Caterpillar Club

One evening in 1922

Two airmen, Lieutenant Harold R. Harris and Lieutenant Frank B. Tyndal met Leslie Irvin at McCook Field (near the site of Wright-Patterson AFB) to have drinks and share stories about lives saved by parachutes.

This conversation was the creation of the Caterpillar Club, an exclusive club for those who had their lives saved by a parachute, after one of the airmen said:

How to join

The only requirement to join is to have saved one’s life by an Irvin (IrvinGQ®) parachute from a stricken aircraft and either civilian or military personnel may apply. Persons that intentionally jump from an aircraft, for example skydivers or test parachutists are not accepted.

Potential members are required to apply to the company with evidence of their descent and these are checked and independently corroborated, to avoid the Walter Mittys and ‘badge collectors’ who try and join. We will use newspaper and accident reports and on occasion the kind facilities of the RAF Hendon Museum archives to check the veracity of any claim. There is no initial cost to become a Caterpillar Club member.

The caterpillar pin

In return of a successful application, the member will receive an engraved golden caterpillar ‘pin badge’ with the recipient’s name that may be worn on one’s collar, together with a membership card and certificate with an individual membership number.

These items can be replaced, albeit at cost and are only provided to the original applicant or direct family members. Unfortunately they are not for purchase by friends, colleagues or collectors.