 5-9, Dustin Blackwell, local owner of Rafter B Construction and former Paratrooper for the US Army who served with the 10th Special Forces, along with his uncle David Pitts of Virginia, Retired Special Forces attended Operation Sandsnake VII at the Kay Larkin Air Field in Palatka, Florida. The event was sponsored by Round Canopy Parachuting Team – USA, and they jumped from an actual C-47.

Not only is the occasion itself a remarkable, once in a lifetime opportunity for veterans to be able to jump from these planes, but to know the static line they hooked to is the original line from WWII is truly an honor. Frank Cashman, Jumpmaster of RCPTUSA for Blackwell and Pitts and also a Recruiter, Chief Warrant Officer and Retired Military, quoted “when you hook into that line you are hooking into history. That is the same static line the WWII veterans hooked into almost 79 years ago.”

RCPT-USA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which wishes to highlight the accomplishments of allied paratroopers from WWII onward by fostering camaraderie among individuals who share a passion for round canopy parachuting and inspiration from the actions and deeds of paratroopers past. Their main goal is to increase awareness about the heroism of paratroopers starting in WWII and onwards. This specific operation extends throughout the month of March, but Blackwell and Pitts only needed to attend the Alpha Week for refresher courses in order to join the RCPT-USA overseas.

In June, the duo, accompanied by their wives, Kelly Blackwell of La Grange and Lisa Pitts of Virginia, will meet RCPT-USA in St. Mere-Eglise to jump the beaches of Normandy for the 80th Anniversary of D-Day. Blackwell and Pitts will participate in several jumps out of multiple C-47 planes from WWII, over a nine day period, fully suited in M1942 uniforms as a remembrance honoring all soldiers of that era.