Jimmie Lee
My name is Jimmie Lee Mabin, and I served in the 82nd Airborne Division assigned with the HHC 2/504 PIR out of Fort Bragg, NC. I was proud to served my country to the utmost of my ability. It all started in a little small town call Danville, Va. I came from a small family with 2 brothers, 1 sister and 2 parent home. My parents always told me to be the best that I can be and do not let anyone or anything hinder me from getting what I want.
They showed me how to respect other people and how to be my own man. When growing up I thought I always had it hard. My father was so strict on me I thought he was crazy but all in all he was teaching me how to be a man and how life really is. Before graduating from high school I had the desire to join the Army to become a Airborne Ranger that was something I always wanted to do as a child. When growing up I always loved watching war movies and I remember telling my mother I 'm going to be in the Army one day. So when my senior came I took the ASVAB test, I did not pass the test the first time.
I was so upset with myself because I did not score high enough to enlist. That gave me a challenge not to give keep trying and not to give up. So after 6 months passed by I had already graduated from school and I was eligible to retake the ASVAB test. I retested and failed again I missed by 1 point. This time I was so furious and fustrated I gave up for a little while and started working at Western Sizzling of Danville.
A year went by and it was June of 1993. I had been studying the ASVAB book for a year and my confidence was stronger than ever so I passed the test and was on my way to become a soldier. I enlisted into the Army 15 JULY 1993- 18 JULY 1996. Once I got to FT Jackson, SC I was in for a rude awakening . I was so nervous but excited to be here. Basic Training itself was a challenge I had good days and bad ones, but I was determine not to give. The Army was transforming me into a soldier something I always wanted to become. Drill Sergeant Freeman saw something in me and assigned me to become a squad leader.
I was so proud of myself but I could not show my emotions. I did the best that I could do until we got assigned a new platoon sergeant and came in and ruin everything for me. It seemed that Drill Sergeant Castillano did not like me at all and he fired me from the squad leader position. That was one of the best things he could ever done for me it only made me a little bit stronger. After basic was over I went to AIT at Fort Lee, VA. were I train to become a cook (94B). I was assigned to Tango Company it was a breeze but also a challenged. The Army life was becoming good for me it was everything I dreamed. Eight weeks went by and it was time to go for the ultimate challenge of them all Airborne School at Fort Benning, GA.
I was ready I was truly motivated and eager to learn the basic fundamental of parachuting. The was were I applied paying attention to detail and do as you are told because this was a life or death type of training. My life was on the line I had to pay close attention to detail if I valued my legs and body. The training was intense and rough we had to run everywhere we went and double time all day until we got off duty. I made it through ground week which in my opinion is the hardest of them all. Until I got to the tower week that were I started to give up but something told me not to. The black hat which is known as sergeant airborne was evaluating me when I was exiting the mock door of the 34 foot tower keep saying over and over again I did not have a tight body position when I exited the door.
When that Friday came I had to pass those towers with a tight body position and I failed. So the following Monday they sent me and some others people to headquarters and gave us a option to go to Germany, Korea , and Fort Bragg. I knew if I went to Bragg I was going to see those towers again. So off I went to Bragg I got assigned to 19 Replacement Detachment that was a temporary assigned to get you assigned to your unit you was assigned. So one day in formation I remember this sergeant ask us did any one of us wanted to go to the 82nd Airborne Division it seem my hand was the first one raised. So off I went to the 82nd Replacement to go back to Airborne School. I know I worried Sergeant Joseph to send me back to school. He told me I had prove myself to him that I was fit to be a paratrooper. I work and work until he was satisfied with my performance. So off I went to Airborne School ready to hit it again.
I had a second chance to become airborne qualified. This time I was well prepared and train to pass this intense training. So once we arrive the soldiers that I came with did not know what to expect all I could tell them is to do what you are told and pay attention to detail. We all was assigned to Delta Company. This company had the reputation to be hardest one in the training school. It was early in the morning when we arrive at Benning. The CQ assign us our rooms,linen and told to be information at 05:30. We go smoke for the first hour of our introduction of airborne training. I admit Delta Company was or still is the best company to go through for airborne training.
The training was hard and challenging than the first time I attempted to get my wings. Everyone that came from the 82nd Replacement to jump school was picked on everyday because we were wearing the 82nd patch and we were not airborne yet. But somehow all of the Blackhats did not like that at all. It seemed like they had something towards the 82nd it just made us feel good because we knew were representing the best airborne division in the world. We had so much fun that 3 weeks went by fast. The next thing I knew I was getting my wings put on.
That was a feeling that I cannot describe. I felt like I can conquer or do anything I seek out to. So back off to Fort Bragg qualified as a paratrooper no more being called a leg or a wanna be. So I got assigned to DFAC HHC 2/504 PIR my career was on the way. I did not realized what the real meaning of airborne was until Command Sergeant Major Rath gave us a introduction of what we are getting ourselves into. I remember those words he said, "You can be deployed into combat within 12 hour after the president gives us the green light to go." He told us, " If there anyone here that does not want to be here meet me outside." No one did not leave the room.
I remember him telling stories about when they got that call to go to Saudi Arabia. Chills ran all through my soul he made us feel so welcome to be apart of the 504 Regiment. So off I went to the mess hall to work. There I met Sgt. Smith my freind for life. Sgt. Flores, Myrick, Sylvain, Durrely and Spec. Cook, Chaplin, May, Rush, Eppard, Burson, and PFC Torregrossa. We all became acqaunited with each other and things were running smoohtly. I was on top of the world and I felt like I was invincible. I remember Sgt Myrick telling that I need to get my two hollywood jumps out of the way so I can start jumping with my equipment.
The next thing I knew I was on the manifest to jump my first jump with the 82nd. My whole company had to jump that night. I was excited and could not wait to jump. We was schedule to jump out of a C-141 not knowing that was my first and last time I would ever jump with the All American Division. Once we had board that aircraft and got seated I could not wait to jump. There were so many soldiers on Green Ramp. That was my first time at Green Ramp and this was nothing like Airborne School. That jump was the most wonderful one I ever had.
It was a massive jump exercise at night it was the most beautiful site one could ever see. I know there was about 6 C-141 aircraft in flight that night. When I exited that aircraft it was so many troopers in the sky I could not see the ground until I did my parachute landing fall. Once I landed and look up it was one of the prettiest site that a man could ever see. Paratroopers exiting the aircraft coming to kick ass. This is what I was living for to be apart of a elite group giving my all and all to my country. So after the training excercise is all over we went back to the company area had roll call and was dismiss for the weekend. I went home to visit my parents and friends but that weekend was different. When I was ready to leave those goodbyes was not the regular goodbyes.
It felt different giving my mother and father a hug. So back at Bragg back at the same old routine. It was a Tuesday morning Sgt Myrick came to me and ask me would I jump Wednesday to fill up a chute because another battalion needed extra jumpers. I said," yeah why I need to get my second hollywood jump out of the way. So after work me and Sgt. Smith went out for a couple of beers and to me some friends of his. That night Smitty got wasted as usual I did not know that was a regular routine for him. I remember we was over some females house somewhere in Fayettville. Smitty was swinging on a swing and he told me," Mabin I live everyday like it was my last one because you do not what is going to happen to you." For some odd reason I just laugh and told him you are drunk and you do not know what you are talking about.
All he told me is remember what I am telling you. Once I drop him off at home I keep hearing what he told me. That stayed on my mind and it bother me. That next morning I went to work to prepared the breakfast and lunch meal for the day before I got off. I remember telling Smitty what he said that night all he ask me what did I mean when I said that. I told him I do not know. I had a strange feeling something was going to happen that day. I was afraid to anyone how I was feeling. I started to fake sick so I would not make that jump. I really did not want to make that jump at all. I knew something was going to happen and it was going to happen soon.
During the manifest I ran across some new people I met that was in my unit. I remember in meeting Sgt James Walters he was a funny guy he made me laugh every minute I was around him. He look like Richard Pryror in the face maybe that why he was so funny. I remember my a dear friend of mind he was the first person I met when I came to the 2/504. Sgt Vincent Strayhorn was his name he became a brother to me because he told me the do's and don'ts of the 504 regiment. We hit it off from the very start because he had a brother-n-law that went to North Carolina A&T. He wanted me to drop off a package to him that his wife wanted to send to her brother. Strayhorn was on that jump that day and I remember that was his last jump with the 82nd.
So off to Green Ramp I was so scared because I had a terrible feeling that something was going to happen. Once we got their I remember seeing a C-141 out on the tarmat getting refuel. So after we did our pre-jumps our jumpmaster told us to relax and to take our kevlar off. We were all standing around taking a break talking about what we are going to do on our three day weekend. As soon as the break was over and Cpt. Dunaway brief us on waht the mission was about. Just as he finished two sentence their was a look on his face that really stunned me. The last command that came out of the captain mouth was,"Oh my God, crash run." I really did not know what he meant by that command.
All of a sudden I turn around and saw people running every where. Just as soon I took one step I found myself on the ground trying to take cover of what was coming through. I was scared to death but I remember saying,"I don't want to die God." Men all around me was screaming on top of their lungs because of the pain and agony they felt. When the fire and strap medal stop flying through I immediately found myself back on my feet running to get out of the black smoke. I then look around and saw me running around completly on fire from head to toe. Their was nothing I could not do to help them because the pain I was feeling was out of this world.
A pool of blood was all around me I had lost all the skin that was on my hand. I immediately told someone to get me to the hospital because I could not bear the pain. It seems like help was taking for ever to get their I started to walk to the hospital to get some medical attention because the pain was out this world. As soon as help came they rush us to the hospital. As soon as we got their they were prepared for us. I was in so much pain I was to scared to past out. As soon as I got injected with the morphine I was high for the first time in my life.
I was out of it and the pain was gone. The next thing I new was wrong is that my head was swelling and my eyes was begining to shut. I knew then I was severly hurt bad. I told God my life was in his hands now. I told him to have his way with me. The fear of knowing are you going to die is a feeling that I cannot describe. It is something we all will have face oneday. After spending two months in hospital I had a lot of time to think about life and how valuable it really is. Because we do not know when is our last hour on earth is. This experience made me grow up and realize that life is so precious and it can be taken or changed it a twinkle of an eye.
I know that I have to be a light of the world. Because I know for a fact that God Almighty spared my life to be a blessing to my family, friends, enemies, and people that I encounter with. I have grown so close to God than I ever was before this tragedy. God allow things to happen to us to get our attention. I came to realized that he do not put nothing on us that we cannot bear. God knew I could bear all of the things he put me through. I know that I have to gone on and do the work of the Lord. Right now I know God is preparing me to do his work and I feel so excited about it. This is dedicated for the men and women who gave their lives for this country and the men and women who are serving in the Prestige 82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, NC. Airborne All The Way!!!
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