“I think that tower was 40 feet high. I remember thinking “Why haven’t I hit the water yet?” So, I looked down and BAM! Right in the face. Water is hard.”
I was in navy boot camp in 1968. I too remember jumping off the tower for the swim test but one thing I didn’t know, was how to swim. They told all recruits it does not matter if you can swim are not, you either jump or you are pushed off, the choice is yours. I had to go back one night for swim class and passed the swim test that night. Boy was I ever glad!
I had to jump off the high tower in aviation training. There was a Gunny Sgt standing there who would push you off if you didn’t go when he said “Go”. Then you had to climb back up and jump again.