New book on ParaJumpers

[BLT]

I figured this would vet at least SeaRats attention... seattlerefined.com/lifestyle/never-quit-local-man-lands-on-amazons-best-sellers-list-with-these-heroic-tales that is a little blurb about it that came up on one of the local Seattle news stations websites. The author writes about his experiences as a PJ in Afghanistan in the book.

[SeaRat]

Thanks, BLT. I will have to pick up this book. Jimmy Settle is about two generations ahead of me, and we were in completely different wars too. But the mission was and is always the same:

THESE THINGS WE DO, THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE!

I just found several PJ diving photos that I had previously taken in 1968. I had put them away, and finally got them out and scanned them. They show one of our "currency dives" off an Okinawan reef.






These are Pararescueman Terry Wetzel and Stephen Samo diving in Okinawa. Note the twin 72s and the exclusive use of USD Calypso regulators as a single hose regulator. No BCs at that time (1968), but we were wearing regulation LPUs (Underarm Life Preservers, the harness that you see). We did not use SPGs either, as they really were not available. Terry, I think, is trying to point toward a spiny lobster over my head (I'm recessed into a small hole in the reef to get the photo), which is why he is wearing the heavy gloves too. You will also note that Terry's tank line is a bit wavy; I think that is because there was a freshwater spring in that area, and there was a interface from one of the other diver's bubbles which caused the light to ripple when coming off Terry's tank.

John