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St. Paul MN 55101-3885 USA: Zenith Press, 2007. 143 pages prof ill colour photos - Historical documents suggest that the first parachutes were used by ninth century daredevils who constructed them out of stiffened cloaks and wooden braces. Benjamin Franklin had only a rudimentary understanding of the parachute when he first conceived of the Sky Soldiers of future warfare. During World War I, Brigadier General Billy Mitchell suggested dropping elements of the United States 1st Infantry Division behind German lines near Metz, but the war ended before his plan could be put into practice. The paratrooper was first used extensively in World War II. From Operation Overlord’s paratroopers who first secured the flanks of Normandy’s landing beaches to the rangers and airborne forces who spearheaded modern operations by jumping into the night to seize airfields, paratroopers provide an obvious tactical edge in military planning. Inserted onto the battlefield from the air, the paratrooper can drop into areas inaccessible to regular soldiers. He can evade enemy fortifications and force an army to spread its defenses to protect areas that normally would be safe by virtue of geography. From parachute training to operating as part of an airborne force, To Be a Paratrooper takes readers through the training, the tactics, and the mental and physical attributes that make these elite units among the most respected and honored special operations soldiers in the military.. First Edition. Soft Cover. New/No Jacket.