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Health & Fitness

Adeline Gray's Historic Leap

OXFORD – Oxford was the home-town of a daring young women who achieved fame as the first person to make a test jump with a nylon parachute. Formerly, all parachutes were made of silk. The year as 1942 and the United States' supply of silk was in jeopardy as the country fought against the Axis powers. The Allies desperately needed a reliable supply of safe parachutes for the military. The lives of many airmen would depend on the success of the effort. On June 6, 1942, 24-year-old Adeline Gray made the first live jump using a nylon parachute. The test jump was at Brainard Field in Hartford. The Pioneer Parachute Company of Manchester, conducted the test before about 50 military officials, proving the safety of their new nylon chute material and design. Adeline was the daughter of German immigrants, Martin and Pauline Gray. As a child she had become interested in parachutes. As a young girl she was inspired by reading of about parachute jumps. After her historic leap, the St. Petersburg Times of Florida, quoted her, saying, "Back home in Oxford, I used to take an umbrella and jump off the hayloft holding it over my head like a parachute. But I ruined many umbrellas." At the time of her jump, she was the only woman licensed parachute jumper in Connecticut. She worked at Pioneer Parachute as a rigger, and eventually became head of the department. She also was known for her many parachute jumps at air shows across the country. Her fame as a dare-devil surprised local Oxford people, because she was known as a very shy girl. She worked in a local store to save money to purchase her own plane. During the war, she lived in Hartford and rode a bicycle to work in Manchester. After her famous jump, Adeline Gray was featured in True Comics. She became an advertising icon for Camel Cigarettes. The advertisements in LIFE magazine featured pictures of her historical live test of the parachute, and encouraged readers to test Camel cigarettes. A variety of ads were featured over the coming year -- sometimes with Gray portrayed in flight gear and sometimes in very feminine evening dress. This graduate of the local Oxford school system is noted for her contribution to the war effort, both by the courage of the historic jump and her work at Pioneer Parachute Company. Oxford Town Historian, Dorothy A. DeBisschop is seeking further information on Gray's life after the war. Born about 1918, she would be about 95 years old, if she is still living. A search of Social Security death records has not turned up any information. The Oxford Historical Society seeks to learn more about her life, and if she was ever married. Anyone with information on Miss Gray is asked to contact DeBisschop by email at dottie@oxford-historical-society.org or by calling her at 203-910-4574.

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