Special Request

Dear USAPT Alumni,

Help! As most of the Alumni know by now, I have been busy doing research on the book, “Evolution: The Story of the United States Army Parachute Team through the Years,” due for release in late 2023. Lately, much of that research has been the conduct of telephone interviews with Alumni of all time periods and positions. I must tell you that these interviews have both humbled me, filled me with pride and admiration, and further heightened my respect for the men and women of the Team. They have also motivated me more, if that’s even possible, to produce the most accurate work possible, but I cannot do it without you. I need more information! And you can help. Please download the document below and respond as best you can. You have my thanks! Mike Marcon

Important GK Book Update – July 27, 2022

Given some earlier unforeseen delays, in spite of the end of June deadline that I had set to complete my research for the book, I continue to have a need to conduct research and will for some time to come. I am currently conducting phone interviews with Alumni and they are producing great background results. (It is such a pleasure and an honor to be able to speak with you folks!)

But one area is sorely lacking.

I particularly need to interview more GKs of the year 2000 and beyond. Each decade of the Team’s existence holds within it differing circumstances and experiences, and someday, some of you newer guys, just as the older Alumni do now, will want some record of your days on the Team. So how about taking a few minutes to speak with me? The phone interviews don’t take long and are contributing significantly to my work. If you want an idea of the questions I will ask you, just go here and click on the Alumni Questionnaire at the bottom of the page. 

I need input from all sections of the Team! If you are willing to be interviewed for the book, please send me an email at usaptbook@gmail.com with the years that you served on the Team  and your contact info. In return, I will call or write you and set up a time for an interview.  I promise to take as little of your time as possible and your help will only improve the finished book. All interviews are strictly confidential.

Thanks! Mike

  July 4th, 2022

Ladies and Gentle Knights!

Below,  you will find a U.S.A.P.T. roster of approximately 750 personnel including civilians who served the Team from its beginnings through 2004. I am asking your assistance ensuring its accuracy. Please look it over. It is a editable Word document.  Its intended purpose is to list in the book the members and other personnel who have served the Team over the years. If you have the time to help me, I am especially interested in adding or editing, or discovering, where possible, the following:

* Wrong information

* Years served for individuals if you are one of those listed or if you know or knew someone who did.

* The names and ranks of members who have served since 2004. (Simply find their alphabetical place and insert the name(s) and year(s) of Team service if you know it.

* “R.I.P’s,” “K.I.A’s,” notations (whether hostile or not).

* Any other corrections you think important.

I am attempting to access Team information that goes beyond 2004 to present day. But bureaucratic barriers are hampering me and time is not my friend, so any assistance you may render will result in the drinks being on me should we ever meet.

Please do what you can and then send your corrected document back to me via email at usaptbook@gmail.com 

One final item. This list is bound to jog memories, evoke stories, and so-on. Please feel free to include any of those you wish. If you attach photos, please identify the year, places and people in the photo.

And remember, anyone who contributes to this project will receive a complimentary, signed copy of the book when it's published. 

Happy Fourth of July and many thanks!

Mike

June 22, 2022

Knights,

Things are going reasonably well during the research phase of the book. As I had set the deadline for the research phase to end by June 30, so that I could begin the serious work of writing the first draft, I am still hoping to hear from any of you who wish to contribute by that time. (See how below.) Your input is highly valued!

In that light, I am seeking something, and thus far, using every research tool I have, I’ve yet to be able to find what I am looking for. Perhaps one of you may be able to assist me. To wit...

On or about May18, 1961, orders were issued from Continental Army Command at Fort Monroe, Virginia, activating the United States Army Parachute Team as an official unit of the U.S. Army. I am assuming that at that time, a Table of Organization and Equipment (TO&E) document was issued along with those orders. I am looking for copies of both documents. At this time, the Team at Bragg has had me jumping through the typical “red tape” hoops that one often encounters when dealing with the military, and I suspect that asking them to dig out those items would be a fruitless endeavor.  In fact, they’ve been no help at all so far. So any assistance here would be appreciated.

To close this update, I am especially hard up for background on Alumni of the 90’s and 2000 through 2020 time periods. I know that many of you younger guys and gals are busy, but if you can spare me the time, please read the update below to see how easy it can be to contribute.

That’s it for now! Thanks, Mike

(804) 313-0932 between 0900 and 1700 hours. Please leave a message if I am unavailable. I’ll get back to you ASAP.

June 11, 2022

Dear GK Alumni,

   As most of you know, I am working to produce a book titled, Evolution: The Story of the U.S. Army Parachute Team Through the Years, for the GKAA. If you are not familiar with the project, you can read all about it here by following the link below.

   A the present time, I am in the research phase of the project attempting to collect as much background information as I can prior to beginning to write the initial draft manuscript which I hope to begin in early July. As a part of that, I have provided Interview Questionnaires, downloadable here on my website and recently hand-delivered at Spring Break, that can be filled out and returned to me so that I might use them as a basis for interviews with you so that I can tell your stories. But they are slow coming back to me.

   I realize that, in part, the difficulty in getting them back may be due to something that vexes me, and that is having to fill out paperwork of any sort. It’s a little like the drudge of filling out tax forms. So, I’ve decided to try to make things easier for you.

   Here is what I’ve come up with to lessen any hassle: 

   If you would like to contribute – it’s your book, after all – and tell me about yourself and your time on the Team, so that I can include your story in the book, drop me an email at usaptbook@gmail.com with your name and phone number and best times to call you. I will then contact you and arrange a suitable time to do a short telephone interview with you. I will ask you the same sort of questions in the interview that you would have had to sit down and fill out if you used the written Questionnaire to respond. Far less time and trouble to accomplish.

And, don't forget! Contributors will receive a complimentary copy of the book when it's published.

   I look forward to hearing from you.

Golden Knight's Book Proposal and Outline