York Farmer Gone Paratrooper to Jump on National Stage for All American Week

YORK – An eighth-generation Livingston County farmer will gear up jump for tens of thousands of veterans to celebrate the centennial of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC.

Spc. Andrew Donnan, an infantryman with the Famed Devils Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division, will join a record-high 1,700 of his brothers-and-sisters-in-arms in a jump for the Division’s All American Week. Scheduled for May 25, this will be the largest airborne operation at Fort Bragg in at least two decades.

“It is an honor to be able to take part in the celebration which brings back so many memories for the veteran paratroopers in attendance,” said Donnan. “It’s not done on a volunteer basis but if it was, I’d be first in line.”

The ‘Jump and Review’ is part of a massive demonstration of the 82nd’s capabilities this week, most of which will be live streamed on Fort Bragg’s Facebook page here.

A family-friendly 5K starts the week. Combatives championships will be held outside. A Division memorial memorial will be Wednesday.

Thursday will be the ‘Jump and Review,’ a genuine show of force. The jump will be complemented by live fire demonstrations by artillery and support from dozens of Air Force aircraft. There will be a 10-helicopter assault with howitzers and rockets.

The show of force is intended to convey the 82nd’s capabilities as one of America’s highly active combat divisions. Donnan serves in a crucial company within the Division, C-Company, which is part of the Global Response Force.

“My Company, C-Company 1-508th Para infantry Regiment, is currently fulfilling its Role in the GRF (Global Response Force) as the 1st company to be wheels up in the event of a real world emergency,” said Donnan. “America’s Guard of Honor can have boots on the ground anywhere in the world in 72 hours. GRF is a rotational assignment within the 82nd Airborne Division where a selected Battalion of troops is on high alert Bags packed and ready for rapid deployment to anywhere in the world.”

Still, beneath all the noise and ceremony of the coming week, there is no question that the good life in Livingston County underpins Donnan’s service. One of the first things that Donnan mentioned in his interview with the GeneseeSun.com was that Donnan Farms celebrated its bicentennial in 2016.

“I grew up on the farm and lived in the town of Geneseo for a few years, 66 Center Street,” said Donnan. “My dream is to one day move back and buy that house.”