The United States Army Special Operations Command Black Daggers Parachute Demonstration Team landed beside Athens-Limestone Hospital Thursday. The jump was part of a series by the Black Daggers in an effort to honor health care workers for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Athens-Limestone Hospital had a group of special visitors drop by Thursday to honor the efforts of health care workers in the Limestone County. Drop out of the sky, that is.

Three members of the United States Army Special Operations Command Black Daggers Parachute Demonstration Team completed a jump demonstration by landing in a small field directly beside the hospital.

The jump was one in a series by the Black Daggers in an effort to honor health care workers for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m glad we’re out here for the health care workers,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Chris Wilkerson, of the Black Daggers. “It gives us something to do and shows some appreciation for what they’ve been doing these past few months. It’s important to recognize them. We get a lot of respect being military, but our health care workers deserve a little credit as well.”

The Black Daggers jumped in Athens 10 a.m. Thursday and were set to perform again in Decatur later in the day. The team performed a jump in Madison Wednesday.

Health care workers and other members of the crowd watched as the Black Daggers’ plane circled the sky three times above the hospital. Once the clouds finally cooperated, three Black Daggers leapt from the plane and headed toward the drop zone.

“We got up to about 3,500 feet,” Wilkerson said. “You could see the clouds kind of broke for us a little bit. We saw the DZ and beat a cloud before it came over the top. The winds were pretty good. There was almost none on the ground, that’s why we came in pretty hot, but it ended up being a pretty nice jump.”

Wilkerson said the jumps the team have been completing in honor of health care workers have been much more “personable” than their usual performances at venues like sports stadiums.

Normally … you don’t get a lot of crowd engagement,” he said. “With these you get a lot better crowd interactions. It has been quite nice.”

The Black Daggers are based out of Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Wilkerson said the team is made up of volunteers from across different special forces units.

“I’m a Green Beret myself,” he said. “After several years and many combat tours, this is a three-year break and a recruiting tool.”

Wilkerson said despite making almost 800 jumps to this point, he still says a “little prayer every jump just in case.” He said it is still an adrenaline rush, but better than getting shot at.

Among the members of the crowd gathered to watch the display was Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks, a Vietnam veteran with the U.S. Army himself, who welcomed the members of the Black Daggers to the city and thanked them for their performance.

“This is awesome,” Marks said. “It lets our health care workers have just a little bit of recognition for what they do every day. I told these guys (the Black Daggers) I was in Vietnam probably before they were born. I am proud of them and what they do for this country.”