US Korean War Veteran Successfully Skydives on 90th Birthday "Fulfilling a Lifelong Dream"

On the 19th, Joseph Dale Jaramillo (90), a Korean War veteran living in Utah, USA, is challenging skydiving with the help of a professional diving athlete. Photo by Skydive Utah video capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Choyoung Kim] A U.S. Korean War veteran made headlines by successfully completing skydiving, a lifelong dream, on his 90th birthday.

According to Fox News and ABC News on the 24th, Joseph Dale Jaramillo, an American veteran, boarded a plane and ascended to an altitude of 4,267 meters in Utah on the 19th (local time), his 90th birthday. As he jumped from the plane, he casually gave a thumbs-up, saying, "My arms don't move well, but it's okay."

About 70 years ago, Jaramillo served as a private in the Army during the Korean War. At that time, he admired the paratroopers who jumped from planes and applied to join the U.S. 101st Airborne Division but was rejected due to being underweight. He recalled, "To join the Airborne Division, you had to weigh at least 63 kg, but I was only 58 kg."

Instead, he served for five years in the 1st Armored Division. During the war, he was injured by a grenade fragment in his arm while saving five comrades in a trench. For this, he was awarded the Purple Heart, given to soldiers wounded in combat.

Jaramillo is smiling brightly as he lands safely with a parachute. Photo by Skydive Utah (video capture)

Even after the Korean War ended, Jaramillo always admired the 101st Airborne Division, and on his 90th birthday, he felt the time had finally come. With enthusiastic support from his family, he fulfilled his wish, saying, "I have waited 70 years for the moment to jump beautifully from the sky," and expressed hope to challenge it again on his 95th birthday.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.