Originally Posted by A-58

Look real close again. That's cargo being dropped there, not paratroopers. The US didn't use the single riser type harnesses that the Germans did. Look at the drop zone, there are no men on the ground. During training missions, cargo, vehicles and heavy equipment were dropped first for obvious reasons, then came the paratroopers. During combat, it was different. The drop zone had to be secured first, then came the supplies. I'm sure JC can come up with some "test platoon" pictures of the airborne department developing equipment for the new airborne forces.