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 Tribune3 min read
Walgreens Pharmacists’ Union To Demonstrate Outside 46 Chicago-area Stores
A union representing Walgreens pharmacists plans to demonstrate outside of more than 46 local Walgreens stores over the next month to protest pay and working conditions. The National Pharmacists Association-LIUNA, which says it represents 900 Chicago
Chicago Tribune5 min readAmerican Government
Democratic National Convention Organizers Leaning On Locals To Handle Possible Migrant Surge In August
CHICAGO — Anticipating Chicago will see a surge of buses bearing migrants from the southern border ahead of the Democratic National Convention in August, organizers say they’re relying on Mayor Brandon Johnson and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker to come
Chicago Tribune4 min read
‘The Jinx – Part Two’ Review: A Filmmaker Continues His Investigation Into Accused Killer Robert Durst
When it premiered on HBO a decade ago, the true crime docuseries “The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst” stood out mainly because of Durst’s willingness to appear on camera. The wealthy New York real estate heir was suspected of killing three

Related Books & Audiobooks