House lawmakers mark D-Day with parachute jump over Normandy

A group of U.S. House lawmakers marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day with a commemorative parachute jump at Normandy, France, on Friday.

The group was organized by Reps. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) and Jason Crow (D-Colo.) and was comprised of 10 veteran congressmen who traveled to France for the D-Day celebrations that mark the anniversary of the end of World War II.

Waltz in a post on social platform X joked that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La), a Christian, would be saying “extra prayers” for the group of eight GOP lawmakers before their jump.

Waltz shared a photo of the men inside a plane, saying “next stop, Mont St Michel.”

“See you on the ground!” he wrote in the selfie caption.

Crow shared a series of photos wearing the gear before the jump.

“In Normandy and about to jump out of a plane in honor of my fellow vets that made the jump 80 years ago,” he said.

He followed up the post with more photos on the ground.

“Just hit the ground. The weight of this moment is not lost on me. To the Greatest Generation — our deepest thank you,” Crow wrote on X.

“They sacrificed so we could enjoy our freedoms today,” he continued.

Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) said in a post that he was parachuting out of the plane over the same Normandy beaches where “many great heroes made the ULTIMATE sacrifice.”

“I am FOREVER thankful for their service,” he said.

Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla) said as the lawmakers prepared for their jump, “let us pause to honor the greatest generation and their fight for freedom.”

“Honored to jump with my congressional colleagues, and our Band of Brothers,” Mills wrote.

Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) shared video and photo online to mark the event as well.

“MACO Brief. Normandy 2024,” he wrote.

Waltz said he believes its important for Americans to see their representatives in Congress “coming together” to honor veterans in the current political divide.

“I think to really do something that is notable that, you know, maybe young people will pay attention to and go, Wow that’s exciting and cool — to kind of pass on their legacy — is worthwhile,” Waltz told The Associated Press.

Waltz is a former Army officer and Green Beret. Crow served in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and 7th Ranger Regiment.

Jackson is a former Navy rear admiral. Mills served as a member of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. Van Orden is a retired Navy SEAL.