Osceola1968-70

Actually I was screwed six times, see rear view X-ray image attached.

I made 200 jumps in 1968-70. Most of them at Osceola WI. The only injury noted back then was a broken leg. Since the early 1980's I have dealt with a compressed disc in my neck treating it with exercises and shots. In 2006 I had both knees replaced because all the cartilage was gone. This year at age 70 I had spinal fusion surgery to fuse my lumbar vertebrae (L3, L4 and L5) together because the discs between the vertebrae were gone and L4 was misaaligned. I have attached an X-ray of the spinal surgery result. The neurosurgeon did a great job. It seems to me that compared to others my age I am having more than normal issues like these. I am wondering if it is just age or did all those hard landings, trying to get a trophy, contribute? If the jumps did contribute then people in the sport should be aware of this potential price to be paid later on, down the road.

Harald I was reviewing our forum exchange from April 2011. I did retire at the end of June 2011. It took a while to get used to being retired, however, I am not totally retired. My wife and I own and operate a 300 year old historic Bed & Breakfast near Valley Forge, PA. The Great Valley House of Valley Forge, www.greatvalleyhouse.com. Without the B&B I would probably feel pretty useless but it keeps me busy maintaining the yard and pool in the summer and building fires in the fireplace in the winter.. I hope things are going well for you and all other Osceola alumni that visit this site. Jeff Benson

Harald It is wonderful that I found this web site and this thread. I was just sitting around this week end and started googling for something related to Sky Diving and Osceola Yes I am still working. I am working for the the same company I joined in 1965, or rather its successors. That company originally was EMR Computer which was bought by Univac which became Unisys. I was almost out the door a year ago but stayed. I am supposed to retire this June 30th but there are already discussions on getting me to stay a little longer. I might be willing to go one more year but I am 67 now and for sure will retire before I hit 70. The company moved me around a few times. As I said I lived in France. After that I lived in Washington DC, Newport Beach Calif, London and then finally settled down in Pennsylvania (Unisys HQ) near Valley Forge and raised a daughter who is now a Doctor. We have a Bed and Breakfast www.greatvalleyhouse.com that my wife manages. Speaking of Bikes, I had a Harley Hawg when I was jumping at Osceola. My ride these days is a Porsche Boxster. I can still feel the wind with the top down but on a more stable footing. Jeff Benson

Harald. I also started jumping at Osceola. First jump in my log book is 10/12/1968. I remember you and Bob Larson. I think it was Bob that had this phrase on his helmet "He who hesitates is lost". The other quote that I remember was posted in the hangar. "It is not the Sky Diving that will kill you. It is the drinking afterwards and the long drive home." In 1970 I moved to Paris France. I made a couple of jumps at La Ferte Gauche east of Paris. Then I stopped jumping because it was just too hard to get there. In 1976 I made a couple more jumps outside of Washington DC in Hartwood VA and that was the end of it. About 200 jumps in all. I started jumping at Osceola with my brother Chris. I think he did around 600 jumps, Chris died of cancer almost twenty years ago.