Ash Jump
09-18-2010
| Stardust Falls to Earth A Photo Essay |
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| On Saturday, September 18, 2010, family and friends of Ronnie "RJ" Smith and Norris "NJ" Hargett gathered to celebrate the lives of their friends and loved ones at PK Airport/Raeford Drop Zone in Raeford, NC. To fulfill their final wishes, members of the Black Demonstration Team of the Golden Knights were present to take these Former Golden Knights on their final jump. During the ceremonial exchange of the ashes from the families to the Team, 1st SGT Bryan Schnell of the Knights and several alumni spoke to the group. The Team completed 2 jumps, releasing each Alumnus's ashes and recording the event while in flight. Although poignant and bittersweet, the event was also a joyful and beautiful occasion. Farewell, friends and "Blue Skies". All photos, except as noted, by Regina Hudson |
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| 953 - Black Team and Alumni Photo by Donna Dixon |
952 - SSG Rachel Haddon Medley photographs the ceremonies as friends and family look on. Photo by Donna Dixon |
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| 904 - [l-r] Brandie Phillips, Ty Wheeler (behind), Skip Cassel, Brandon Valle, Joyce Smith (wife of RJ Smith) and Wil Fleming with the Release Bag that Waits to Take RJ on His last Jump | 918 - Along with the Black Team, numerous family members and friends, and about 75 Alumni members participated in this special memorial. [l-r] Bill Forristal, Bill Gatter, Spider Wrenn, Carter Edge, and Fred Patterson |
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921 - Jack Hargett (center, son of NJ Hargett) joins Black Team members: [kneeling l-r] Brandon Valle and Wil Fleming; [standing l-r] Brandie Phillips, Arlyn Slade, Todd Beckel, Ty Wheeler and Howard Sanborn |
924 - [l-r] George Torrealba, Jack Hargett and Skip Cassel |
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| 939 - Alumnus Bill Gatter joined RJ on his last jump. | 936 - Alumnus Carter Edge joined RJ on his last jump. |
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| 937 - A covered area shields Team Members from the bright sunny day as they wait to depart. | 938 - Team member, Brandie Phillips |
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| 926 - The 8-man team that flew with RJ Smith began the flight by preparing on the ground with a technique known as a "dirt dive". |
929 - A mock cabin helps the Team plan their exit. |
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| 941 - Team Members escort RJ to his final jump. | 949 - All details are given careful attention as the Team does a final review of its jump plan. |
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| 951 - Friends and family watch and wait. | 935 - Donna Dixon, USAPT Media Relations, and alumnus Gene Paul Thacker share a special moment. |
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| 945 - Many friends are there to witness and record the day. | 946 - Remembering NJ, we pay homage to our pilots, without whom we could never really fly. |
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| 950 - Sean Capogreco and Rachel Medley will record the event. | 958 - RJ begins his final jump. |
Photos left and right by Sean Capogreco |
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| 894 - Blues Skies, RJ |
893 - Fly Like an Eagle |
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| 954 - Team members separate after the Bomburst Photo by Donna Dixon |
974 - And the Team starts to return. |
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| 1085 - A brilliant sun burst illuminates the 2-man stack. Photo by Sean Capogreco |
991 - Team members demonstrate their exceptional talents for an appreciative crowd. |
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| 994 - There was an air of peace as the crowd watched the Team members descend. | 966 - Each Team member lands with a soft stand-up finish. |
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| 1001 - Rachel Medley and Wil Fleming check their equipment and prepare for the next jump. | 1004 - Wil Fleming, Sean Capogreco and Donna Dixon review the video of RJ's jump. |
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Between jumps the two larger aircraft used by the Drop Zone developed mechanical difficulties. After a long waiting period, the airport offered use of its much smaller Cessna aircraft. It was eloquent and somehow right that the Cessna should take NJ Hargett on his final jump. In the early 1960s, NJ flew the Golden Knights using aircraft and technology that is far more primitive than today. His gift for improvisation and his flying skills helped the Golden Knights not only to survive many tight moments, but also to succeed. |
| 1010 - 1st SGT Bryan Schnell oversees preparations for the second jump. |
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| 1013 - Trevor Oppenborn dons his specially-modified helmet. | 1015 - Specialized recording equipment helps to capture unique moments. |
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| 1017 - Trevor Oppenborn and Sean Capogreco will record the event. |
1026 - Arlyn Slade takes care of NJ in advance of the flight. |
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| 1040 - When the Cessna finally arrived, family and friends remarked how fitting it was that the plane's ID included the initials "N" and "J". |
1030 - Because of the plane's smaller size, the size of the jump Team was smaller as well. Above the Team members start the ground-side preparations with the pilot. |
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| 1033 - Sean Capogreco demonstrates how he will balance over the wheel while holding to the strut. | 1035 - Team members practice the positions they will occupy as they exit the plane. |
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| 1037 - Trevor Oppenborn waiting in the Cessna's tiny cabin. | 1036 - Family and friends recording the flight preparations. |
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| 1049 - NJ taxis to his final lift-off. | 1050 - Smoke trails the jumpers as they slowly descend. |
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| 1054 - The Hargett Family | 1056 - The Hargett Family |
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| 1057 - The Hargett Family | 1058 - The Hargett Family |
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| 1063 - Late day clouds provide a back drop for the jump. | 1065 - A Beautiful Sight |
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| 1067 - Soft Landings | 1069 - Ground side, Golden Knights await the return of the jump Team. |
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| 1072 - Jack Hargett waits to speak with the jump Team with Bryan Schnell. |
1073 - Alumnus George Torrealba and Wil Fleming review the jump video. |
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| 1078 - Trevor Oppenborn and Wil Fleming review photos. | 1078 - As with the quality of their jumps, the results of their filming is of great importance to the Golden Knights. Photographer/videographers Sean Capogreco and Trevor Oppenborn review their efforts. |
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| 1077 - Every jump concludes with repacking the parachutes. | 1082 - Attention to detail is essential to performance and safety. Howard Sanborn finishes repacking his parachute. |
