Nine members of the House of Representatives, all military veterans, honored the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion by recreating the daring parachute jump by US troops into Normandy, France, on Friday. Led by Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), a decorated Green Beret with a Bronze Star, the effort included Reps. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.), Keith Self (R-Texas), Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), Rich McCormick (R-Ga.), Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), Mark Green (R-Tenn.), Cory Mills (R-Fla.), and Jason Crow (D-Colo.). Each participant is a former member of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps.


Dressed in khaki World War II uniforms complete with patches from the 101st and 82nd Airborne divisions, paratrooper helmets, and period-specific boots, the lawmakers lined up to board a vintage C-47 transport plane for their commemorative jump. Before taking off, Rep. Waltz posted on X, “Speaker Johnson saying extra prayers for our parachute riggers as 8 GOP House members jump for Normandy 80th!”


An aide to Waltz later shared GoPro footage of the jump, capturing the Florida Republican shouting “Airborne!” as he exited the plane. During their descent, the congressional delegation enjoyed views of Normandy, including the iconic Mont Saint-Michel. Upon landing, Waltz expressed his sentiments, saying, “Hell of a jump. Honoring our forefathers. Heroes. The Greatest Generation. My honor as a member of Congress and veteran Green Beret to be able to do this. Just incredible.”


The lawmakers also visited Omaha and Utah Beaches this week, joining the last surviving D-Day veterans to honor the soldiers who fell on June 6, 1944. The reenactment served as a significant moment of unity for the 118th Congress, which has been characterized by infighting and the historic ouster of a speaker in a narrowly divided House. Disagreements have frequently focused on U.S. foreign policy, including a contentious $95 billion military aid package supporting Ukraine and Israel, which passed despite bipartisan opposition.


Issa, who supported the aid package, emphasized the importance of remembering to “push back tyranny” without delay, echoing President Biden’s recent remarks. Crow, who served in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and 75th Ranger Regiment, highlighted the significance of the reenactment, stating, “Making the same jump those units did 80 years ago is an important way to honor those veterans and remember that America is at its best when we put aside self-interest and do great things for the betterment of our country, just like the Greatest Generation did decades ago.”


Despite concerns from GOP leadership about the potential risks of such activities, particularly given the party’s slim majority, Waltz reassured House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) that the parachutes were modern and safe, even though the uniforms were vintage. “Don’t worry,” Waltz told Johnson, “We’ll be fine.”