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Northwest editioN reachiNg seNiors iN illiaNa: cook, lake & Porter couNties
September 2025
Vol. 29, No. 6
www.seniorlifenewspapers.com PRE-FLIGHT CHECK — The crew of the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team gather for a pre-flight ritual before taking off during the Gary Air Show last month.
U.S. Army Golden Knights wow spectators at Gary Air Show
Text and Photos By CARRIE STEINWEG Feature Writer Summer in Northwest Indiana is loaded with enough festivals, concerts and special events to fill your calendar and then some. One of the biggest of those is the Gary Air Show, which took place Aug. 9 and 10 at Marquette Beach in Gary. It is a highlight of the summer for the many spectators who set up blankets and chairs in the sand and along walkways near the beach to view the aerial excitement. This year the show featured the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and a variety of other military and show planes, and along the beach there were military displays, vendors, food trucks, a beer garden and kid’s play zone. Kicking off the show was the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team. The Golden Knights started in 1959 as a small team competing against the former Soviet Union’s skydivers. It continues today as a demonstration and competition team that has amassed 348 world records and over 3,800 medals in competition. They’ve participated in shows
across 50 states and 48 countries with an average of 60,000 spectators per show. The elite unit has about 25 members and they travel all over the country, flying at about 50 shows per year. The soldiers are divided among two teams — the black and gold teams. They are stationed in Fort Bragg, N.C., but can be on the road for over 200 days out of the year. Staging for the show was at the Gary/ Chicago International Airport, where planes also staged for the Chicago Air & Water Show held the following weekend. At the Gary Jet Center, the crew gathered with members of the media for a total of four flights on the C-147 during the Gary Air Show. As the winds blew, Major Andrew Keithley, the team’s executive officer, said they would be “using every bit of their expertise and athleticism to land” in a 100 x 100-foot area. “We pride ourselves in being able to land accurately. That accuracy is what we’re known for.” Another mission of their demonstration team is providing tandem dives. Experienced members specialize in introducing members of the community to skydiving, providing them with that first experience.
A skilled aerial videographer goes along for the jump to capture the moment. At the Gary Air Show on Sunday, that lucky individual was Renee Connolley of Merrillville, who has worked in marketing for the Gary Southshore Railcats for over 20 years. SFC Ryan Reis gave her instruction and cues to follow for a successful jump as they ascended up to about 12,000 feet. “I think this show is an awesome event,” said Sgt. First Class Ryan Reis. “Everyone who runs this show is happy to be here and it makes for a very enjoyable show weekend.” Reis has been in the U.S. Army for 21 years, the past nine as a member of the Golden Knights. “This is the best job I’ve ever had and I never want to stop doing it,” he said. “It runs the whole gamut of emotions from those who are overexcited to those who can barely walk because they’re terrified,” Reis said of his first-time tandem jumpers. “We have had some who say they would never have done it if they weren’t doing it with our team. That shows you how much they trust us that they wouldn’t do it without us and that is a very good feeling.”
TANDEM JUMP — Renee Connelly, marketing consultant with the Gary Southshore RailCats, prepares to tandem jump with Sgt. First Class Ryan Reis during the Golden Knights show at the Gary Air Show. This was Connelly’s first skydiving experience.
READY TO JUMP — A member of the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team awaits the signal to exit the plane during the Gary Air Show last month.
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