WASHINGTON (AP) — A contingent of U.S. lawmakers from the House of Representatives is preparing for a memorial parachute jump in Normandy to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the historic attack that ended World War II.
Organized by Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., and Rep. Jason CrowIn D-Colo. The bipartisan group is expected to include 10 members of Congress, all veterans themselves, who will make the trek to France on Friday to honor and pay tribute to American and allied troops at a decisive moment at home and abroad.
Waltz said that in this era of political bitterness and infighting, he believes it is important for Americans to “come together” with their representatives in Congress to honor veterans.
“I think it’s worth it to really do something that’s remarkable, you know, maybe young people will pay attention to it and say, Wow, that’s exciting and cool – to continue their legacy in some way give,” said the congressman, a former congressman. Army officer and green beret.
Crow, who served in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and 75th Ranger Regiment, and Waltz made a similar leap for the 75th anniversary. But this year even more colleagues wanted to get involved, eager to mark the milestone of what could be the last chance to honor the aging veterans who actually served in World War II. The jump is scheduled for Friday.
“Making the same leap that the units made 80 years ago is an important way to honor those veterans and remember that America is at its best when we put self-interest aside,” Crow said, “and do great things for the betterment of our country. , just as the Greatest Generation did decades ago.”
The group of lawmakers comes together at a time when Congress is struggling to keep pace with the basic principles of governing, fractured by political divisions at home and the ongoing debate over the U.S. role in the world amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the war between Israel and Hamas. .
Those making the leap include a new generation of military veterans in Congress from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, in addition to those who have been out of service for years. They don’t always see eye to eye politically, especially on U.S. support for Ukraine, as Republicans align with Donald Trump, the party’s presumptive presidential nominee, and who have mostly voted against a recent aid package. Democratic President Joe Biden used his own D-Day speech to draw parallels with the fight for democracy in World War II and call for solidarity with Ukraine.
Before the jump, many of the lawmakers participated in a practice run in Florida in April to recertify for the launch.
“We’re ready to go: feet and knees together, get out there in the wind,” Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., a former Army veteran.
“You know, the reason for doing this is, as always, to honor one of the greatest generations that ever lived,” he said.
It is not lost on lawmakers that their group, while technically bipartisan, is largely made up of Republicans who have one of the smallest majorities in the House of Representatives in modern times.
Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, a former Navy vice admiral and White House physician, said the advice from Republican leadership was simple: Be careful.
Lawmakers will don historic paratrooper uniforms and fly in a vintage plane before jumping to the beaches below in the historic reenactment — albeit on a much smaller scale.
Eighty years ago, thousands of American and Allied paratroopers landed around Normandy Beach, ahead of the largest armada of thousands of ships ever assembled, ferrying vast numbers of Allied troops across the English Channel to fight Nazi control. It would be the largest air, land and sea attack in history, the beginning of the end of Hitler’s conquest of Europe. Thousands of Americans and Allied troops died on D-Day and in the fighting that followed.
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., an Army veteran, said that with the U.S. facing challenges today in supporting Ukraine against Russia — he voted for the aid package — he hopes the message people take from the anniversary events is: “do not delay in reducing tyranny.”
Waltz said he spoke with House Speaker Mike Johnson early this week and assured the Republican leader that the group would be safe.
“He just looked at me and I said, Mr. Chairman, I promise you, the planes are vintage, the uniforms are vintage, the location is historic, but the parachutes are new,” Waltz said. “So don’t worry… we’ll be fine.”
__
Associated Press writer Farnoush Amiri contributed to this story.
