Keeping history alive: Jumping from iconic wartime Dakotas for D-Day 80

Commemorations for the 80th anniversay of D-Day will feature parachute displays from historic aircraft.

Forces News joined re-enactors jumping from wartime Dakota C47s as they get ready to take part.

#forcesnews #dday #dday80 #aircraft

[floundergearjam]

God Bless the men who jumped into Normandy and also the people who keep this history alive and vibrant.

[WolfoftheWoodsTactical]

Sad to think that in five years time the aircraft will be (likely) flying but very few if any Veterans of WW2 will still be with us. We stand on the edge of living history for WW2 and now more than ever we need to hear their stories so we can continue telling them.

[trevormccarthy]

“That’s All Brother” .. is THE ACTUAL C-47 leading the formation on D-day…. Amazing

[JohnCollins-uv]

It's good to see the old Dakota's flying, my late dad jumped out of a few of those in the late 50's when he was in the guards independent para company, god bless the guy's who did it on d day❤👏🙏

[Jimmythefish]

More serviceable than the Atlas it would seem….

[Jeffrey-ldf]

Thursday, June 6, is the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the allied invasion of France to defeat Nazism. Very few veterans survive, but I was in Normandy for the 50th year observance, travelling with veteran paratroopers on D-Day Eve, 1994.
I was supposed to witness airborne veterans parachuting from a vintage aircraft into a VIP area, but I decided to leave my space to a veteran, so I walked into Ste Mere-Eglise, the first French town liberated by our paratroopers, to wait for the parade- the ceremonial re-enactment of the battle- to assemble in the church square where the carnival of American television- Bryant Gumbel and Joan Lunden- were all broadcasting to the US and the world.
As I moved through the mass of people to photograph the parade, I was overtaken by a surging throng screaming “Vivre Americain! Merci Americain!.” I kept saying, “Je ne suis pas une veteran!” but it didn’t matter. They wanted to physically embrace Americans today. I have photos of the parade.
A line of mounted Gendarmerie cleared the path. The 68-year-old airborne veterans who had jumped again raised beer cans and cheered. Then- future Chairman JCoS General Hugh Shelton led combat-ready detachments of contemporary American paratroopers, fresh from the fight against Iraq.
The victors of Desert Storm saluted the victors of Normandy with a triumph that would have paled Ceasar. The best light infantry of any army, anywhere, at any time in history, were feted by thousands of grateful, free people from around the world, their clamor to render all honors and glory to the airborne forces of the United States.

[rontaddyangel]

👍🥲Airborne!! Green on!! Never forget the fallen in all conflicts! ❤

[derekclacton]

Thanks for sharing this. My late father was a D-Day Para who dropped at Ranville that night. R.I.P. Dad

[maxsoon]

Still good with the plane and vehicles.

[claireparr]

Fabulous and thank you for not putting music to it 👍👏👏👏

[Жонглёр]

Высадка в Нормандии сил США,  Великобритании и Канады состоялась 6 июня 1944 года. В операции со стороны союзников участвовали 156 тысяч человек, общие потери составили около 10 тысяч человек, 2, 5 тысячи из них - американские солдаты. В Курской битве с июля по август 1943 года, к примеру, участвовали более миллиона военнослужащих Красной армии, потери исчислялись сотнями тысяч. Господа вы ЛИЦЕМЕРЫ....