Bill Jones, D-924, a legendary skydiver, instructor, drop zone owner, innovator and recipient of the 2016 USPA Gold Medal for Meritorious Service, died on Christmas Eve. He was 93 years old.
Jones made his first skydive, a freefall, in 1950 as part of a governmental project. In 1957, he made his first military static-line jumps, and in 1962, he began sport parachuting. His long and influential tenure in the sport spanned six decades and more than 16,000 jumps. He established drop zones, developed training methods, modified and invented parachute equipment and trained more than 100,000 students, both military and civilian.
Jones was a USPA Tandem, AFF and Static-Line Examiner; FAA Master Rigger and Commercial Multi-Engine Pilot; national judge; and Army HALO instructor while serving in the historic 10th Special Forces. He served as director of the European Parachute League (a USPA sub-conference) from 1969-1974. From 1975-1982, he was the superintendent of the airmanship division at the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he made numerous training and equipment innovations. He also served on the USPA Board from 1981-1982.
Jones was active in the Parachutists Over Phorty Society and its sub-groups: Skydivers Over Sixty, Jumpers Over Seventy, Jumpers Over Eighty and Jumpers Over Ninety. Jacques Istel, I-1 and D-2, inducted Jones into the Hall of Fame of Parachuting at the Pioneers of Sport Parachuting Reunion at the Center of the World Museum in Felicity, California, in 2023.
He is survived by his wife, Carol; the 11 children they have between them; and dozens of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. He instilled in his family a love of the sport, and many have become instructors, drop zone owners, pilots, mechanics, riggers and record holders. With all of his accomplishments and innovations, being patriarch of the Jones family may be his greatest legacy.
The historic Taft DZ in California will host the celebration of life for Bill Jones on Sunday, May 4. Details are available on the DZ’s Facebook event page or by contacting Carol Jones at carold17918@protonmail.com