US D-Day Paratropper question

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

I'm just watching Band Of Brothers again, and the scenes before they board for the drop are a great source of detail for when I do my D-Day build later next year but I have one question.

Each of the airbourne has all his kit laid out and then there is a bundle of white rope that each one is carrying, what's this for???

My guess would b e for if they get hung up on something when they parachute in so they can lower themselves to the ground, but I'm most likely way off the mark.

Adrian

[Gern]

Didn't they tie their back packs to a length of rope so the packs hit the ground first and saved the impact of the extra weight on the soldier's back? I'm sure I read that somewhere but I may be wrong.

Gern

[Alan 45]

Didn't they tie their back packs to a length of rope so the packs hit the ground first and saved the impact of the extra weight on the soldier's back? I'm sure I read that somewhere but I may be wrong.Gern

I read the same thing also if you notice in the program when winters hits the ground he pulls on the rope to get his back pack and the rope is frayed showing that his kit bag was attached because he has no equipment

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

That's a leg rope attached to a kit bag that they mainly all lost, this is a length of white rope that they have attached to their belts.

Adrian

[Guest]

Yes your right a length of rope always comes in handy especially if you get hung up in a tree or church spire (the longest day)

[rickoshea52]

If it is anything like the British paratroopers from the 70/80's it is a lanyard for their equipment container. After they have exited the aircraft and their 'chute has opened the paratrooper would release his container to dangle below him on the descent. My dad told me all about it when he was in the Parachute Regt.

[eddiesolo]

Hi Adrian, the rope you refer to is called a 'drop-rope' and is used for getting down from trees ete, these came in two colours, white and olive drab. The musette bags that were dropped by another rope were adopted by the US after they saw the British Para's using them, only problem is they had too much weight in them and many where lost on the way down, these bags were deployed after the chute was deployed, in fact there is a story that the bags were just too heavy that many troopers cut them loose early so not to land on them, especially in the dark.

Si

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

Its not the leg strap, here's a of it and then a couple of pics of the rope [ATTACH]74839.IPB[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]74840.IPB[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]74841.IPB[/ATTACH]

, excuse the pics just took em with my phone from my PC monitor
Adrian

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

Ahh thanks Si, I was correct then

Adrian

[eddiesolo]

Ahh thanks Si, I was correct then Adrian

Yep, they be the drop ropes. There was two versions of this rope, first pattern was of a plaited cotton but was found to be too slippery, the second pattern was slightly thicker, both had a length of 33ft.

Si

[flyjoe180]

Incidentally, Babe Heffron passed away a few weeks ago leaving Bill Guarnere and Don Malarkey as the only two veterans left from Easy Company still alive.

[eddiesolo]

Incidentally, Babe Heffron passed away a few weeks ago leaving Bill Guarnere and Don Malarkey as the only two veterans left from Easy Company still alive.

That's a shame, but at least he and others in Easy did make it home.

Si