The Round Canopy Parachuting Team- USA Foundation
Praesidus A-2 Watch Veteran Training Scholarship Fundraising Auction
RCPT-USA is auctioning 4 Praesidus A-2 10mm Watches with four separate opportunities to support a potential Airborne Candidate to attend an RCPT-USA training event at no cost. Each watch's auction will close at a pivotal time on June 6, 2023, British Standard Time, marking a significant milestone in the invasion timeline. Auction Closing times (all time British Standard Time- 6 hrs ahead of Eastern Standard Time):
RCPT-USA candidates and members incur significant out-of-pocket expenses in honoring paratroopers that have preceded them. Training for a basic parachuting candidate costs $750 plus membership for the 5 jump course excluding travel and accommodations. None of our members or staff are paid employees, and all volunteer their time to perform training, jumpmaster duties, and participate in education or public events.
Donations are accepted to offset the price of equipment, travel costs, team insurance, coordination costs, aviation radios, and drop zone gear is greatly appreciated. This enables RCPT-USA to reach more audiences and continue to participate in veteran's outreach and community engagement while supporting the legacy of the Airborne!
Four Praesidus Watches Up for Bid
The Round Canopy Parachuting Team USA Foundation is honored to partner with Praesidus Watches to provide four A-2 Origin 40mm watches for auction to fund training scholarships to veterans to become airborne qualified with RCPT-USA.
About the Foundation
PURPOSE: RCPT-USA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which wishes to highlight the accomplishments of allied paratroopers from WWII onward by fostering camaraderie among individuals who share a passion for round canopy parachuting and inspiration from the actions and deeds of paratroopers past. This is accomplished through partnerships with worldwide RCPT chapters, demonstration and commemoration parachuting activities, and sustainment and training events in the US and around the world. We wish to provide a place which offers standardized and safe parachuting activities and afford a sense of community for our team members. For RCPT, commemorating the past, supporting veterans, and supporting our members makes round canopy parachuting “more than just a jump.”
About RCPT-USA
MISSION: RCPT-USA performs round canopy commemorative airborne demonstrations to increase awareness and educate the public about the sacrifices and heroism of Allied Paratroopers from WWII onward.
About Praesidus
We owe so much to our wonderful sponsor!
The story of Praesidus Watches We heard about his fascinating story personally through a mutual connection. With our own military and watch-making background, we couldn’t help but get into his idea of re-creating the watch that Tom lost and help him find it again. We sat down with Tom, and together we brought the A-11, our pioneer watch, back to life.
There are so many untold stories about courage, heroism, patriotism and resilience out there. Our mission is to tell these incredible stories, so they are never forgotten in the best way we know: through the creation of iconic, military timepieces. Through our watches, we aim to bring the spirit of our brave soldiers to the new generation of military history enthusiasts so they can keep telling these stories into the future.
Therefore, Praesidus commits to support our war veteran associations and communities by donating 5% of each sale to our partner organizations. If you want to learn more about our veteran association partnership program, you can contact us at contact@praesidus.com.Praesidus is also owned by Pacific Concepts, Inc., a project management program that aims to help brands reach their full potential through digital marketing.
So, you don't only get a beautiful timepiece on your wrist. You also get to be part of this history.
Operation Neptune: The D-Day Airborne Assault
The Normandy beaches were chosen by planners because they lay within range of air cover, and were less heavily defended than the obvious objective of the Pas de Calais, the shortest distance between Great Britain and the Continent. Airborne drops at both ends of the beachheads were to protect the flanks, as well as open up roadways to the interior. Six divisions were to land on the first day; three U.S., two British and one Canadian. Two more British and one U.S. division were to follow up after the assault division had cleared the way through the beach defenses.
Disorganization, confusion, incomplete or faulty implementation of plans characterized the initial phases of the landings. This was especially true of the airborne landings which were badly scattered, as well as the first wave units landing on the assault beaches. To their great credit, most of the troops were able to adapt to the disorganization. In the end, the Allies achieved their objective.
The airborne assault into Normandy, as part of the D-Day allied invasion of Europe, was the largest use of airborne troops up to that time. Paratroopers of the U.S. 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, the British 6th Airborne Division, the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, and other attached Allied units took part in the assault. Numbering more than 13,000 men, the paratroopers were flown from bases in southern England to the Cotentin Peninsula in approximately 925 C-47 airplanes. An additional 4,000 men, consisting of glider infantry with supporting weapons, medical, and signal units were to arrive in 500 gliders later on D-Day to reinforce the paratroopers. The parachute troops were assigned what was probably the most difficult task of the initial operation - a night jump behind enemy lines five hours before the coastal landings.
To protect the invasion zone's western extremity and to facilitate the "Utah" landing force's movement into the Cotentin Peninsula, the U.S. 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions descended on the peninsula by parachute and glider in the early hours of D-Day. The paratroopers were badly scattered. Many were injured and killed during the attack, and much of their equipment was lost, but the brave paratroopers fought fiercely, causing confusion among the German commanders and keeping the German’s troops occupied. Their efforts; hampered by harsh weather, darkness and disorganization, and initiative of resourceful Soldiers and leaders, ensured that the Utah Beach assault objectives were eventually accomplished. The British and Canadian attacks also accomplished their primary goal of securing the left flank of the invasion force.
RCPT-USA is auctioning 4 Praesidus A-2 10mm Watches with four separate opportunities to support a potential Airborne Candidate to attend an RCPT-USA training event at no cost. Each watch's auction will close at a pivotal time on June 6, 2023 marking a significant milestone in the invasion timeline.
Auction Closing times (all time British Standard Time- 6 hrs ahead of Eastern Standard Time):
0010hrs BST (6:10pm EST 5 June 2023)- Watch #1- The first US pathfinders jump on the Cotentin Peninsula to mark the parachute zones for the C-47 pilots who will arrive in the next few minutes.
0048hrs BST (6:48pm EST 5 June 2023)- Watch #2- Paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division "Screaming Eagles" jumped first on June 6, between 00:48 and 01:40. The drop zones of the 101st were northeast of Carentan and lettered A, C, and D from north to south
0121hrs BST (7:21pm EST 5 June 2023)- Watch #3- The pathfinders of the 82nd Airborne Division jump over Normandy above the Cotentin to attempt to mark 3 landing zones for the rest of the division (Drop Zones N, O and T).
0150hrs BST (7:51pm EST 5 June 2023)- Watch #4- The 82nd Airborne's drop, mission "Boston", began at 01:51. It was also a lift of 10 serials organized in three waves, totaling 6,420 paratroopers carried by 369 C-47s.