House lawmakers rec parachute jump into Normandy for D-Day anniversary

Nine House lawmakers re-created the Normandy parachute jump for 80th anniversary of D-Day
UPDATED JUN 10, 2024
GOP Reps Mike Waltz, Derrick Van Orden, Keith Self, Darrell Issa, Rich McCormick, Ronny Jackson, Cory Mills, Mark Green, and Democratic Rep Jason Crow re-created the D-Day jumping (@michaelgwaltz, @RepJasonCrow/ X)
GOP Reps Mike Waltz, Derrick Van Orden, Keith Self, Darrell Issa, Rich McCormick, Ronny Jackson, Cory Mills, Mark Green, and Democratic Rep Jason Crow re-created the D-Day jumping (@michaelgwaltz, @RepJasonCrow/ X)

WASHINGTON, DC: A group of House lawmakers commemorated the 80th anniversary of D-Day on Thursday, June 6, by re-creating the parachute jump of Allied troops to Normandy, France, in 1944.

Nine congressmen, eight Republicans and one Democrat, joined the parachute jumping from the World War II era US C-47 military transport plane, according to Fox News.

GOP Rep Mike Waltz organized the event, which included Republican Reps Derrick Van Orden, Keith Self, Darrell Issa, Rich McCormick, Ronny Jackson, Mark Green, Cory Mills, and Democratic Rep Jason Crow.

The legislators, who are former members of the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps, also wore the World War II uniforms along with 101st and 82nd Airborne divisions patches and paratrooper helmets and boots from the war period.

House members dressed in Word War II uniforms to reenact the Normandy jumping on D-Day's 80th anniversary (@RepJasonCrow/X)
House members dressed in Word War II uniforms to reenact the Normandy jumping on D-Day's 80th anniversary (@RepJasonCrow/X)

House lawmakers' reaction to the re-enactment of D-Day parachute jumpings

Waltz, who organized the jumping, stated it was a "hell of a jump" after touchdown, as per the New York Post.

"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."



 

Democrat lawmaker Crow, a former Army Ranger, considered the re-enactment as "an important way to honor those veterans and remember that America is at its best when we put aside self-interest."

"This is one of the greatest opportunities that I've had since I've been in Congress: to be able to literally recreate and reenact what they had done in 1944. And so, [what is] really going to be one of those things I think about is how many we lost and then also how lucky we truly are as Americans," Rep Mills told Fox News Digital about his participation.

House lawmakers re-enacted the Normandy jumpings from a World War II era plane (New York Post/YouTube)
Nine House lawmakers re-enacted the Normandy jumpings from a World War II-era plane (New York Post/YouTube)

In addition, Mills was part of President Joe Biden's visit to Normandy to commemorate the anniversary of the turning point of World War II in Europe when the Allied forces defeated the Axis powers led by Nazi Germany's Adolf Hitler.

Recreating the D-Day jumping by a handful of members could be considered an act of solidarity for the 118th Congress, which ousted a speaker for the first time, along with many infightings within both parties.

Internet denounces House lawmakers' re-enactment of D-Day jumping

Expressing their outrage at the way House lawmakers marked the D-Day jumpings into Normandy 80 years ago, netizens said they were wasting taxpayers' money.

One user wrote, "I'm really glad to know we are paying for their amusement and entertainment. When are they going to do actual work in Congress? Our government is like a chunk of mold on a block of cheese."

"When you have nothing but time & taxpayer money on your hands," another fumed.



 



 

A user criticized the lawmakers, writing, "Ah yes. Let's recreate the battle that marked the beginning of the end of Western civilization, and let's pretend we're better off."

Someone else called out the re-enactment, stating, "Anything but be in DC doing their actual jobs."

Another person added, "Hypocrites. Now go back to DC and fight as hard and with as much conviction as those brave men did for liberty."



 



 



 

"So are all the congress members that are over there on taxpayers money? Because this isn’t honoring anyone nor accomplishing anything except providing them a vacation and photo opps," read one response.

An individual asserted, "The performative nonsense doesn't stop."



 



 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

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