Panel 1: At the top of the panel surrounded by drawings of snowflakes is the question, “Is snow a good thing to fall on?” Underneath, in a light, snow-like area are the words, “If it is deep, yes.” The text continues, “An 11th Airborne Paratrooper, Stanley Melczak, jumped as part of “Operation Snowbird in Alaska in January 1955.” Panel 2: At the top of the panel on a gray background, a soldier jumps out of the back of a twin-tailed, twin-engine military aircraft. Below, the text reads, “Melczak’s main parachute failed to open. He tried to activate his reserve, but it did not deploy in time.” Panel 3: The text continues at the top of the panel, “He fell around 1,000 feet and landed in a deep snowbank where he was found shortly thereafter.” Silhouetted on a white background below the text we see the outline of a skydiver spread-eagled on the snow with parachute lines above his head. Panel 4: On a gray background at the top of the panel is the text, “Melczak was hospitalized for months with three fractured vertebrae and internal injuries, but he was walking within two weeks and recovered to return to duty.” Below the text on a snowy background stands a snowman with a carrot nose. The snowman wears a black top hat. In the foreground we see a soldier, presumably Melczak, from the shoulders up. He has dark hair cut short and wears a military shirt and garrison cap with an insignia on it. This cartoon is part of a series called Falling. It is written and drawn by Jim Hamilton who can be found on Instagram at Green Harbor Publications (all one word, greenharborpublications).
Published On: May 7, 2025

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