i just finished reading "flyboys", an account of eight us navy fliers downed in 1942 on the tiny island of chichi jima. one of them was george h.w. bush. his parachute canopy was made of rayon and the cords were hemp cordage. he survived cause he drifted far enough out to sea, the other guys either landed on the island or in the surf. they got eaten by the japanese officers on chichi jima!