Chicago Tribune

Woman loans wedding dress made from husband's WWII parachute to 82nd Airborne Museum

It was a beautiful summer day, and a crowd had gathered in front of Aida Bonsonto's home in the Little Italy neighborhood of Chicago.

Dressed in a gown made of silk and nylon, the bride-to-be walked down the stairs and out the front door as if she was "floating on air."

In some ways, she was.

It was June 8, 1946, and Aida was wearing a dress made from her future husband's Army parachute. As the weightless fabric caught the breeze, she could feel it billow.

"I couldn't control it because it was so light. You could see it flying," she said. "It was an honor to have it and to wear it."

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from Chicago Tribune

Chicago Tribune2 min read
WNBA Draft: Chicago Sky Select South Carolina Star Kamilla Cardoso With The No. 3 Pick
The Chicago Sky selected South Carolina star Kamilla Cardoso with the No. 3 pick in the WNBA draft, the next step in a new era for the franchise. Few players bring the dominant presence in the paint of Cardoso, a 6-foot-7 Brazilian native. Cardoso av
Chicago Tribune2 min readAmerican Government
Chicago And Illinois To Receive $19 Million From Feds To Help With Migrant Crisis
CHICAGO — The city of Chicago and the state of Illinois are set to split more than $19 million in new congressionally approved funding released to assist cities and states in addressing the migrant crisis, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin announced Friday. The
Chicago Tribune10 min readAmerican Government
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s ‘Pragmatic Progressive’ Approach Being Put To The Test
Shortly after wrapping up an inaugural legislative session in 2019 that included hiking the state’s minimum wage, legalizing cannabis and passing a historic $45 billion statewide construction program supported by expanded gambling and a host of incre

Related Books & Audiobooks