C-130

C-130 ROLLING DOWN THE STRIP.
AIRBORNE DADDY'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE TRIP.
STAND-UP, HOOK-UP, SHUFFLE TO THE DOOR.
JUMP RIGHT OUT AND COUNT TO FOUR.
BUT IF MY MAIN DON'T OPEN WIDE.
I'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE BY MY SIDE.
AND IF THAT ONE SHOULD FAIL ME TOO.
LOOK OUT GROUND, I'M COMING THROUGH. MM
RUCKSACK, JUMP BOOTS, AND MY M-16.
THAT'S ALL THAT'S GOING ON THE JUMP WITH ME.
GONNA SLIP TO THE RIGHT, AND SLIP TO THE LEFT,
SLIP RIGHT ON DOWN TO THE PLF.
AND IF I DIE ON THE OLD DROP ZONE,
BOX ME UP AND SHIP ME HOME.
THEN TELL MY GIRL I DID MY BEST,
AND BURY ME IN THE LEANING REST. MM
DRESS ME UP IN MY DRESS BLUES,
SPIT-SHINED JUMP BOOTS, NO STRAIGHT LEG SHOES.
PIN MY WINGS UPON MY CHEST,
TELL MY MOM I DID MY BEST.
C-130 ROLLING DOWN THE STRIP.
SIXTY-FOUR RANGERS ON A ONE-WAY TRIP.
MISSION'S A SECRET, DESTINATION UNKNOWN.
THEY DON'T KNOW IF THEY'LL EVER COME HOME. MM
I'VE GOT 700 ROUNDS FOR MY M-16,
BAYONET SHARP, DISPOSITION MEAN.
RUSSIANS ARE WOOSIES, GONNA GET ME SOME.
SO LOOK OUT RUSSIA 'CAUSE HERE I COME.
COON SKIN AND AN ALLIGATOR HIDE,
MAKE A PAIR OF JUMP BOOTS, JUST MY SIZE.
TAKE 'EM OUTTA THE BOX, AND SLIP 'EM ON MY FEET.
A NEW PAIR OF JUMP BOOTS CAN'T BE BEAT.

Submitter comment: THIS IS A MARCHING CADENCE WHICH IS EXTREMELY
POPULAR AT ARMY TRAINING CAMPS. "C-130" IS A
LARGE, FOUR-ENGINED, PROPELLOR-DRIVEN CARGO
AIRCRAFT WHICH IS ALSO USED TO DROP A MAXIMUM OF
SIXTY-FOUR COMBAT-EQUIPPED PARACHUTISTS. "HOOK-
UP" MEANS ATTACHING THE STATIC LINE (WHICH PULLS
THE PARACHUTE OPEN AUTOMATICALLY UPON EXITING
THE AIRCRAFT) TO A CABLE RUNNING THE LENGTH OF
THE AIRCRAFT INTERIOR. "SHUFFLE TO THE DOOR"
REFERS TO A METHOD BY WHICH PARACHUTISTS MOVE
ABOUT INSIDE AN AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT. IT INVOLVES
LIFTING ONE KNEE VERY HIGH AND ALTERNATELY
BRINGING THE OTHER LEG ALONGSIDE WHILE MOVING
TOWARD THE DOOR IN A STOMPING MOTION. THIS
WALKING ACTION MINIMIZES THE CHANCE OF STUMBLING
ON ANY PROTRUSION ALONG THE FLOOR OF THE AIRCRAFT.
"MAIN" INDICATES THE MAIN PARACHUTE WHICH IS
LOCATED ON THE JUMPER'S BACK. IN CASE OF
MALFUNCTION, THE PARACHUTIST HAS A RESERVE
CHUTE AT STOMACH LEVEL. "M-16" IS THE STANDARD-
ISSUE INFANTRY RIFLE. "SLIP" REFERS TO A METHOD
OF CONTROLLING THE LATERAL MOVEMENT OF THE
PARACHUTE DURING DESCENT. THE "PLF" IS THE
PARACHUTE LANDING FALL, I.E., A DRILLED METHOD OF
LANDING SAFELY BY MAKING FIVE POINTS OF BODY
CONTACT WITH THE GROUND IN SUCCESSION. "LEANING
REST" IS THE STARTING POSITION FOR THE FOUR
COUNT PUSHUP; A POPULAR EXERCISE DURING PARACHUTE
TRAINING. "STRAIGHT LEG SHOES" -- AIRBORNE
QUALIFIED PERSONNEL REFER TO NON-JUMPERS AS
"STRAIGHT LEGS." THE NAME IS CONSIDERED
DEROGATORY. IT REFERS TO THE STRAIGHT LINE
OF THEIR TROUSERS, AS AIRBORNE PERSONNEL WEAR
THEIR TROUSERS BLOUSED INSIDE THEIR BOOTS.

Where learned: KENTUCKY ; FORT KNOX

James Callow Keyword(s): APOSTROPHE TO THE GROUND (STANZA 1). ; BURIAL INSTRUCTIONS

View just this record