Jump Certificates

JUMP GRADUATION CERTIFICATES
Harry Gerheim September 18, 1942 [trained with 507th PIR, cadre to 508th]	Pfc Travis W. Stout 6 March 1943 [courtesy of Brian Gerk)	Bryant C. DeLoach 12 Mar 1943 (courtesy of DeLoach family)	James B. Stauffer 15 Aug 1943 (courtesy of Chester Mott	Pvt John A. Daum 2 Oct 1943 (courtesy of Tom Stumpner)	Pvt Gail D. Helmick 15 Jan 1944 (courtesy of Adam Helmick)
As each man completed his five qualifying jumps "from an aircraft in flight" during parachute training at Fort Benning he received a signed certificate attesting that he was now a qualified parachutist. Fort Benning was not the only jump school that men of the 508th attended however and during 1943 when they joined the regiment at Camp Mackall, similar certificates were issued. Following deployment to the ETO, the 82d set up another jump school at Cottesmore, England as well. Harry Gerheim seems to have been an honest man. Where his certificate reads "... made the required number of jumps from an aircraft in flight", he crossed out the word "FLIGHT" and wrote instead "FRIGHT".