Colonel killed in parachute training jump

[unhappycamper]

Colonel killed in parachute training jump
The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Feb 2, 2009 17:58:03 EST

TAMPA, Fla. — Military officials have released the identity of a soldier who died during a parachute training jump in Florida.

U.S. Special Operations Command on Friday identified the paratrooper as 46-year-old Col. James L. Merchant III.

Merchant landed in a Tampa-area retention pond Thursday. A police rescue diver found him about 45 minutes later. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Officials say Merchant’s death remains under investigation.

Merchant was assigned to U.S. Special Operations Command in September 2005 as an information operations planner. He later served as the chief of the information operations division.


Rest of article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/01/ap_skydiver_merchant_013109/%2e