22 soldiers injured in training accident at Camp Shelby

During a night-time training at Camp Shelby, 22 paratroopers were injured. Nate Chute, USA Today Network

Multiple injuries were reported Wednesday during a training operation that went wrong at Camp Shelby around 8 p.m.

Director of Public Affairs Lt. Col. Deidre Smith said Thursday morning 22 soldiers were injured Wednesday night after jumping out of a C-130 aircraft.

Eighteen soldiers were taken for treatment to Forrest General Hospital, said Dr. Duncan Donald, the hospital’s trauma medical director, including one who was brought in by military helicopter.

Earlier reports indicated seven soldiers were taken to the hospital.

Four of the injured were admitted to the hospital but are expected to make a full recovery, Donald said. 

While most of the injured soldiers will be able to get back to active duty quickly, recovery for some of the injured could take up to three months.  

None of the soldiers' injuries was considered life-threatening, Smith said.

Some were blown off course from their intended landing zone and into a stand of pine trees. Several became entangled in the branches and had to be rescued, the Associated Press reported.

Smith said the soldiers were caught by a "gust of wind."

Donald said most of the injuries the stemmed from the soldiers falling out of the trees. Some told him they attempted to free themselves but didn’t know how high up they were.

One soldier estimated he fell 20 to 30 feet, Donald said.

LTC Matt Myer, Commander of the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, Geronimo, posted on Facebook early Thursday morning that, of the 87 jumpers, four were caught in the trees. 

The majority of those 87 were with the 501st, however, jumpers from the HHC brigade and jump masters from different battalions were involved as well, said Public Affairs Officer Capt. Ashley Bain-Sangster.

Around 650 soldiers with the 4th Brigade Combat Team 25th Infantry Division out of Anchorage, Alaska, were participating in the training exercise.

Approximately 180 were in the drop zone when the incident occurred. Sgt. Alex Skripnichuk, with the 4th Brigade’s public affairs office, said Wednesday night that 89 paratroopers jumped out of the planes but that number was amended to 87 Thursday morning. 

There were multiple aircraft participating in the exercise. Each plane carries up to 60 people. 

Despite the mishap, soldiers continued to arrive by air at Camp Shelby into Thursday morning.

SOURCE: Beveridge, Lici and Fowler, Sarah. "22 soldiers injured in training accident at Camp Shelby." Hattiesburg American, 3 October 2019, https://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/story/news/local/2019/10/03/camp-shelby-training-accident-paratroopers-multiple-injuries-reported/3849519002/