U.S. Army Parachute Team
Golden Knights
Performing precision aerial maneuvers while falling to earth at speeds reaching 120 miles per hour, then landing dead center on target is the trademark of the United States Army Parachute Team, the "Golden Knights."
Now in their 49th 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 their audiences why they are considered the world's best parachute team.
Stationed at the "Home of the Airborne," Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the 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 Brigadier General 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.
During the 45 years since its inception, the Team's mission has remained the same: to perform live aerial demonstrations for the public to promote Army public relations and recruiting, to compete in national and international parachuting competitions, and to test and evaluate new parachuting equipment and techniques for improved operation and safety.
The exceptional soldiers carrying out this mission are divided into six groups: The Black and Gold Demonstration Teams, the 4-Way Formation Skydiving Team, the Style and Accuracy Team, the Tandem Team, an Aviation Section, and a Headquarters Section.
The Black and Gold Demonstration Teams spend more than 230 days a year entertaining more than 12 million people at air shows and special events around the world. The teams have performed more than 8,500 live aerial demonstrations in all 50 states and 47 countries, earning them the title of the "Army's Goodwill Ambassadors to the World."
The Formation Skydiving Team and the Style and Accuracy Teams tour the world competing in parachuting competitions and amazing the parachuting world with their record of 408 national championships, 65 world championships, along with 14 national and six world team titles in formation skydiving.
In addition to those accomplishments, they also claim the only six-time world champion parachutist in formation skydiving and the only three-time consecutive national champion parachutist in style and accuracy parachuting. These impressive feats have made them the most sucessful parachute team in the world.
Helping support these incredible demonstrators and competitors are the Team's Aviation and Headquarters Sections. The Aviation Section consists of six fixed-wing aircraft and a team of highly experienced pilots and crewmembers that make sure the parachutists make it into the air safety and quickly. The Headquarters Section also has a highly skilled team of soldiers and civilians handling the administration, budget, media relations, operations, parachute maintenance, and logistical concerns of the team.
For 49 years, the Team's superior performances, winning record and exemplary conduct have helped rekindle and maintain a feeling of pride in the hearts of many Americans. The Team's faces may have changed, but every "Golden Knight's" dedication to the Army and the American public has and will continue to remain steadfast well into the 21st century.