Draft:Jerry Bird (skydiver): Difference between revisions

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In 1970, Bird was captain of the United States Freefall Exhibition Team (USFET) demonstrating relative work at the 10th [[World Parachuting Championships]] in [[Bled]], Slovenia.<ref name=”Cottingham”/>

In 1970, Bird was captain of the United States Freefall Exhibition Team (USFET) demonstrating relative work at the 10th [[World Parachuting Championships]] in [[Bled]], Slovenia.<ref name=”Cottingham”/>

On January 16, 1972, Bird organized a world record 24-man star formation over [[Perris Valley Airport|Perris Valley]] California.<ref>Collison, p.111</ref> The jump was featured on the [[CBS]] program ”[[I’ve Got a Secret]]”<ref>{{cite web |title=1972 World record 24 way – images of ‘I’ve Got a Secret’ TV Show – Recreation jump in 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQKrR1Uv7K4 |website=YouTube |access-date=2 February 2026}}</ref> and in the February 4, 1972 issue of ”[[Life (magazine)|Life]]” magazine.<ref>”Life”, February 4, 1972</ref> Also in 1972 (on June 16), Jerry Bird’s All Stars won the Ten-Man Star event at the National Championships in [[Tahlequah, Oklahoma]].<ref name=”Heaton”>{{cite news |first=Norman |last=Heaton |title=A report on the 1972 national parachuting championships – Ten-man event|url=https://parachutist.com/portals/parachutist/parachutist/archives/September-1972/HTML5/index.html |access-date=3 February 2026 |work=Parachutist |date=September 1972|page=11}}</ref> Bird later organized a world record 26-man star at the close of the 11th World Parachuting Championships, also at Tahlequah.<ref>Parachutist Magazine Cover Dec 1972 https://parachutist.com/portals/parachutist/parachutist/archives/December-1972/HTML5/index.html</ref>

January 16, Bird organized a world record 24-man star formation over [[Perris Valley Airport|Perris Valley]] California.<ref>Collison, p.111</ref> The jump was featured on the [[CBS]] program ”[[I’ve Got a Secret]]”<ref>{{cite web |title=1972 World record 24 way – images of ‘I’ve Got a Secret’ TV Show – Recreation jump in 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQKrR1Uv7K4 |website=YouTube |access-date=2 February 2026}}</ref> and in the February 4, 1972 issue of ”[[Life (magazine)|Life]]” magazine.<ref>”Life”, February 4, 1972</ref> (on June 16), Jerry Bird’s All Stars won the Ten-Man Star event at the National Championships in [[Tahlequah, Oklahoma]].<ref name=”Heaton”>{{cite news |first=Norman |last=Heaton |title=A report on the 1972 national parachuting championships – Ten-man event|url=https://parachutist.com/portals/parachutist/parachutist/archives/September-1972/HTML5/index.html |access-date=3 February 2026 |work=Parachutist |date=September 1972|page=11}}</ref> Bird later organized a world record 26-man star at the close of the 11th World Parachuting Championships, also at Tahlequah.<ref> https://parachutist.com/portals/parachutist/parachutist/archives/December-1972/HTML5/index.html</ref>

In 1973, Bird’s 10-Way team, The Columbine Turkey Farm won the World Cup Championship at [[Fort Bragg]], [[North Carolina]] with a time of 15.6 seconds.<ref>Parachutist Magazine Oct 1973, 16-25 https://parachutist.com/portals/parachutist/parachutist/archives/October-1973/HTML5/index.html</ref>

In 1973, Bird’s 10-Way team, The Columbine Turkey Farm won the World Cup Championship at [[Fort Bragg]], [[North Carolina]] with a time of 15.6 seconds.<ref>Parachutist Magazine Oct 1973, 16-25 https://parachutist.com/portals/parachutist/parachutist/archives/October-1973/HTML5/index.html</ref>

Jerry Bird world champion skydiver, military freefall instructor

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• Comment: Subject may be notable, but article needs additional references. The main source is a book that appears to be edited and self-published by Linda Collison (Fiction House Ltd appears to be her business, publishing only her books), with Jerry Bird listed as one of the authors. “Self-published material, such as books … are largely not acceptable as sources” (WP:SPS). The draft is also poorly written – mainly a list of events, not prose – and the (non-Collison) references, particularly the weblinks, need to be improved. No sources are provided for Bird’s early life, and only one source is given for his military service. The addition of references giving significant coverage in reliable independent secondary sources will help improve the article. Paul W (talk) 09:03, 22 January 2026 (UTC)

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Jerry Bird D-3299, SCR-11,^[1] (born March 6, 1943) is an American skydiver involved in the evolution of formation skydiving since the 1960s. He was a member or captain of four U.S. National Champion teams and also been a member or captain of four World Champion or World Cup skydiving teams.^[2]

In 1967 Bird participated in the first documented 10-man star formation over Taft, California,^[3] a milestone achievement in relative work (now known as formation skydiving). Following this, Bird became a founding member of the Arvin Good Guys and then Captain of Jerry Birds All Stars^[4] – skydiving teams that were instrumental in advancing formation skydiving techniques.^[5] He captained the United States Freefall Exhibition Team (USFET)^[6] which demonstrated formation skydiving at the 1970 World Championships in Bled, Slovenia. This led to formation skydiving becoming a recognized competition discipline in its own right.^[7]

The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) awarded him the Leonardo da Vinci Parachuting Diploma in 1983^[8] and in 2010 he was inducted into the International Skydiving Museum Hall of Fame.^[9]

Early life and education

Jerry Bird was born in Ellijay, Georgia on March 6, 1943 to Carolyn Blanche Woodward and John Marion Bird. He was the fourth of six children. When he was three years old, his family moved to Weirton, West Virginia^[10] where he grew up and attended West Virginia University majoring in electrical engineering.^[11]

In 1963 Bird migrated to Southern California where he made his first sport parachute jump at the Lancaster drop zone northeast of Los Angeles under the tutelage of Brian Williams.^[10][12][11]

Career

Military service

In 1965 he was drafted into the army where he first attended Russian language school at Fort Ord, Monterey, California, then Airborne jump School at Fort Benning, Georgia.^[11][10] He was then assigned to 10th Special Forces Group Green Berets. Flint Kaserne, Bad Tölz, Germany.^[11][10]

Civilian career

In 1970, he was working as a computer operator at Security Pacific Optimisation Services in southern California.^[11]

Skydiving accomplishments

On May 16, 1966, Bird participated in the first 10-man baton pass over Arvin, California.^[13][14]

In 1967, he participated in the first world record formation, a 10-man star over Taft, California,^[3][15][16] and participated in the first 12-man formation, also over Taft.^[17]

In 1968, he formed Jerry Bird’s All Stars 10-way speed skydiving team.^[11][4]

On October 12, 1969, Jerry Bird’s All Stars won the Third Annual Rumbleseat: Meet in Taft with a time of 39 seconds.^[11]

In 1970, Bird was captain of the United States Freefall Exhibition Team (USFET) demonstrating relative work at the 10th World Parachuting Championships in Bled, Slovenia.^[7]

In 1972, on January 16, Bird organized a world record 24-man star formation over Perris Valley California.^[18] The jump was featured on the CBS program I’ve Got a Secret^[19] and in the February 4, 1972 issue of Life magazine.^[20] Later (on June 16), Jerry Bird’s All Stars won the Ten-Man Star event at the National Championships in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.^[21] Bird later organized a world record 26-man star at the close of the 11th World Parachuting Championships, also at Tahlequah.^[22]

In 1973, Bird’s 10-Way team, The Columbine Turkey Farm won the World Cup Championship at Fort Bragg, North Carolina with a time of 15.6 seconds.^[23]

In 1974, Bird was captain of The Wings Of Orange 10-way speed star team which set a new world record of 12.76 seconds at Pretoria, R.S.A.^[24]

In 1977, a likeness of Jerry Bird along with those of Dick Fortenbury, Mike Johnston and Bill Ottley hangs in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C..^[25]

In 1980, Bird joined the eight-way team Mirror Image. In 1981 they won the National Championship in 8-way sequential while setting a world record of 14 maneuvers in 48.3 seconds.^[26][27]

In November 1983, Bird organized an expedition to Venezuela to BASE jump from Angel Falls. The jump was filmed for a documentary by Mark III productions of Miami, Florida^{[28] [29]} and broadcast on ABC’s Ripley’s Believe It or Not!.^[30]

In 1986, Bird was part of the world record formation 120-way at Quincy, Illinois.^[31][32]

On August 8, 1988, Bird was part of the world record 144-way diamond formation over Quincy, Illinois.^[33]

On July 19, 1998, Bird was part of the 246-way world record formation over Skydive Chicago.^[34][35]

In 1999, Bird was part of the 282-way world record formation with The World Team in Thailand.^[36]

Honors and awards

• In 1984, Bird was awarded the da Vinci Diploma by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI).^[2][8]
• In 2010, Bird was inducted into the International Skydiving Museum Hall of Fame.^[9][12]
• In 2011, Jerry Bird was awarded the Stefan Banic Parachute Foundation gold medal for over 25 years of contributions to the sport of skydiving.^[37]
• In 2022, the United States Freefall Exhibition team was awarded The Pioneers of Excellence award by the International Skydiving Museum Hall of Fame.^[38][6]
• In 2024, Jerry Bird’s All Stars was awarded The Pioneers of Excellence award by the International Skydiving Museum Hall of Fame.^[39]

References

• Bird, Jerry; Alexander, Sam; West, Raylene (2025). Linda, Collison (ed.). Jerry Bird: The Making of a Skydriving Legend. Fiction House Ltd. ISBN 9798985259230.