Falling Star

At the moment of truth Friday, with the wind coming through the open cargo doors making his jowls ripple, David Hasselhoff did not hesitate. On his 40th birthday, Hasselhoff--star of TV’s “Baywatch” and “Knight Rider”--made his first parachute jump.

He did not go alone. U.S. Army Sgt. Shane Hollar, a substantially shorter man, was fastened to his back like a “tick on a dog,” as he put it.

Hasselhoff did go quietly and quickly, dressed in a golden jumpsuit, his name affixed to the breast pocket, diving in a 60-second free fall before floating to the ground at Van Nuys Airport.

The U.S. Army knows an opportunity for good publicity when it sees one. With recruiting down and competition fierce between the services, drafting the star and creator of “Baywatch”--which has a weekly worldwide audience of about 2 billion in 103 countries--seemed a good bet.

So Hasselhoff--who repeatedly pointed out that he plays a former Navy Seal on TV--became one of a handful of civilians to make a jump with the men and women of the Golden Knights, the Army’s elite parachuting team.

The team will perform this weekend at the Van Nuys Airport Aviation Expo, which opens today.

“Hey,” he asked while signing the waiver releasing the Army from any liability. “Are you the guys that President Bush jumped with?”

Yes they are.

For the Golden Knights--who have been around since 1959--the jump was just another day at the office. Apparently, no rabid “Baywatch” fans on this plane.

“I don’t have to watch it,” said Dave Dicks, 21, the youngest member of the team. “But I’ve seen it a time or two. I’m a bigger fan of the show with the talking car.”

Michi White, the sole woman on the team performing at Van Nuys airport, confessed she’d never even caught an episode of the most popular TV show in the world.

“I think it’s more for boys under the age of 18,” she said. “Don’t you think?”

At the training session for the jump the previous day, Hasselhoff said his milestone 40th birthday loomed large. Earlier in the week he went white-water rafting. Skydiving, he said, was next on his list.

“Mitch,” he said, referring to his Baywatch alter-ego, “is going through a little bit of a mid-life crisis, kind of like I am.”

Hollar, 38, Hasselhoff’s tandem jump instructor, said when his 40th birthday rolls around he won’t be looking for adventure. Hollar, from Camarillo, has served in Korea and spent nearly seven years in the Army’s Delta Force. During 20 years in the Army, he has skydived more than 2,700 times.

The team invited Hasselhoff, said Hollar, because his celebrity might encourage kids to join the Army. The team is at the Van Nuys air show to attract young people to the service.

“They’re tugging daddy’s leg and pointing up: ‘Daddy I want to do that when I grow up,’ ” said Hollar.

On the plane Friday, with the jumpers crouched at the edge of open sky, Hasselhoff took a deep breath and gave an adrenaline-pumping yell. Sgt. Brian Mayer, first out the door, turned to face the plane.

“Happy Birthday, David,” he shouted.

When Hasselhoff’s turn came, he got in his plug. “E!!!!!” he yelled to satisfy the E! Entertainment Television crew on board. “The Golden Knights are great!”

But when he and Hollar finally jumped in tandem from the open doors of the Fokker C-31A, Hasselhoff didn’t utter a peep. Hollar said it wasn’t until the chute opened that Hasselhoff started cheering.

Back on the ground, with his father, wife and two small daughters--holding handmade “Happy Birthday” signs--Hasselhoff said the experience was thrilling but not scary.

“I was more terrified at the Princess Diana benefit [concert] because I didn’t know all the words to my song,” said the TV star and rock singer, reportedly a huge hit in Germany.

As for the Army, Hasselhoff said, the experience had been enlightening.

“I think we all crave and need discipline,” he said. “When I was in training yesterday, I realized I miss the discipline where someone is saying: ‘OK, now you have to pay attention.’ ”

On behalf of his jump sponsors, Hasselhoff added: “If you want an alternative to the streets and drugs, I think the Army is something to consider.”