Bipartisan House Group Skydives to Honor D-Day Veterans

A bipartisan group of House lawmakers made a daring move by parachuting out of a plane on Friday morning to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Their jump was a tribute to the veterans who bravely participated in the air and sea invasion that liberated Western Europe from Nazi Germany.

The group of nine congressmen led by Reps. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., and Jason Crow, D-Colo., included Ronny Jackson, R-Texas; Rich McCormick, R-Ga.; Mark Green, R-Tenn.; Cory Mills, R-Fla.; Darrell Issa, R-Calif.; Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis.; and Keith Self, R-Texas, according to various reports.

The Washington Examiner reported that the lawmakers jumped from a vintage C-47 Skytrain, a commonly used aircraft during World War II.

Crow, an Army Ranger who served in key units during the D-Day invasion, emphasized that the jump was a way to acknowledge service and sacrifice and to highlight the importance of coming together under a common purpose.

Waltz, the first Green Beret in Congress, stressed the need to honor the remaining World War II veterans, stating that the ceremonial jump was a fitting way to pass on their stories to future generations.

Both Crow and Waltz had participated in a similar jump over Normandy five years ago for the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

Despite some Republican members expressing anxiety over the jump, the lawmakers donned World War II uniforms and accessories, paying tribute to the 101st and 82nd Airborne divisions.

Speaker Mike Johnson reassured them that their safety was a priority, and he later expressed relief that the jump went smoothly.