Ashes of a Vietnam War paratrooper scattered during a jump in Italy

DENVER (KDVR) — Sgt. James Dassinger was a paratrooper in the Vietnam War. His job was to jump out of planes and put himself in danger.

How do you honor such a soldier? That’s what his daughter Cindy was trying to figure out when he died here in Colorado a few weeks ago.

“He ultimately died of colon cancer,” she said.

As it turns out, a little coordination, coincidence and fate led to the ultimate honor: a final jump from a military aircraft, where his ashes would be scattered on a landing zone by a soldier doing today what he once did.

“My dad would just be thrilled to be with him,” she told FOX31.

Dassinger served in Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. As it turns out, that’s the same unit that a close family friend is currently assigned to.

Staff Sgt. Daniel Olson, 23, graduated from Legend High School in Parker and is part of the 173rd Airborne Division, currently stationed in Italy.

“(His mother is) one of my dear friends from high school,” Cindy Dassinger said.

So Daniel’s mother Denise had an idea.

“Would you be interested in having some of your father’s ashes fly across the earth with Daniel, my son? I was completely moved, overwhelmed and honored,” Dassinger said.

“Moved and honored”: ashes of a paratrooper scattered abroad

The soldier, who happened to be in the U.S. for a family funeral, brought the ashes all the way to Italy and was prepared to jump out of a plane with them. Unfortunately, the timing wasn’t right, so another soldier stepped in.

Sergeant First Class Thomas Harris laid them out in a landing zone last Thursday after a parachute jump in Italy.

“And he brought half the ashes back to Daniel,” Denise Olson said.

So Daniel now has a new plan.

“He’s being deployed to North Carolina, and Daniel is going to take the ashes to the 82nd Airborne Brigade and jump with them. And he wants to scatter them all over the world,” she said.

Two families from Colorado who have been friends for years are now connected forever because two young men are making their contribution to their country, one 50 years ago and one today.

“I was so proud and, oh God, just indescribably touched, moved and honored,” said Dassinger.