Caterpillar Club facts for kids
The Caterpillar Club is a special group for people whose lives were saved by using a parachute. To join, you must have jumped from an aircraft that was broken or in trouble. After a parachute company checks your story, you get a membership certificate and a cool pin. It doesn't matter what country you're from or who owned the plane. Anyone saved by a parachute from a disabled aircraft can join. This means people who jump for fun or military training don't usually qualify.
The company Airborne Systems in New Jersey still keeps this tradition going today. They certify new members and give out pins.
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History of the Club
The Caterpillar Club was started in 1922 by Leslie Irvin. He owned the Irvin Airchute Company in Canada. Leslie Irvin is known for inventing the first parachute that let you pull a cord to open it in 1919. (But parachutes had saved lives before, like for balloon observers and pilots in the First World War.)
Why is it Called the "Caterpillar Club"?
The name "Caterpillar Club" comes from the silk threads used to make the first parachutes. It's a way to thank the silkworm! Some people also think of a caterpillar letting itself down to the ground on a silk thread. Another idea is that caterpillars have to break out of their cocoons to survive, just like a pilot has to escape a plane.
The club's motto is: "Life depends on a silken thread."
First Members and Famous Jumpers
An early paper from the Irvin Parachute Company says William O'Connor was the first person saved by an Irvin parachute. This happened on August 24, 1920, near Dayton, Ohio. But his jump wasn't officially recognized at the time.
On October 20, 1922, Lieutenant Harold R. Harris jumped from a broken Loening PW-2A monoplane fighter. He was the chief of the McCook Field Flying Station. Soon after, two reporters from the Dayton Herald thought, "More people will jump in the future!" They suggested forming a club. Harold Harris became the first official member. From then on, anyone who jumped from a disabled aircraft with a parachute could join.
Many famous people have been members. These include General James Doolittle, Charles Lindbergh, and astronaut John Glenn. The first woman to join was Irene McFarland in 1925.
Growth of the Club
In 1922, Leslie Irvin promised to give a gold pin to everyone whose life was saved by one of his parachutes. By the end of the Second World War, over 34,000 people had received Irvin pins. However, it's thought that about 100,000 people were saved by Irvin parachutes in total.
Today, the company that took over from Irvin still gives out pins to people who make a successful jump. Other parachute makers have also given out caterpillar pins. For example, GC Parachutes started their Gold Club in 1940. The Switlik Parachute Company gave out both gold and silver pins. The Pioneer Parachute Co. also gave special awards to people who packed the parachutes that saved lives.
How to Become a Member
There are no yearly fees to be a member. The Switlik club does charge a small fee to sign up. Both the Irvin and Switlik clubs give out gold and silver pins that look like caterpillars. The Irvin Golden Caterpillar pin has special purple eyes.
To join, you need to send documents about your jump to the parachute maker. They will then do their own research to make sure everything is correct.
Strict Rules for Joining
The rules for joining are very strict. You must have saved your life by jumping with a parachute. For example, during the Second World War, RAF Sgt. Nicholas Alkemade jumped from his plane without a parachute. He landed safely in a snowdrift and was not hurt. But he was not allowed to join the club because he didn't use a parachute.
More recently, a group of twelve skydivers were denied membership. One of them accidentally hit the plane's tail, causing the plane to crash. He died in the crash, but the other eleven parachuted to safety. They did not qualify because they had planned to jump from the plane anyway. However, the pilot of the plane was allowed to join the club.
Active Branch of the Club
There is an active group of the Caterpillar Club that meets every March. They have an annual reunion, dinner, and dance in Blackpool, England. This group has about 70 members. Most are former RAF aircrew from the Second World War, family members of past members, or associate members. Even though it's called the 'North West' club, it welcomes former Caterpillars from all over the UK and the world.
See also
- Goldfish Club
- Henri L'Estrange, a parachute survivor of a hot air balloon crash 50 years before the club was founded
- Ejection Tie Club
