Paul Rafferty

Paul D. Rafferty, SFC, U.S. Army, Retired, was an extraordinary skydiver and a revered member of the U.S. Army Parachute Team, the Golden Knights. Born on February 29, 1964, in Harrisburg, PA, Rafferty made more than 16,000 jumps during his illustrious career. He began his skydiving journey with the Golden Knights in 1986, quickly earning a spot on their demo team and later moving to the 8-way formation skydiving team. His skydiving achievements include winning five consecutive gold medals at the Skydiving World Parachuting Championships and a gold medal at the 1988 World Cup of Relative Work. Rafferty was also a 10-time USPA National 8-way FS Champion and part of the team that set the 300-way FAI World Record for Largest Formation Skydive.

Rafferty’s military career spanned 22 years, during which he served with distinction. His accomplishments include:

• Five-time World Champion and 64-time National Champion Skydiver with the United States Army Parachute Team/Golden Knights RW Competition Teams.
• Member of the 18th Airborne Corps and Jump Master of the 82nd Airborne Division. Platoon Sergeant for Tango Security Co. 8th Army in Korea.
• Qualified Military Scuba Diver, Sniper, and Master Parachutist.
• Anti-Terrorist Certified (INTAC), Survival Escape Resistance Evasion (SERE) trained, Combat Medic Course, and Pathfinder qualified.
• Earned the Army Service Medal, National Defense Medal (2nd Award), Army Achievement Medal (6th Award), Army Commendation Medal (9th Award), Meritorious Service Medal (4th Award), Army Good Conduct Medal (6th Award), and Superior Unit Award (2nd Award).

After retiring from the Army, Rafferty managed the Free Fall Adventures Sky Diving School in Williamstown, NJ, and served as the Safety and Training Advisor for Skydive Cross Keys.

He was also highly regarded for his civilian qualifications, including NJ State Police Service Rifle Instructor, NRA Long Rifle Instructor, PADI Dive Master, and USPA Freefall Instructor/Examiner.

Paul Rafferty’s legacy in the skydiving community remains significant, with his contributions to the sport and his dedication to his country serving as an enduring inspiration.