In 1959, the Strategic Army Command Parachute Team, or STRAC, was formed by nineteen Airborne Soldiers from various military units. Brigadier General Joseph Stilwell Jr. gathered the Soldiers with the intent of competing in what was then the new and Soviet dominated sport of skydiving. That year, the all U.S. Army team began representing the United States on the international competition circuit, as well as performing their first demonstration in Danville, Virginia. In 1961, the Department of Defense announced that the STRAC team would become the United States Army Parachute Team.
Check out below for a few awesome images from the Golden Knights and then go check out their blog for more photos and videos.
SSG Joe Jones, from the U.S. Army Parachute Team pitches the drogue as he takes Medal of Honor recipient, SSG Salvatore Giunta for a 14,000 ft Tandem Skydive over Stinson Airfield, San Antonio Texas. Photo by SSG Jared Zell.
The Golden Knights, the U.S. Army's official parachute demonstration team, made a historical jump as part of their 50th Anniversary, onto the grounds of the Statue of Liberty in New York City.
At a zero angle of attack, better known as a “No Lift Dive,” Sgt. 1st Class Cheryl Stearns, from the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights, holds her position to build enough air speed to execute the “style set” in a competitive amount of time.
The U.S. Army Golden Knights jump started the 27th Annual Army-10 Miler with an aerial demonstration and landing, Oct. 9, in Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team competes in the accuracy competition at the 4th Conseil Internationale du Sport MilitaireÌs (CISM) Military World Games in Hyderabad, India.
