Ralph Bottriell
American military parachutist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ralph W. Bottriell (1885[1] – December 26, 1943) was the first American military member to jump from an aircraft using a manually operated backpack parachute.[2] Bottriell was considered "the dean of parachute jumpers" and made over 500 jumps.[3]
Life
Bottriell performed his first parachute jump in Nashville, Michigan, at the age of 16.[2] He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1917.[2]
On May 19, 1919, Bottriell jumped from a U.S. Army airplane in McCook Field, Ohio, using a backpack parachute he designed.[2] It featured a "D" ring which allowed the jumper to open the parachute at will. This parachute design was credited with being the forerunner for parachutes developed later by the U.S. Air Force.[4][2]
He made his last jump in 1927 at the Brooks Air Force Base in Texas, where he was a parachute instructor.[3]
Bottriell received the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1932.[1] At the time, he was stationed at Kelly Field in Texas.[4]
Bottriell retired in 1940. He died on December 26, 1943, of natural causes.[5][6]
