Letters

He Made His Jumps

Posted

Re: Father Joseph J. Smolinski (Obituary, CNY, June 23)

In 1956, Father Smolinski and I were assigned to the HQ. Battery, 54th Field Artillery Group, XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, N.C. Father Smolinski was one of four Catholic chaplains assigned to the base, which included the 82nd Airborne Division and the Green Beret Special Forces. He was the only chaplain who was not a paratrooper.

I was friendly with Father Smolinski. I noticed on one occasion that he was not his usual cheerful self. When I asked him if everything was OK, he told me that he had to go to jump school. That puzzled me as artillery personnel were not required to jump.

He told me that he had to go because he was not fully accepted as an equal by the other chaplains. Elitism was common among paratroopers at all levels.

With great courage, he went and successfully made his required five jumps to qualify. From then on, he proudly wore the paratrooper wings and spit-shined boots.

John J. Brennan

Riverdale