During the Korean War Top Ayres was a member of the 187th Airborne at Pyongyang. He said that he was in the second wave and by that time they were jumping on top of the retreating North Koreans instead of forming a blocking force in front of them. He said that the situation had really gone to crap and there was on other DZ. The reinforcement/resupply solution consisted of each trooper being handed a case of hand grenades as he went out the door. According to Top, the first thing that happens when your chute opens, while holding on to a case of grenades, is that your elbows hyper extend and all but lock in place. The next thing is that the rope handles on the grenade cases rip out of the boxes. Top said that he lay on his back in the DZ for almost 30 minutes, with his arms sticking straight up in the air, still holding a rope handle in each hand, watching cases of grenades come sailing out of the air every time another parachute opened. Apparently they make a pretty good thump when they hit the ground and more than one trooper died as a result.

He was the Senior NCO of the 133rd EOD in late 71 prior to moving to control. At the time of the 3 x airliner hijackings to the Egyptian desert in the early 1970's he was the acting CO of the EOD unit at Fort Bragg. A Major from Division showed up early one morning and told Ayers to bring all of his people together for a briefing. Once this was accomplished they were told that if the Division ‘jumps-in' you are going with us. The EOD unit was not on jump status! All this was followed by engineers putting concertina wire around the building, cutting the phone lines, and MP's put on guard duty. Shortly thereafter another duce and a half arrived with parachutes, C Rations and ammunition. Ayers tried to teach his guys how to do a PLF off of a desk while an overweight old timer laid in the corner howling. Well they never jumped and after it was all over a couple of his guys 1049'ed to the house. (Requested immediate retirement)