Ralph W Bottriell
First American military parachutist
About Ralph W Bottriell
Lived 1885 – 1943 (aged 57–58).
Sergeant Ralph W Bottriell was an Experimental Parachute Tester for the United States Army.Ralph W. Bottriell (1885 – December 26, 1943) was the first American military member to jump from an aircraft using a manually operated backpack parachute. Bottriell was considered "the dean of parachute jumpers" and made over 500 jumps.
Life Bottriell performed his first parachute jump in Nashville, Michigan, at the age of 16.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Ralph W Bottriell's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Ralph W Bottriell?
First American military parachutist
When was Ralph W Bottriell born?
Ralph W Bottriell was born in 1885.
When did Ralph W Bottriell die?
Ralph W Bottriell died on 26 December 1943.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Ralph W Bottriell
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Ralph W Bottriell. https://biography.guide/ralph-w-bottriell/
MLA: "Ralph W Bottriell." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/ralph-w-bottriell/.
Chicago: "Ralph W Bottriell." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/ralph-w-bottriell/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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