A group of bipartisan House lawmakers, all veterans of the armed forces, will parachute over Normandy, France, on the 80th anniversary of D-Day as a way to honor the veterans who fought in the historic battle.
Twenty-five World War II veterans received a warm send-off as they boarded a ferry from the U.K. to Normandy, France, on June 4, 2024, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers is also commemorating the anniversary by parachuting out of a World War II-era plane over Normandy, France, just as Allied airborne forces did on June 6, 1944.
The 10 legislators – nine Republicans and one Democrat, all veterans of the armed forces – will don World War II military uniforms and jump into Normandy from a U.S. C-47 military transport plane that was extensively used during the war.
Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., one of the lawmakers participating, told Fox News Digital, "The fact that we're in Normandy, and you're wearing that uniform … and you're jumping from that plane that isn't what we're used to from our [service], you're stepping back in time in a way, and you're really trying to think about how many sacrifices that were made."
Mills noted that it's likely one of the last D-Day anniversaries that will actually have the aging veterans of that war in attendance.
Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., who had previously done the jump alongside Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., and will do so again, told Fox News Digital, "It's a real honor to be able to observe and honor the veterans in the way that we are."
Crow, a former Army Ranger, said he, like Mills, served in the 82nd Airborne Division; both units played critical roles in the June 6, 1944, operation.
"To be able to honor the veterans who served in those units before me, actually conducting the jump, is certainly a real privilege," he said.
Another participant, Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, quipped to Fox News Digital, "It's probably not the smartest thing to do at my age. But you know what? I'm going to do it."
"It's just awesome. I mean, it's going to be one of the last D-Day anniversaries where you actually have, you know, veterans that were there," Jackson said.
Other lawmakers participating are Reps. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., Rich McCormick, R-Ga., Keith Self, R-Texas, and House Homeland Security Chair Mark Green, R-Tenn.
The lawmakers' participation in the ceremonial parachute jump is part of a wider group of events that will be held in Normandy to mark the anniversary of D-Day, which is widely considered to be the turning point of the war in Europe.
President Biden will also be in Normandy for the anniversary, and a number of other events are planned to honor the veterans who fought in the historic battle.
