Kalitta Air Pilot Jumps into History

Many of us enjoy reading about aviation history, but others like F/O Stephan McGarry (Kalitta Air) have found a special way to relive it. When McGarry isn’t transporting cargo to the four corners of the globe, this B-777 pilot serves as a static-line parachutist for the World War II Airborne Demonstration Team (ADT), entertaining aviation enthusiasts at air shows in North America and Europe. “I’ve been jumping with the team for more than 20 years and have the knees to prove it,” he quipped.

Hitting the Silk at AirVenture

McGarry and his fellow parachuters “hit the silk” from a C-49, nicknamed Wild Kat, to commemorate the thousands of U.S. soldiers who served in airborne units during this crucial period in world history. Earlier this year, they made three jumps during the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Each participating ADT member was decked out in the 50 pounds of original military gear their predecessors wore. “We make every effort to be as authentic to the period as we can,” noted McGarry.

In each of the AirVenture runs, McGarry and his compatriots leapt from Wild Kat, traveling at a speed of approximately 120 mph at about 1,500 feet above Wittman Regional Airport—much to the delight of the thousands watching from just west of the flight line.

ADT Keeps the Stories Alive

ADT is based in a historic World War II hangar at the former Frederick Army Air Field in Frederick, Oklahoma, and its mission is “to keep the stories of our World War II veterans alive to inspire others.” They accomplish this by fostering, promoting, and engaging in research of the war’s airborne operations and military history to inform and educate the public.

McGarry first learned about this unique outfit while serving in the U.S. Army. While at Lawton Ft. Sill Regional Airport, he spotted a C-47 parked on the ramp and soon learned that it was part of the ADT. He signed up for the program’s training lessons and took his first jump in July 2005.

The nine-day basic parachute course culminates with five successful jumps, and McGarry completed four before the C-47 had a mechanical issue. The ADT previously flew a C-45A, which it used as a backup, and he finished his final qualification jump leaping from that aircraft.

During his two decades with the ADT, McGarry has completed hundreds of performances at a host of locations. As part of this tenure, he was assigned to a group that conducted jumps to commemorate World War II’s Operation Market Garden, the largest airborne offensive of its time (September 1944) in what was then the German-occupied Netherlands. This particular campaign was featured in the 1977 epic motion picture A Bridge Too Far directed by Richard Attenborough.

McGarry made jumps during the 65th, 75th, and 80th anniversaries of this event. During the 80th anniversary, he jumped as a member of the Pathfinder Parachute Group, the ADT’s British counterpart. On the 75th anniversary of Operation Market Garden, McGarry accidently landed in an irrigation canal. His jump team was released on a day when there were unexpectedly high winds along the drop zone. McGarry had to be rescued by a group of photographers while in the canal because his parachute kept reinflating, pulling him farther down the waterway.

Although McGarry was soaked from head to toe, a cigar he kept in a resealable baggie stayed dry. After the jump, he removed the cigar and took a smoke, which was captured in a photo taken by the local news media that day.

Of his participation in the performances like those honoring Operation Market Garden, McGarry observed, “The commemoration jumps are always the most memorable for me because I’m jumping on the day, on the very same drop zone these guys were landing on. Given all that they sacrificed and had to endure, and all that they were fighting for, it’s humbling to say the least.”