Preparation for 5000 meter obstacle run
13 ft


Start of several teams
5 ft



Initials



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Background: Fifty-six soldiers from Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, and the United States tested their military skills during the Para Cross 75 Long Range Reconnaissance Championship. The countries that entered were represented by at least one four-man team and each team was required to compete in all four Para Cross events.

The four events were the 5000 meter run, pistol shooting, parachuting, and an obstacle swim. The men donned winter fatigues, combat boots and a 12-pound rucksack before starting the 5000 meter run competition which involved several uphill slopes, crossing slippery logs at one end of a lake, a 10-feet net obstacle, and a rope bridge. After the run, the soldiers moved on to the shooting range. Ten shots fired in three minutes from pistols previously checked for trigger pull. Then came the parachuting. The United States, Dutch, French, and one German team jumped with automatic military parachutes. the other used steerable sport chutes. finally came the obstacle swim where participants swam 100 metres in fatigues over and under two logs.

The competition was hosted by Fernspaehkompanie 200 (Long Range Reconnaissance Company) from Weingarton and lasted two days. Fernspachkompanic 200 received the award for best all-over team, as well as first place in parachuting and swimming, Falischirm Grenadier Kompanie 17 (Parachute/Rifle Company) from Switzerland placed fire' in shooting and members of Fernspaehkompanie 100 from Praunschweig, Ger? took the honours as the fastest cross-country runners. The United States was represented by the 223d Aviation Battalion (Combat) but did not place in any of the events. The participants received souvenir mugs and merit certificates.)