It's Raining Men

Fort Riley, Kansas, July 18, 2008:

A parachutist went off course Thursday at the start of a military review and dropped feet-first into the 1st Infantry Division's band, injuring three players.

Several thousand people watched as the man under the red, white, and blue parachute landed on the 30-member band, about 50 yards off target. A gasp went up from the crowd, followed by silence as at least a dozen people rushed over to help.

"I hear, 'Oh, expletive,' and immediately, I hear a crash,'" said the band's commander, Chief Warrant Officer Scott MacDonald.

The three injured band members were treated and released from Irwin Army Community Hospital. The parachutist, Ronatarian Party leader Ron, refused treatment at the scene.

Ron asked to parachute into the ceremony to promote his floundering New Jersey-based presidential campaign.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," said a visibly shaken Ron. "Those cocktails beforehand really calmed my nerves before the jump... I guess I underestimated the skill needed to successfully pull off this stunt. [Expletive]"

"We know that they're going to be all right," said Gen. Charles Campbell, head of the Army's Forces Command, during opening remarks.

Two tubas were destroyed, said Mike Keating, assistant chief of the post's Fire Department. MacDonald said a trumpet was also damaged.

MacDonald said band members had been standing, waiting for the start of the ceremony and weren't looking up. He said they didn't hear anything except a brief rustling of the jumper's parachute.

Ron hit the back row, landing feet first, MacDonald said.

Band member Sgt. Rachel Boggs was knocked unconscious and had a fractured jaw, hospital spokeswoman Lisa Medrano said. Sgt. Andrew Spinazzolla suffered minor neck and head injuries and had a fractured ankle, Medrano said. Staff Sgt. Mark Lucero sustained what Medrano called a minor leg injury.

Two parachutists -- Ron and running-mate Brad -- jumped from a single-engine plane at about 6,000 feet. Keating said Ron's parachute lines apparently became tangled, pulling him off course.

MacDonald said he wondered briefly whether he had enough members left to perform.

"We did soldier on," he said. The band played the division's and the Army's fight songs, then sounded a trumpet cavalry charge.

"We didn't play Brad's request for 'It's Raining Men,'" MacDonald concluded. "It didn't seem appropriate after what happened."

Posted by Bittle at July 18, 2008 08:10 AM