Original Items: Only One Group of 3 Available. Airborne forces are ground combat units carried by aircraft and air dropped into battle zones, typically by parachute drop or air assault. Parachute-qualified infantry soldiers serving in the airborne force are also known as paratroopers.
The main advantage of airborne forces is their ability to be deployed into combat zones without land passage, as long as the airspace is accessible. Formations of airborne forces are limited only by the number and size of their transport aircraft; a sizable force can appear "out of the sky" behind enemy lines in merely hours if not minutes, an action known as vertical envelopment.
Airborne forces typically lack enough supplies for prolonged combat, so they are utilized for establishing an airhead to bring in larger forces before carrying out other combat objectives. Some infantry fighting vehicles have also been modified for paradropping with infantry to provide heavier firepower.
Due to their necessary slow descent, paratroopers are vulnerable to anti-air fire from ground defenders, but combat jumps are at low altitude (400–500 ft) and normally carried out a short distance away (or directly on if lightly defended) from the target area at night. Airborne operations are also particularly sensitive to weather conditions, which can be dangerous to both the paratroopers and airlifters, so extensive planning is critical to the success of an airborne operation.
Advances in VTOL technologies (helicopter and tiltrotor) since World War II have brought increased flexibility, and air assaults have largely been the preferred method of insertion for recent conflicts, but airborne insertion is still maintained as a rapid response capability to get troops on the ground anywhere in the world within hours for a variety of missions.
The Items Featured:
- WWII Era Khaki Shirt: Shirt features an embroidered 11th AB patch as well as Corporal chevrons on the sleeves. There is a beautiful Parachutists badge with a star on a blue and white background. The ribbons shown are a Purple Heart with Cluster, Good Conduct, Asiatic with 3 stars and 1 arrowhead, WWII Victory and Philippines Liberation with 2 stars. No markings can be found and it’s in excellent condition.
- WWII / Korean War 82nd Airborne Khaki Shirt: The shirt is in lovely condition and features an embroidered 82nd AB Patch with Airborne Rocker and T/Sgt chevrons on both sleeves. There are no markings other than the size tag, 15 ½ / 32. Lovely condition.
- Vietnam War Era 187th Airborne Division Jump Jacket: Features a lovely embroidered 187th Patch as well as small Staff Sergeant ranks on each shoulder. The name tape reads as Wegener and we have been unable to research the name, making this a wonderful research opportunity. The jacket has light war, some fading and beautiful field repairs done. The collar has some minor tearing.
All items come more than ready to display and research!
Measurements
JACKET #1 - SHIRT
Collar to shoulder: 10”
Shoulder to sleeve: 23.5”
Shoulder to shoulder: 17”
Chest width: 21”
Waist width: 20”
Hip width: 19.5”
Front length: 33"
JACKET #2 - GREEN JACKET
Collar to shoulder: 10”
Shoulder to sleeve: 23.5”
Shoulder to shoulder: 19”
Chest width: 21”
Waist width: 20”
Hip width: 23”
Front length: 34"
JACKET #3: - LIGHTEST SHIRT
Collar to shoulder: 10”
Shoulder to sleeve: 21”
Shoulder to shoulder: 18”
Chest width: 21.5”
Waist width: 19.5”
Hip width: 21”
Front length: 32"
