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Show Air Show 24 r Souvenir Program - ' . i 1 R - 4 1 v "t & t - " v '' ' : $ :", Golden Knights 40 years of parachute precision Performing precision aerial maneuvers while falling to earth at speeds then reaching 120 miles per hour is the on center dead target landing trademark of the United States Army Parachute Team, the "Golden Knights." Now in their 40th year of entertaining both young and old with their amazing aerial skills, the men and women that make up the "Golden Knights" continue to show audiences around the world why they are considered the world's best parachute team. Stationed at the "Home of the Airborne," Fort Bragg, N.C., the 90 soldiers that make up the "Golden Knights" come from many diverse backgrounds and have been trained in one of the 200 military occupational specialties the Army offers. These fine soldiers can trace their current positions back to 1959, when Brig. Gen. Joseph Stillwell. then Chief of Staff of XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, formed the Strategic Army Corps Parachute Team. On June 1, 1961, the Army officially recognized, redesigned and activated the team as the United States Army Parachute Team. One year later, the Team officially adopted the nickname "Golden Knights" because of their winning record of gold medals and conquest of the skies. Just as incredible as the demonstration teams are the two parachute competition teams: The Formation Skydiving Team and the Style and Accuracy Team. The teams tour the world competing in parachuting competitions and amazing the parachuting world with their record of 408 national champions, 65 world champions, and 14 national and six world team titles in formation skydiving. In addition to those accomplishe ments, they also claim the only world champion parachutist in formation skydiving and the only three consecutive time national champion para- six-tim- See Golden Knights, page 25 |