Leap Frogs Drop In at Ocean City Air Show

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michelle Kapica, Naval Special Warfare Public Affairs

June 8, 2010 - OCEAN CITY, Md. (NNS) -- Tens of thousands of spectators flocked to Ocean City, Md., to see the U.S. Navy Parachute Team, the Leap Frogs, and other aerial demonstration teams perform at the third annual Ocean City Air Show, June 5-6.

The air show marked the 66th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy during World War II.

The Leap Frogs, composed of Navy SEAL and SWCC commandos and parachute riggers, parachuted during the opening ceremonies of the two-day event from a VRC-40 C2-A Greyhound carrier onboard delivery aircraft, 6,000 feet above the city. Two members of the 101st Airborne parachute demonstration team, known as the Screaming Eagles, also joined the Leap Frogs for each jump.

The wind whipped flags all the way down the packed beach, but that was no problem for the parachutists who exited farther inland to compensate for wind drift. The jumpers maneuvered their parachutes close together and linked up in what is called canopy relative work, to form bi-plane, tri-plane and T-formations. The jumpers plummeted toward the ground with lightning-fast speed for a bomb burst during their final performance on Sunday.

Aircrew Survival Equipmentman 1st Class Thomas Kinn presented a folded American flag to U.S. Marine Corps veteran Andrew Sprague, after parachuting during the national anthem. Sprague deployed to Iraq in 2004 and again in 2005 and is now a police officer assigned to the Ocean City Police Department. The crowd cheered as aerobatic pilot, Jason Newburg circled high above Kinn trailing white smoke in his green, Pitts S2S Viper aircraft.

The Leap Frogs and members of the Screaming Eagles packed their parachutes on the boardwalk, where spectators could lend a helping hand and ask questions about life in both the Navy and Army. Many people just stopped to shake hands and say "thank you," and were happy to have the opportunity to show their appreciation to the military.

"I thought it would be great to take the kids out to see an air show," said spectator, Jeff Hassannia, a U.S. Air Force veteran. "To see what America does and Americans do to defend this country every day."

The Leap Frogs were followed by performances from the U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornet, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and various civilian flight demonstration teams.

"It was the third year and the best year ever!" said Bryan Lilley, the event organizer. "It takes a while to drift down under a parachute and they make it so interesting… To be able to land right in the middle of the event is awesome. These guys get the closest to our spectators and that's really significant."

"It was a great honor to jump into the Ocean City Air Show two years in a row and to present the colors to an American hero," said Chief Special Warfare Boat Operator (SWCC) J.C. Ledbetter, the Leap Frogs' acting officer in charge. "We always love coming here and representing the U.S. Navy for all of the seniors who just graduated."

The Leap Frogs are based in San Diego and perform parachute demonstrations across the United States in support of Naval Special Warfare and the Navy Recruiting Command. For more information about the team, visit www.leapfrogs.navy.mil.