Nebraska National Guard Museum celebrates Airborne Day

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Friday was National Airborne Day. It’s meant to honor the first men who volunteered to jump out of a plane in 1940. Nebraska has it’s own airborne division and a history of men who literally jumped into combat.

Honoring the current and former airborne members took center stage at the Nebraska National Guard Museum Friday afternoon. The national day was created by former president George W. Bush in 2002.

In Nebraska, the airborne group is the second battalion of the 134th Infantry Regiment. They were established in 2019.

But just because the battalion was created recently, doesn’t mean Nebraskans didn’t jump into combat. In World War 2, Eldin Hermann jumped at D-Day and Market Garden. In the Korean War, Frank Nitz jumped on two different occasions.

For the members of the 134th, it’s an honor to do what those men did so long ago.

“The men that paved the way for us back during World War Two and Vietnam, the valor that they had and doing something that was completely unknown, jumping directly into combat, that’s something that we always remember each time that we jump,” said Staff Sgt. Natalie Hernandez, Nebraska Army National Guard.

Three members of the regiment are sisters. Two of them are in the airborne battalion, and the third loves getting to watch them and cheer them on as they jump out of the aircraft.

“I feel a lot of a sense of pride. I’m I’m their biggest fan,” said Spc. Jessica Figueroa. “I have my phone now I’m recording, I’m taking pictures and I’m like, you guys did it. You guys are safe, no broken bones”

For the ladies who are jumping out of the aircraft, it was a little nerve-wracking at first.

“I can’t believe I’m actually doing this,” said Sgt. Maria Figueroa. “I’m gonna jump out of a aircraft with the parachute, but that’s supposed to deploy. “Looked up my parachute had deployed so I was very happy about that and then I remember just taking it all in, in the air just floating in the air taking the view in. I could see the horizon and it was just peaceful.”

The airborne members jump about five to eight times a year for training.
If you want to learn more about the National Guard and the airborne side of it, you can visit the National Guard Museum in Seward. It’s free to the public.

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