AMERICAN PLASTER HEADED PARADUMMY !
The black & white reference images shown on this web page were taken from a declassified 1950's military document written by the Army Corps of Engineers, who took over Paradummy Research & Development from the Navy by the 1950's. These photos and others were reprinted in a classified Army Technical Bulletin entitled "Paratrooper Decoy" dated March 20, 1963.
Note the sound device (machine-gun fire simulater) suspended below the dummy in one of the photos. These simulators were optional gear which could be attached to the paradummy by a strap. The devices were used to help enhance the illusion on the battlefield during decoy operations.
Also note in one of the photos the pack-carrier into which the dummy was folded for both operational transport and storage. It resembled a large parachute pack but it actually contained the entire dummy, the parachute, and any additional gear attached to the dummy.
The color photos on this web page show a surviving example of this paradummy which was sold on ebay in early 2007. This dummy appears basically complete, but it is missing the parachute, foam rubber gear packs, and pack carrier.
It is believed that the plaster-headed paradummy may have been used in Korea; and research suggests it may have been used by the CIA during classified operations in Guatemala in the 1950's (they conducted at least one documented decoy paratrooper operation to fool the enemy into believing a U.S. Airborne force was landing nearby.)
The plaster-headed paradummy was still utilized at least into the early 1960's Viet Nam Era (Military documents referencing this type of decoy paradummy have been found from as late as 1963.)
The Navy "Beach Jumper" Unit, a deception unit, is also known to have done some decoy operations against the Viet Cong with paradummies in Viet Nam. Recollections by former members of the Beach Jumper unit suggest they were using this version of the paradummy.
There may have been other operations that utilized this paradummy - this web site is actively seeking any and all additional documentation about this dummy and when/where it was used. Feel free to get in touch if you can help with any details.
The plaster headed Paradummy was a four-foot tall foldable dummy made with a muslin cloth body which simulated a basic Olive Drab "uniform". Plastic rings inside the body were sewn into place to form the limbs. It had a large and realistically molded plaster head complete with helmet, and it also had plaster combat boots.
This dummy had an interior chest pack filled with approximately 50 pounds of steel sandblasting grits. The grits helped give the dummy the proper weight for use and deployment. They also served as shrapnel for the self-destruction system which featured a container inside the chest pack which was filled with C-3 or C-4 plastic explosives. These explosives would completely destroy the dummy upon landing, leaving only the parachute for the enemy to find - giving the illusion that real paratroopers had landed and left their parachutes behind.
The dummy was given foam rubber "equipment packs" on all sides to simulate a fully loaded paratrooper. It was used with an 18 foot wide parachute and this paradummy was the first version that was realistic enough to be used in daylight when seen from a distance.
