Jim was my first sky diving instructor in May of 1976 at Zephyrhills Florida. We were all jumping from an old DC-3. We sort of rubbed each other the wrong way. I had completed my military obligations and was feeling pretty pretty tough. Jim sort of laughed at my bravado. In those days new jumpers progressed on a static line. first 2 jumps and you demonstrated that you could exit the door and hit a stable arch. Then 2 jumps where you exited stable and did a dummy rip cord pull to show that you were thinking in the air. I had been using student equipment an old army T-10 with a big bulky front reserve and had about about 7 static lines and was waiting for Jim to sign some paper that would allow me to do my first free fall. I was attending University of South Florida at the time it was Friday afternoon and I was out of class for the weekend. All the experienced jumpers were already there and I could see them flying down. Jim met me in the parking lot as I drove up with my rusty old Volkswagen van. He said follow me. I walked behind him into the chute packing room. He handed me a student rig with a ripcord. I put the rig on with a lump in my throat, Jim pulled the straps so hard that it actually hurt my nuts. I put you on the manifest he stated with a grin that only increased my fear. The load roar of the DC-3's engines warming up only increased my anxiety. Jim could see that I was scared and said Ok time to see what your made of tough guy. We boarded the roaring monster and took off the runway, static jumps with a barometric auto opener on the reserve were scary enough but now if I screwed up I realized I could die. We went around and around until we got to 2000 feet and a jump master named Ed Avery sent 6 new students out on the static lines. Jim pulled the static lines in and rolled his finger in the air to go around one more pass. we were almost to 3 grand and Jim took me to the open door. I heard the engines cut Jim looked at me and said NOW!. I jumped did a nice arch and pulled my ripcord my parachute jerked the beejessus out of me because I was a little head down. I looked up to see my parachute fully bloomed out. It was a sense of elation that overtook me. I steered my slotted T-10 toward the landing bullseye and just a little outside the ring I did a perfect PLF parachute landing fall. I lay on the ground for a moment only and started to collect my chute and Jim came swooping down next to me. He gave me a hug and said good job. It was one of the greatest moments of my life. Jim looked at me and declared Case of beer I drove to the local stores and purchased 2 cases of cold beer. I took it back to the DZ and that night me, Jim, Ed Avery, Marc Janchak, Stan Bussey, Ernie King, Anibal Turneaurua, Cheryl Morgn, Chuck Henderson, Ski and Donna, Pat and John Conway, and Bill Foster got blasted to celebrate my first freefall. I remember this time as the very best part of my life. I continued to jump and got to know Jim better. I loved Jim and all my jumping buddies. I cried when I heard that he had passed away. He was a great man, a man of courage, Honor and integrity. Well I guess I have to close now because this has got me crying again. We will miss you Jim you were one of a king. RIP Buddy.
