thedrifter
07-28-08, 08:55 AM
HILLSBORO: Festival skydiver is decorated military hero
By Kevin Carbery
Members of the Jefferson County Fair crowd said they were thrilled when the featured skydiver and the rest of his party jumped to Earth during the festival.
Had they known Col. John Richard Bates' background, they may have been even more impressed with him and how appropriate it was that the retired Marine was appearing at an event labeled "Freedom Fest 2008."
The festival ran from Thursday through Sunday at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Hillsboro. Bates was scheduled to make a jump a day.
Bates, 62, lives in Hawaii, and was awarded three Purple Hearts while serving in Vietnam. That was before he became an officer and led troops during Operation Desert Storm, among other military accomplishments.
Yet, he said none of that matters to the people who see him parachute from an airplane and land at a predetermined spot, or close to it.
"People will come up to me after a jump. The ones I get the biggest kick out of are the kids. I'll encourage others to jump."
Thursday evening, Bates and three members of Skydive St. Louis parachuted from a small plane over the fairgrounds, with one of the jumpers holding an American flag. They landed in the south end of the Edward Jones Arena on the fairgrounds.
Unless a last-second problem, such as a strong wind, comes into play, Bates usually lands where he intends, he said.
"I better be confident I'll hit my mark. It can be an unforgiving sport.
"We used to put soda cans out as targets. Most people with 500 or more jumps can hit the cans most of the time."
Bates estimates he has done close to a thousand jumps.
He said modern parachutes give skydivers a great deal of control over what they can do in the air.
"The canopies you jump with now, you don't really dive, you fly them. You can go any direction, except back up."
For all his knowledge and skill at skydiving, Bates entered the activity at a relatively advanced age.
"I started skydiving in 1988, when I was 43," he said. "Then I went to Military Free Fall School, commonly known as Halo School, at 53. I'm the oldest one ever to go through Halo School while still in uniform."
He is now asked to perform skydiving stunts at international events.
"I've had the opportunity to jump in Australia, Japan, Guam."
This is the second year he has performed sky dives for the Jefferson County Fair. His connection to this area is family as his wife Stephanie's brother, Dave Tucker of Hillsboro, is one of the event organizers.
"I'd like to make a habit of (skydiving at the festival) until I'm 75, 80," Bates said. "Coming here gives us a chance to see family. My mom lives in Bloomington, Ill., and Stephanie's folks live in Festus."
Bates wanted people here to know that Tucker's wife, Kathy, went on a parachute jump when the Tuckers visited the Bateses in Hawaii last year.
"She's very proud of herself," Bates said. "Deservedly so."
Bates is also proud of his son, Joshua, who is a captain in the Marines.
"He's been to Iraq twice and is soon to go back," he said.
Even with all of his skydiving experience, Bates still gets a kick from leaping out a plane.
"There's something very unnatural about jumping out of an airplane in flight," he said. "Absolutely, it's still fun. Every jump is fun."
Those at the fair said they appreciated seeing Bates in action.
"I very much so was impressed with the skydiver," Charlie Cagle, 63, of Hillsboro, said. "It really is appropriate at the Freedom Festival. I'm a retired veteran. I was in Vietnam and Desert Storm."
"I saw the skydiver," Dylan Hastings, 15, of Hillsboro, said. "He was pretty cool."
Tucker said he was glad his brother-in-law has agreed to do jumps at the event.
"It definitely ties in with our Freedom Fest theme," he said.
Tucker said that, overall, the Jefferson County Fair seemed to be doing well its opening night.
"It's a pretty good crowd for a Thursday," he said. "I know ticket sales have been picking up."
Others said they look forward to the fair every year.
"I just like the fair in general," Becky Sibole, 39, Mapaville, said. "I'm here with the whole family, my husband and four kids. Everybody can find something to do here."
"I'm just here to have fun," Northwest High School junior Roger Varela said. "I come every year. I like the rides."
Ellie
By Kevin Carbery
Members of the Jefferson County Fair crowd said they were thrilled when the featured skydiver and the rest of his party jumped to Earth during the festival.
Had they known Col. John Richard Bates' background, they may have been even more impressed with him and how appropriate it was that the retired Marine was appearing at an event labeled "Freedom Fest 2008."
The festival ran from Thursday through Sunday at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Hillsboro. Bates was scheduled to make a jump a day.
Bates, 62, lives in Hawaii, and was awarded three Purple Hearts while serving in Vietnam. That was before he became an officer and led troops during Operation Desert Storm, among other military accomplishments.
Yet, he said none of that matters to the people who see him parachute from an airplane and land at a predetermined spot, or close to it.
"People will come up to me after a jump. The ones I get the biggest kick out of are the kids. I'll encourage others to jump."
Thursday evening, Bates and three members of Skydive St. Louis parachuted from a small plane over the fairgrounds, with one of the jumpers holding an American flag. They landed in the south end of the Edward Jones Arena on the fairgrounds.
Unless a last-second problem, such as a strong wind, comes into play, Bates usually lands where he intends, he said.
"I better be confident I'll hit my mark. It can be an unforgiving sport.
"We used to put soda cans out as targets. Most people with 500 or more jumps can hit the cans most of the time."
Bates estimates he has done close to a thousand jumps.
He said modern parachutes give skydivers a great deal of control over what they can do in the air.
"The canopies you jump with now, you don't really dive, you fly them. You can go any direction, except back up."
For all his knowledge and skill at skydiving, Bates entered the activity at a relatively advanced age.
"I started skydiving in 1988, when I was 43," he said. "Then I went to Military Free Fall School, commonly known as Halo School, at 53. I'm the oldest one ever to go through Halo School while still in uniform."
He is now asked to perform skydiving stunts at international events.
"I've had the opportunity to jump in Australia, Japan, Guam."
This is the second year he has performed sky dives for the Jefferson County Fair. His connection to this area is family as his wife Stephanie's brother, Dave Tucker of Hillsboro, is one of the event organizers.
"I'd like to make a habit of (skydiving at the festival) until I'm 75, 80," Bates said. "Coming here gives us a chance to see family. My mom lives in Bloomington, Ill., and Stephanie's folks live in Festus."
Bates wanted people here to know that Tucker's wife, Kathy, went on a parachute jump when the Tuckers visited the Bateses in Hawaii last year.
"She's very proud of herself," Bates said. "Deservedly so."
Bates is also proud of his son, Joshua, who is a captain in the Marines.
"He's been to Iraq twice and is soon to go back," he said.
Even with all of his skydiving experience, Bates still gets a kick from leaping out a plane.
"There's something very unnatural about jumping out of an airplane in flight," he said. "Absolutely, it's still fun. Every jump is fun."
Those at the fair said they appreciated seeing Bates in action.
"I very much so was impressed with the skydiver," Charlie Cagle, 63, of Hillsboro, said. "It really is appropriate at the Freedom Festival. I'm a retired veteran. I was in Vietnam and Desert Storm."
"I saw the skydiver," Dylan Hastings, 15, of Hillsboro, said. "He was pretty cool."
Tucker said he was glad his brother-in-law has agreed to do jumps at the event.
"It definitely ties in with our Freedom Fest theme," he said.
Tucker said that, overall, the Jefferson County Fair seemed to be doing well its opening night.
"It's a pretty good crowd for a Thursday," he said. "I know ticket sales have been picking up."
Others said they look forward to the fair every year.
"I just like the fair in general," Becky Sibole, 39, Mapaville, said. "I'm here with the whole family, my husband and four kids. Everybody can find something to do here."
"I'm just here to have fun," Northwest High School junior Roger Varela said. "I come every year. I like the rides."
Ellie