The public is invited to join paratroopers past and present when they gather at Fayetteville's Airborne and Special Operations Museum to celebrate the first U.S. soldiers to jump out of "perfectly good airplanes" on National Airborne Day.

This year's event, to be held on Saturday, Aug. 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., marks the 72nd anniversary of the first sets of parachute jumps at Fort Benning in Columbus, Ga.

The celebration will include free-fall parachute demonstrations by the Golden Knights, the U.S. Army Parachute Team; the Black Daggers of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command; and the 82nd Airborne Division's All-American Freefall Team.

Visitors can talk with soldiers from Fort Bragg as they display modern weapons, equipment and machinery alongside those used since World War II. Re-enactors, dressed in World War II uniforms, will also walk among soldiers of today.

A ceremonial wreath will be laid in front of the iconic "Iron Mike" statue in honor of all Airborne and Special Operations soldiers who have fallen in defense of the United States.

President George W. Bush proclaimed Aug. 16, 2002, as National Airborne Day and on Aug. 3, 2009, the Senate recognized National Airborne Day with Senate Resolution 235.

While many know the greater Fayetteville community has strong ties to modern military history, they may not realize the community has significant military history dating back to the Revolutionary War era.

For information on other events in Fayetteville and Cumberland County, visit the website www.VisitFayettevilleNC.com.