As a photojournalist/student, I have had the opportunity to work with and photograph many interesting people, including "Pieces of Eight." "Pieces of Eight is comprised of skydivers who are amputees.

Originally started in 1972, two amputees, both missing an arm decided to do a "hook-up." From then-on, several amputees from across the country met at various locations and decided to jump and accomplish a world record.

In March of 1980, eight amputees met for the first time, unfortunately they did not accomplish a record, however they did find a name for themselves...."Pieces of Eight."

Pieces of Eight, taking the next grip.

Many members of the skydiving community traveled to DeLand, Fla. for this years nationals, but several others traveled to Perris, California, for this years annual "get-together" of Pieces of Eight.

Pieces of Eight, is made up of skydivers that are amputees. These men have an annual event every year, where they plan for a weekend of fun. They also make several attempts at setting a new record. Every year they have more new members, they all attempt to complete the largest formation of amputees in free fall, they all put much effort into setting a new record. They are an inspiration not just to skydivers but to others, and to one another. It is amazing to be able to see these men fly their slots, and keep a good fall rate.

The majority of these men have lost a leg and in some cases both legs, but that does not stop them from enjoying skydiving. They are determined to skydive and more importantly to live.

You would think they were professional athletes training for a major event. To them the event is life. They do the best that they can with the situations that they are presented. It just goes to show that the "human spirit" is alive and well, and that these men are determined to accomplish their goal.

This year they met at Perris Valley Skydiving, where they have been meeting for several years. They chose Perris, because the aircraft are constantly in motion and the DZ provides generous altitude at a discounted rate. The DZ also makes every effort that it can, to give these men the best stay possible. It also makes sure that the blue truck is waiting for them in the landing area, that way they do not have to walk back to the packing area.

Men with a mission

Pieces of Eight, was designed to get amputees back into the sport and to give one another support. To many of them this is a form of therapy, that provides them the opportunity to put their lives into perspective. Al Krueger is very much a part of the organization, he is the man behind much of what occurs every year.

"We have been here (Perris Valley) every year," Krueger said.

Krueger has been jumping since October 21, 1964, and in 1977 he and several others started Pieces of Eight.

"People see the obstacles that these guys have overcome, it is amazing," said Krueger, who believes that the members of Pieces of Eight have a "can-do attitude."

(Dis)Membership has its privileges

Before any of these men were allowed to jump, they were required to be current (having a reasonable amount of jumps in the last several months and hold a current United States Parachute Association license). Dan Cook who runs the manifest desk at Perris Valley said, once the waivers were "checked-out" it was okay for them (Pieces of Eight) to jump.

"We pulled all of their waivers to make sure that they were current, we also made sure that their reserve parachutes were in date." Cook said continuing. "This way they were okay to jump."

One of the reasons that Perris Valley was the DZ of choice is that several members of Pieces of Eight are regular jumpers there. It could also be that a majority of these men are living in California. Several of the members have traveled from Texas and North Carolina just to make the event..

"A lot of guys are regular jumpers and we wanted to accommodate them." Cook said.

Off to a slow start

The jumps began Saturday morning, but were off to a late start due to the amount of overcast that was in the valley. The stall provided the men an opportunity to better aquatint each other and to find out just who had the most jumps and who the base would be (the base determines the fall rate and gives the other skydivers a reference point). During this preparation the men knew that the goal would not be an easy one. They also knew that it would take much effort to pull-it-off.

The first jump came together quite well and the base, as expected came into place. The formation was far from being complete, but it provided much information as to how well these men would fly together, especially since many of them had never jumped together. In skydiving, the jumper must position themselves just-right, so that they will fall correctly. Because of their artificial appendages, the members of Pieces of Eight had to compensate with the positioning of their body, not just for themselves, but for the others also. This is somewhat difficult, and it does take some time to master. Everyone was happy that the first jump went well, but they were aware that it would take much to make it happen.

The second jump did not go over to well, it was messy. Only two or so of the jumpers actually hooked up to form the base.

The third jump was very successful, it was a demonstration jump into the Pomona area Easter Seals event. The demo was organized by Mike Dimenichi who later said, "the demo was a success," and now he "was able to jump without having to worry (about the demo)."

The descent into the Easter Seals was very special, it was very rewarding to these men who are overcoming challenges of their own . The Easter Seals, as you may or may not know, works to help prevent birth defects. Every year people pledge money for the event, the money is raised for research. The men were very happy to be allowed to do the demo and look forward to doing it again.

Many of the observers on the ground were excited to see the colorful canopies and were amazed to see that these men were very special to the event. As the skydivers got closer to the landing area they proved to the audience that life still continues. It is possible to continue to live a productive life, despite the obvious challenges.

What was also interesting to see was that some of these men packed their parachutes in front of the crowd. Several of the children asked a few of the men "what happened to your leg(s)?" Many of these men just smiled, and realized that the children were just being curious and did not mean any harm. The demo did bring a smile to many of the observers and it was fitting to see the smiles of the jumpers as well.

The Saturday night special

After the "demo" they knew that they would not make it back in time for another jump, instead they met at a restaurant with a World War II motif. That evening many of them told stories to each other about how they came become members of the most unique skydiving organization. As mentioned earlier most of the members of Pieces of Eight have lost a leg, a majority of them lost their leg in motorcycle accidents, a few of them lost their leg(s) because of skydiving accidents and the remaining because of war related injuries. Many of them also told their best skydiving stories and what they also like to do, besides skydiving. Many of them were candid and spoke openly about how they became members of Pieces of Eight. It was also a very humorous evening, which is perhaps how they cope with their situation. It has been said, "If you can't laugh at yourself , who can you laugh at?"

Perhaps this is why the members of this group are so jovial.

One person that was full of laughter and energy was Dan Dalton from New Brunswick, New Jersey. He spoke very openly about topics ranging from demos to losing his own leg in a motorcycle accident. Dalton was perhaps the most entertaining, and this helped many of the new members to relax and enjoy the skydives.

A new member that could not go unnoticed was that of Army Sgt. 1st Class Dana Bowman, stationed at the Golden Knights Headquarters in Virginia. Bowman, as many of you recognize, was the skydiver that lost both of his legs during a demonstration practice with the Golden Knights in Arizona. He later astounded the nation by, re-enlisting into the Army. It was determination like this that many admire, and it brought a new face to the group. Bowman gave a very inspirational and motivating speech, but still spoke with others on a level plane.

The other members were playful with the newer members, giving them an occasional remark of sarcasm. This worked well as they played and enjoyed the jumps.

Another member of Pieces of Eight is Dave Barr. Barr is the first double-amputee to have traveled around the world on a Harley Davidson Motorcycle, making him only one of seventy-five or so people to accomplish such a task.

Although no official records were broken, Pieces of Eight are determined to keep trying until they reach their goal. They can claim to have the most amputees in the air at one time. That would include the most members (amputees) in freefall as well as under canopy. The youngest member of Pieces of Eight is 22 and the number of jumps varies from 80+ to 3,000+.

Day two, more attempts

Sunday morning looked as thought it would be a repeat of the previous day. The first load did not leave the airstrip until after 10:30 am. The day did get better, many locals came out to jump, and as a result three aircraft were in constant motion.

The two Twin Otters were soon flying maximum loads of jumpers to altitude. Pieces of Eight, jumped from both "Gypsy Rose" and the infamous "Shark Air," that afternoon the "Perris Skyvan" was later put on the flight-line, and provided as a better platform for the jumpers, it made the "first point" easier. The record was almost in reach.

X, marks the spot

During one of the Sunday morning jumps, a person experimenting with a new camera set-up spotted and exited several miles from the DZ. As a result, "Bad Spot Bill" had to go and pick up the lost and confused jumper. When they landed, the blue pick-up truck was nowhere to be seen. As a result, these men had to walk back to the packing area. It would have been like taking a parking space from a person that could have really used it. It was an inconvenience to say the least, but these men took it with stride, and realize that it is an imperfect world.

Soft landings

In the final jumps it looked like they would set a new record, unfortunately they did not. They did accomplish a weekend of skydiving, and to many of them it was fulfilling to have participated in the event.

Many people have the same question, "how does a person that is missing a leg fall stable?" , or "how do they land?"

The answer is determination and balance. These men are out to master the skills that others take for granted. When they land, many of them land better than other recreational skydivers. Not all of them landed gracefully, a few of them took a spill, due in part to the strange winds.

After the last load for Sunday, several of these men walked off into the sunset as the sun started to hide behind the mountains in the Perris Valley. Although these men may not have accomplished what they sought out to do, they all have their own personal reward. If the goal is not made next year, then perhaps the year after that. They are determined to keep attempting it.

Bar talk

After the last load on Sunday, many of them reviewed Tom Sanders video tapes. Sanders was involved in some of the first documentation on Pieces of Eight. Sanders is a well known photographer in his own right and has directed several sequences for many movies that involve skydiving. If all goes well, he may include some of the skydives in his next film "Over the Edge, Again." Later that evening they decided to enjoy that they had accomplished and to say their farewells until next year. They were happy to have spent time together regardless of whether or not they accomplished a new record.

Robert Vineyard, 25, from Texas said, "It was cool, I learned a lot about team work." Vineyard lost his leg in a "hook turn" accident while he was piloting a high-performance canopy. "It was stupid," he explained, " but you can't cry about it."

Robert not only had the support of his friends but also the support of his family who are behind him. Both his mom, Martha (who watches) and sister, Michelle (a skydiving freestylist), are behind him. It is unbelievable to know that after he lost his leg, that it took him only 2 1/2 months before he went skydiving again. He was determined to not just walk but to also jump.

Martha Vineyard is very supportive of her son, she credits Pieces of Eight jumper, Bob Clark as being an inspiration not only to her son but also to her.

"There are not a lot of parents that like their children jumping ," Vineyard said, "it is important that if you choose a sport, you are happy with it."

"Bob was an inspiration to me when my son (Robert) lost his leg." said Martha.

Bob Clark was happy to know that he was involved in someone returning to the sport. Clark works in a child guidance clinic in Oklahoma, he has 2,000+ jumps. He and his wife both started skydiving together, and started jumping on the same day. Clark has a mild manner about him and was happy to have spent the weekend with "the others."

"It is just something to look forward to all year long." said Clark.

Carl Miller, from Lumber-Bridge, North Carolina, was happy with how the weekend went. He believes that the members of Pieces of Eight , are a "great bunch of people." He felt that the assembly of the group was good, "we could be sitting on our tails" he added.

Many of the men traveled to the DZ with their wife or girl friend. They provide much support, some of the men traveled by themselves but they still had support from one another.

Next Year

Although next years meet has not been scheduled, the members of Pieces of Eight are looking forward to spending another great weekend together. Perhaps it will be at Perris Valley or at another location for the new members on the east coast.

The goal and mission of Pieces of Eight is to let other amputees know that they are not alone. There are groups and organizations out there that do not discriminate, regardless of age, gender, color, religion or the loss of a limb. Pieces of Eight is one such group that should be commended regardless of world records. The "human spirit" is not dead, these men are living proof.

As the evening came to a close, the men knew that they had accomplished more than a record, they had accomplished personal respect and a new determination. Before driving off into the California night, Krueger said this, "I had a great time, it was really inspirational."

They were all happy to have spent quality time with one another, which is perhaps why they have the privilege to have the last laugh and Make some great skydives together.

Group Shot after the Easter Seals Demo Jump. Left to right: Robert Vineyard Jr., Carl Miller, Dan Dalton, Sgt. 1st. Class Dana Bowman, Lupe Gonzales, Bob Clark, Al Krueger (center), Skip Newman, Dave Barr, Lyle Cameron Jr., Mike Smith, Larry Yohn and Don Vredenburg.

Another Piece

For more information about Pieces of Eight contact, Mike DiMenichi 13700 Alton #154 Irvine, Ca. 92718
or Dan DaltonP.O. Box 1618, New Brunswick, N.J. 08903-1618.

Darren Preston Lane is a student at the University of Florida where he is studying photo-journalism. He started skydiving in July 1991, he has written several different articles for skydiving and non-skydiving publications. He wishes to thank the members of Pieces of Eight, especially Al Krueger, Perris Valley Skydiving , and aerial photographer Tom Sanders for their help and assistance.

Photos by Darren Preston Lane Picture #1, All 13, falling over Perris Valley, close, but no record. Picture #2, Skydiving above Perris Valley.

For more information on skydiving contact theUnited Stated Parachuting Association