2017 | Veterans 1 A SALUTE TO OUR VETERANS SECOND SECTION First North Dakota woman parachutist Barbara Richau, Golden Valley By KATE JOHNSON Barbara and her other squad mates – as they dangled from their para- A roof over her head, food in her chutes, Barbara said they would tummy, and clothes on her back. visit and laugh as they waited for These are reasons Barbara Richau, their open chute to be released. Golden Valley, said joining up with Barbara had never stepped on a the United States military wasn’t plane before, let alone dangle 250 such a bad deal. feet from the ground. However, she After Barbara graduated high said she wasn’t scared and never let school she was unsure of what she any fear have control. wanted to do next. All she knew for “The fear was always there -- certain was that she didn’t want to you gave it a lot of respect, but it be in school anymore. never came to the forefront,” said She thought the next best option Barbara. was to sign up for the military. Out Once they were released, their of the options they had at the time, offi cer would be instructing them Barbara knew she wanted to be from the ground on what to do. able to pick the job she was going The third phase of training was to do – which wasn’t something jumping out of an airplane to fully BARBARA RICHAU every sign-up sheet off ered. Having become “airborne.” Anyone who Barbara Richau, Golden Valley, never even fl own in a plane before was not airborne was referred to as served as a parachute rigger Barbara signed her name under a “leg,” which Barbara said no one from 1974-1976. “parachute rigger.” wanted to be a “grimy leg.” In 1974 she entered into para- On her and her squad’s fi rst trip After completing jump school, chute rigger training. up, their officers told them they she was then sent to rigger school “I had never fl own in a plane would fall asleep. She said they -- which was learning how to re- until I went to basic training. Now didn’t believe them and thought pair, inspect, and patch parachutes. I’m going to jump out of them,” she there wasn’t a chance they would These weren’t just parachutes sol- said with a laugh at the memory. fall unconscious while anticipating diers wore, these were parachutes After already going through the jump out of an airplane. But sure used to drop rations, jeeps, and physical training she entered into enough, they did, due to exhaustion any other items they needed in jump school training, for which she from what they had gone through in areas where ground access wasn’t was sent to Fort Benning, Ga. training up until that point. an option. “It was dark when I fi rst arrived Once they reached the desired Barbara said some of the para- at Fort Benning. There were fl ash- altitude, the officer asked for a chutes weighed up to 400 pounds. ing red lights coming from the 250 volunteer. Barbara said she realized On parachutes that large there parachute tower and I thought to quickly that you don’t volunteer would have to be a squad of riggers myself, ‘What the hell did I get for anything; however, she said the used to inspect them. Barbara’s myself into?’” Barbara said with words “I’ll go,” and stepped toward main job was initial inspection and a laugh. the door. fi nal inspection. She inspected the Barbara Richau was the fi rst North Dakota woman to jump out of The tower with fl ashing red lights With adrenaline coursing through parachutes for any holes or tears, an airplane and become “airborne.” She said these were posed was what hoisted Barbara and the her veins, the door opened. And just which, if she did find anything pictures which they could make whatever face they wanted to. other parachute riggers in training as she was about to let herself fall wrong with the chute, it would be up in their open parachutes. Once out of her very fi rst plane her offi cer sent off for repair. Once the chute Barbara spent 17 months at Fort After two years as a parachute they reached the top they would be stopped her. She was unsure why, went through repair, she would Bragg, N.C., a place that would be rigger, Barbara was ready for some- released and learned how to control but this meant she had to psych inspect it again before it went out the home to many cherished memo- thing diff erent. She headed back the parachute to get to the bottom. herself up again for the next time. the door. ries and friends who left lasting to North Dakota, which took three However, that isn’t what they Barbara was the fi rst North Da- Barbara had a large lighted table impressions. days because of a blizzard. She started their training with. Every- kota military woman to jump out of she rolled the parachutes out onto, One her ninth jump, Barbara enrolled in university using the GI where they went at jump school a plane and be a parachutist. hooking the top corner to one side severely sprained her ankle. Bill and gained her Class A driver’s they ran. The first part of jump Barbara said she will never forget and stretching it out to hook the bot- “I didn’t know you could see license, then worked for Dakota school was learning how to exit that feeling of exiting a plane, and tom end to the other. The parachutes stars in broad daylight,” she said. Westmoreland until she retired. the planes properly. There was a how the best jumps were the ones were made out of nylon, which she They had been taught that when Barbara still refers to those days 34 ft. mock-up tower that they were she would walk right off the back said if they rubbed together at all they get close the ground they tuck as some of the best of her life. hooked to by a harness, with which end of the plane. they would burn. their elbows and fall onto the soft “I was 18 years old. I was being they would exit the mock up. However, there were times where To pack them they would fold part of your body, which is your taken care of, I had food, I had The second week was tower she would have to exit the plane the sections together and make sure side. It was this jump that brought clothes, I had a roof, steady work – week, when they were hoisted up through the door on the side of the there was air in there so that when it Barbara’s fear to the forefront, it was pretty good,” she said. 250 ft. with an open parachute. aircraft, which she said felt like it was released from the bag it came which shook her enough to fear If given the chance, she said she Three of them could hang at the was sucking you out. out smoothly. the jumps. would do it all again in a heartbeat. top together, waiting for it to be Once they completed fi ve jumps released. they were no longer called a “leg” The heights didn’t seem to bother and were offi cially “airborne.” Honoring our military +Z\(DVW*DUULVRQ1' this Veterans Day! 2 Veterans | 2017 LARRY FAST TROY FAST WILBERT HARSCH Larry Fast served in the Army Troy Fast; Lance Corporal Wilbert Harsch served in the US as a Spec 5 Air Craft Mechanic Infantry served in the Marine Army from 1963 to 1965 and from 1967 to 1969. He served 1 Corp. from 1991-1995. He was National Guard in 1976 year in the Vietnam War. based in Hawaii and Okinawa, E4; Headquarters and Head- Japan quarters Battery 14th Artillery at Furth, Germany Colonel James Olson was recently named 68th Troop Command commander. Olson named Troop Commander Soldiers of the Bismarck-based 68th Troop Command welcomed a new commander to the unit Sept. 17 during a change of command ceremony LAUREN TANDBERG LEWIS VIGEN JR. SOLOMON C DRATH at the Raymond J. Bohn Armory. Col. James Olson assumed duties as the 68th Troop Command com- Lauren Tandberg, former AVS Petty Offi cer 1st Class Lewis Solomon C Drath, Korean War mander from Col. Scott Fontaine, who has served in the position since employee, served in Vietnam Cody Vigen Jr. served from May 50-52 Served with 123rd Infan- 2015. Fontaine retired after more than 28 years of service with the North 1969-1970 with the 11th Ar- 1999 to July 2009. try, 2nd Indian head Division. Dakota Army National Guard. mored Cavalry, Blackhorse. Nuclear Physicist :Submarines, He received the Service Com- Olson enlisted in the North Dakota Guard in 1986. He was commis- SS BN 735-USS Pennslvania. bat Medal with 4 bronze stars sioned through the Reserve Offi cer Training Corps at North Dakota State and the United Nations Service University and has served in several leadership roles as an engineer offi cer Medal. in the 142nd Engineer Battalion. His most recent assignments include deputy commander of the 141st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade and commander of the 136th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. Olson has deployed for overseas missions three times. In 2000, he served in support of Operation Joint Guardian in Kosovo as a general construction platoon leader with the 142nd Engineer Battalion.