Although the first official United States Army (USA) Airborne unit was created in 1943 (82nd Airborne Division), the USA had been experimenting with the idea of having Soldiers jump out of perfectly good aircraft since the end of World War One.

Most of the early Airborne training took place on Fort Benning (recently called Fort Moore, previously known as Fort Benning [a different Benning than the current Benning]), Georgia, with the Airborne Test Platoon (ATP) becoming the first to drop on Lawson Field, 16AUG1940.  The ATP consisted of 48 ‘volunteers’.  The 16th of August is now officially National Airborne Day in the U.S.

I edited together this video, taken from 1941 U.S. Army Air Corps/Forces (USAAC/USAAF) newsreels about the U.S. Army’s paratroop training:

Here are some more USAAC/USAAF Airborne newsreels from 1941:

Paratroopers have their own official National Airborne Day! Video shows you why!

Uncle Sam preps for War, 1941: Curtiss P-40 Warhawk

Jumping out of a perfectly good C-130, over Morocco: African Lion 2023