One theory is that Cianci was thrown off-balance by a gust of wind just as he was touching down, causing him to land hard on his heels. His family says they were never told the details of the accident. He died a week later as a result of those injuries. On Feb. 28, 1968, something went horribly wrong on his final qualifying jump, and Cianci was badly injured. Then came parachute training at Fort Benning. He never saw his friend alive again.Īfter basic, he went on to Advanced Individual Training. Mangiante has thought about that near miss many times over the years. “I came home from Germany through Dix that October, and tried to look him up. “He went to basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey,” Mangiante said. (Staying in that unit, of course, was dependent on completing all necessary qualifications.)Ĭianci’s active duty began Sept. 7, 1967. “But Lanni did not want to get drafted, so he enlisted in the National Guard.”ĭeferred from service until he finished high school, Cianci joined Company D, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), as a radio operator.Īt that time, one could enlist directly into a specific National Guard unit, including Special Forces. “Lanni was a very easy-going guy,” said Mangiante, who graduated a year ahead of Cianci and was immediately drafted. Greg Mangiante and Cianci were close friends. West Junior High he went to Mount Pleasant High School, graduating in January 1966. The Ciancis moved to Providence in 1960, and after graduating from George J. The family lived originally in Cranston, and he attended Hugh B. He was the only son of Joseph and Amelia Cianci.
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