WWII veteran relives Normandy jump world 2014 06 06 D Day the last jump

paratroopers are known for their checklist and at the top of former paratrooper Jim peewee Martin's list coming back to France for this d-day anniversary was taking the opportunity to make one more parachute jump over Normandy and so with young servicemen and women a third his age Martin suited up and prepared to board a c-47 not much different than the one he boarded in England almost exactly 70 years ago to the hour just a helmet from dumb Francis was next to you when he was a yeah my name is God like his old comrades from the 101st airborne Martin first parachuted into Normandy a dark night with enemy soldiers shooting at it everybody is scared all the time anybody tells you it's full of crack but you just do what you have to do regardless of it that's the difference at private Martin did what he had to do with the 101st right up until the end of the war that's one of my original jackets right here but if he wanted to come back one more time to the spot where he was part of history it was not to see the relics of his past or wallow in glory you know people think you come back and you're all emotional about it I'm not that way about it I enjoy the people but I am kind of humbled and embarrassed with the adulation because I don't feel we did anything that we weren't supposed to do or anything exceptional no it wasn't for the glory if Jim Martin was back in Normandy it was because of that harrowing historical time that permanently bonded together all those who shared in it a chance to honor those who will not be coming back and a chance for those still alive to savor the fact that they are I'm ready to see you Jeff it's a witness that for the world a moment all members of the 101st from back then would love to share because if Martin was going to be the last of this generation departured into Normandy well this was one for the team music thank you fight yep hey don't you go there again you did a t-shirt alright yeah I did you ready I'm very lucky I see it's a man Jack why what made me do today a little bit of ego because I'm 93 and I can still do it and also I just wanted to show all the people that you don't have to sit and dive just because you get old jim bittermann CNN Normandy

Channel: D-DAY EXPERIENCE, Saint-Côme-du-Mont

Views: 494,261

Rating: 4.9345527 out of 5

Keywords: Normandy Landings (Military Conflict), World War II (Military Conflict), 70ème Anniversaire du Débarquement en Normandie

Id: waG2yWYrvos

Length: 2min 53sec (173 seconds)

Published: Mon Jun 23 2014

Reddit Comments

[u/dmiller6590]

"I wanted to show all the people you don't need to just sit and die because you're old" I love it.