Army National Guard
Ronnie Hollier - E-6 Staff Sergent, Mess Cook, 133 Field Artillery, 71st Airborne (Deceased)
Donnie Hollier - E-4 Spect. Corporal, 133 Field Artillery, 71st Airborne (Deceased)
The only story to tell is about Donnie. He was stationed at Ft. Benning. During one of his parachute drills, Donnie was making his second
jump, he was the last man out the door, but the first man to hit the ground. He had a May West when he jumped. This is when
your parachute looks like the movie star's breast. He said a prayer to God for his reserve chute to open. It did open, at 100 feet before he hit the ground.
If his chute didn't open he would have obviously had been killed or hurt badly. May West was the name WWll paratroopers gave to that chute in that situation.
Ronnie and Donnie each made 22 jumps out of airplanes, jets and helicopters.
Ronnie wanted to mention a few of the TJ classmates who also joined the National Guard in 1968.
Arthur Gracia, Ricky Abshire, Mike Hilton, Harold Ponder, James Bihm, Danny Ussey and Robert Landry.
Ronnie with his mom, Jean, at Fort Sill, Oklahoma
Ronnie with his
twin, Donnie, at Fort Sill
Ronnie with his
dad, Ivan, at Fort Sill
Ronnie and Donnie
at Fort Cambell, Ky, 1969