Singing soldiers go viral with impromptu performance of classic hit

A group of US soldiers have gone viral after a video of them singing the Motown hit My Girl was posted on social media.  

The singing 82nd Airborne Division soldiers were filmed lying in a field in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, wearing full parachute gear and waiting to board a UH-60 helicopter.

The performance was first posted on TikTok where it racked 516.8K views as of 13 July. It then made its way onto Facebook where views reached 4.3m.

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The talented squad of elite US paratroopers hit all the right notes, proving that they can do more than just strategically deploy anywhere in the world within 18 hours of notice.

According to Sergeant Kara Hall of the 82nd Sustainment Brigade, who originally posted the video on TikTok, the performance was impromptu, as she was the one who made the song request.

She wrote: "The 82nd ABN DIV Chorus made my day today on the drop zone when I requested an old classic! What made it better is that they were in harness jumping from a UH-60."

The 1965 hit song by The Temptations was brought to life in an acapella style, with some of the soldiers even using their parachute gear as percussion instruments.

Specialising in parachute assault operations, the 82nd Airborne Division is an airborne infantry division of the US Army.

Formed in 1917, shortly after the US entered the First World War, the division served with distinction in the last months of the war.  

The 82nd Airborne Division is the primary fighting arm of the XVIII Airborne Corps, trained to instantly deploy in hostile zones and secure key objectives, preparing the ground for follow-on military operations.

With a reputation for rapid efficiency, the 82nd Airborne is the most strategically mobile division within the US Army, ready to jump behind enemy lines within a moment's notice.

The viral video shows them enjoying some well-deserved downtime while training, using their parachute gear as pillows to prop themselves up.

Covering 251 square miles, Fort Bragg is one of the largest military reservations in the world.  

The division has the nickname All-American because its original members came from every state. In 1917 there were 48 states, with Hawaii and Alaska joining the Union in 1959.

The choice of the classic Motown hit is fitting for the division’s All-American title.