U.S. paratroops of the 82nd Airborne Division participate in joint Army-Air Force "Operation Arctic Night."conducted from 2-13-1956 to 3-14-1956, in Greenland. With ambient temperatures of minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, Paratroopers in Arctic parkas, with their parachutes underneath, are so burdened that they waddle like penguins as they board waiting C-124 aircraft, at Thule Air Force Base, Greenland. Sign erected in snow reads: 'North Pole, 802 Miles, Fort Bragg, N.C. Home of 82nd Airborne 3500 Miles'. Troops seated inside C-124 aircraft. A flight of three large Douglas C-124C Globemaster aircraft, in formation, carries the entire group of 700 paratroopers, who make a mass jump from the aircraft to land on the Greenland icecap. Parachutes billowing as troopers land on the ice. They assist one another as they land. The paratroopers dig snow shelters and build shelters with ice blocks on the icecap.
U.S. airborne troops training in hand-to-hand combat; scaling obstacles; crawling under barbed wire; and parachuting from C-130 aircraft. Paratoopers jump from aircraft and view of sky filled with parachutes and aircraft. Paratroopers landing on the frozen tundra in Alaska, and jumping from U.S. Air Force C-124 Globemaster aircraft, over the ice cap in Greenland. In February, 1956, U.S. Army paratroopers jump from Air Force C-119 aircraft during SEATO Operation "Firm Link," in Thailand. Civilians in Thailand watch the demonstrations, in which one of the paratroopers is forced to use his auxiliary chute when his main chute fails. Military General officers of Southeast Treaty Organization nations watch the demonstrations. U.S. Army airborne units practicing assault resupply techniques with NATO forces in Germany, supported by helicopters and light utility airplanes. Supplies being airdropped with parachutes to the resupply location. At Fort Bliss, Texas, a radio controlled drone plane equipped with a parachute (possibly a Radioplane OQ-14 or similar from slightly later generation), acts as a target for tank crews. When hit, the drone parachutes to earth. A different U.S. Army reconnaissance drone is launched from a catapult as a U.S. Army soldier stands nearby controlling its ascent with remote control joystick. Aerial footage shot by the drone is shown, revealing scenes on the ground useful to field commanders. The drone, with it's camera, returns to base and gently parachutes to be recovered.
Aerial view of the snowy terrain in Greenland during Operation Hiran.