A Rookie Makes One Very Bad Mistake
The song follows a rookie paratrooper preparing for a jump.
He's nervous, which is understandable. Jumping out of an airplane during World War II wasn't exactly an activity that inspired universal feelings of relaxation.
He checks his equipment and prepares himself for the jump.
Then comes the crucial mistake.
His static line isn't properly hooked up.
For a World War II-era parachute system, the static line was critical because it automatically deployed the main parachute after the jumper exited the aircraft. Without it functioning properly, the jumper could find himself hurtling toward the ground with considerably more speed than anybody would prefer.
And that's exactly what happens to our unfortunate hero.
The song then proceeds to describe his increasingly desperate attempts to survive.
Things do not improve.
