{"id":70777,"date":"2024-06-02T15:33:05","date_gmt":"2024-06-02T15:33:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T15:26:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:26:34","slug":"parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/","title":{"rendered":"Parachute jump over Normandy kicks off D-Day 80th anniversary"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">CARENTAN-LES-MARAIS, France \u2014 Parachutists jumping from World War II-era planes hurled themselves Sunday into now peaceful Normandy skies where war once raged, heralding a week of ceremonies for the fast-disappearing generation of Allied troops who <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/france-dday-veteran-liberation-anniversary-normandy-landings-9c2730a7d7fbbc0c80793b176b9c8bb4\" target=\"_blank\">fought from D-Day beaches<\/a> 80 years ago to Adolf Hitler\u2019s fall, helping free Europe of his tyranny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All along the Normandy coastline \u2014 where then-young soldiers from across the United States, Britain, Canada and other Allied nations waded ashore through hails of fire on five beaches on June 6, 1944 \u2014 French officials, grateful Normandy survivors and other admirers are saying \u201cmerci\u201d but also goodbye.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/2024\/05\/30\/wwii-vet-says-greatest-generation-fits-because-we-saved-the-world\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP24149586382607.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">WWII vet says \u2018greatest generation\u2019 fits because \u2018we saved the world\u2019<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">100-year-old WWII vet Andy Negra Jr. proudly lays claim to being among the last of what is known as \u201cThe Greatest Generation.\u201d<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ever-dwindling number of veterans in their late nineties and older who are <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/video\/vietnam-dallas-veterans-iraq-afghanistan-84c5046a915a44f581783d98959670c1\" target=\"_blank\">coming back to remember fallen friends<\/a> and their history-changing exploits are the last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Part of the purpose of fireworks shows, parachute jumps, solemn commemorations and ceremonies that world leaders will attend this week is to pass the baton of remembrance to the current generations now seeing <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/russia-ukraine\" target=\"_blank\">war again in Europe in Ukraine<\/a>. U.S. President <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/france-us-biden-state-visit-dday-447321bddf0c5ad464d61d2d82b12372\" target=\"_blank\">Joe Biden<\/a>, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and British royals are among the VIPs that France is expecting for the D-Day events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Sunday, three C-47 transport planes, a workhorse of the war, dropped three long strings of jumpers, their round chutes mushrooming open in the blue skies with puffy white clouds, to whoops from the huge crowd that was regaled by tunes from Glenn Miller and Edith Piaf as they waited.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/2024\/05\/28\/he-saw-dachaus-horrors-now-this-vet-warns-against-holocaust-denial\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"201\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP24116519526961.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">He saw Dachau\u2019s horrors \u2014 now, this vet warns against Holocaust denial<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">100-year-old WWII vet Hilbert Margol was a part of the 42nd Infantry Division that liberated the Dachau concentration camp on April 29, 1945.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The planes looped around and dropped another three sticks of jumpers. Some of the loudest applause from the crowd arose when a startled deer pounced from the undergrowth as the jumpers were landing and sprinted across the landing zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After a final pass to drop two last jumpers, the planes then roared overhead in close formation and disappeared over the horizon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dozens of <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/france-dday-veteran-liberation-anniversary-normandy-landings-9c2730a7d7fbbc0c80793b176b9c8bb4\">World War II veterans<\/a> are converging on France to revisit old memories, make new ones, and hammer home a message that survivors of D-Day and the ensuing Battle of Normandy, and of other World War II theaters, have repeated time and time again \u2014 that war is hell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSeven thousand of my Marine buddies were killed. Twenty thousand shot up, wounded, put on ships, buried at sea,\u201d said Don Graves, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served in Iwo Jima in the Pacific theater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI want the younger people, the younger generation here to know what we did,\u201d said Graves, part of a group of more than 60 World War II veterans who flew into Paris on Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The youngest veteran in the group is 96 and the most senior 107, according to their carrier from Dallas, American Airlines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe did our job and we came home and that\u2019s it. We never talked about it I think. For 70 years I didn\u2019t talk about it,\u201d said another of the veterans, Ralph Goldsticker, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/item\/afc2001001.82988\/#item-service_history\" target=\"_blank\">a U.S. Air Force captain<\/a> who served in the 452nd Bomb Group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of the D-Day landings, he recalled seeing from his aircraft \u201ca big, big chunk of the beach with thousands of vessels,\u201d and spoke of bombing raids against German strongholds and routes that German forces might otherwise have used to rush in reinforcements to push the invasion back into the sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI dropped my first bomb at 06:58 a.m. in a heavy gun placement,\u201d he said. \u201cWe went back home, we landed at 09:30. We reloaded.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>Associated Press writer Jeffrey Schaeffer in Paris contributed to this report.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WWII vets are converging on France to revisit old memories, make new ones and hammer home a message D-Day survivors have repeated time and time again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":108376,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":91,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,91,25,19],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3155],"class_list":["post-70777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-military-history","category-newsletters","category-veterans"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"3VCYQYOJDRA5JBCQ2IGCGCJEPI","arc_canonical_url":"\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Parachute jump over Normandy kicks off D-Day 80th anniversary - Marine Corps Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"WWII vets are converging on France to revisit old memories, make new ones and hammer home a message D-Day survivors have repeated time and time again.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Parachute jump over Normandy kicks off D-Day 80th anniversary\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"WWII vets are converging on France to revisit old memories, make new ones and hammer home a message D-Day survivors have repeated time and time again.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Marine Corps Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-06-02T15:33:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T15:26:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"John Leicester, The Associated Press\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"John Leicester, The Associated Press\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/02\\\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\\\/#article\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/02\\\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"author\": {\n\t                \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"headline\": \"Parachute jump over Normandy kicks off D-Day 80th anniversary\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2024-06-02T15:33:05+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T15:26:34+00:00\",\n\t            \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/02\\\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"wordCount\": 574,\n\t            \"commentCount\": 0,\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/02\\\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/AP24153452480467.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"articleSection\": [\n\t                \"Daily News Roundup\",\n\t                \"Military History\",\n\t                \"Newsletters\",\n\t                \"Veterans\"\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"CommentAction\",\n\t                    \"name\": \"Comment\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/02\\\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\\\/#respond\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/02\\\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\\\/\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/02\\\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Parachute jump over Normandy kicks off D-Day 80th anniversary - Marine Corps Times\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#website\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"primaryImageOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/02\\\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/02\\\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/AP24153452480467.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2024-06-02T15:33:05+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T15:26:34+00:00\",\n\t            \"description\": \"WWII vets are converging on France to revisit old memories, make new ones and hammer home a message D-Day survivors have repeated time and time again.\",\n\t            \"breadcrumb\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/02\\\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\\\/#breadcrumb\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ReadAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/02\\\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\\\/\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/02\\\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\\\/#primaryimage\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/AP24153452480467.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/AP24153452480467.jpg.jpg\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2024\\\/06\\\/02\\\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\\\/#breadcrumb\",\n\t            \"itemListElement\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 1,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Home\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"home\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 2,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Military History\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"military-history\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 3,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Parachute jump over Normandy kicks off D-Day 80th anniversary\"\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebSite\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#website\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Marine Corps Times\",\n\t            \"description\": \"Marine Corps - Independent News For Marines | Marine Corps Times\",\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"SearchAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"EntryPoint\",\n\t                        \"urlTemplate\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"\n\t                    },\n\t                    \"query-input\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"PropertyValueSpecification\",\n\t                        \"valueRequired\": true,\n\t                        \"valueName\": \"search_term_string\"\n\t                    }\n\t                }\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#organization\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Marine Corps Times\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/\",\n\t            \"logo\": {\n\t                \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t                \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\n\t                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/marine-logo-white.png\",\n\t                \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/marine-logo-white.png\",\n\t                \"caption\": \"Marine Corps Times\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"\n\t            }\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\",\n\t            \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t                \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec\",\n\t                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t                \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t                \"caption\": \"migration\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/marinecorpstimes\\\/author\\\/migration\\\/\"\n\t        }\n\t    ]\n\t}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Parachute jump over Normandy kicks off D-Day 80th anniversary - Marine Corps Times","description":"WWII vets are converging on France to revisit old memories, make new ones and hammer home a message D-Day survivors have repeated time and time again.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Parachute jump over Normandy kicks off D-Day 80th anniversary","og_description":"WWII vets are converging on France to revisit old memories, make new ones and hammer home a message D-Day survivors have repeated time and time again.","og_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/","og_site_name":"Marine Corps Times","article_published_time":"2024-06-02T15:33:05+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-08-08T15:26:34+00:00","author":"John Leicester, The Associated Press","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"John Leicester, The Associated Press","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/"},"author":{"name":"migration","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1"},"headline":"Parachute jump over Normandy kicks off D-Day 80th anniversary","datePublished":"2024-06-02T15:33:05+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-08T15:26:34+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/"},"wordCount":574,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP24153452480467.jpg.jpg","articleSection":["Daily News Roundup","Military History","Newsletters","Veterans"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/","name":"Parachute jump over Normandy kicks off D-Day 80th anniversary - Marine Corps Times","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP24153452480467.jpg.jpg","datePublished":"2024-06-02T15:33:05+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-08T15:26:34+00:00","description":"WWII vets are converging on France to revisit old memories, make new ones and hammer home a message D-Day survivors have repeated time and time again.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP24153452480467.jpg.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP24153452480467.jpg.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2024\/06\/02\/parachute-jump-over-normandy-kicks-off-d-day-80th-anniversary\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/","ad_zone":"home"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Military History","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/veterans\/military-history\/","ad_zone":"military-history"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Parachute jump over Normandy kicks off D-Day 80th anniversary"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#website","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/","name":"Marine Corps Times","description":"Marine Corps - Independent News For Marines | Marine Corps Times","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#organization","name":"Marine Corps Times","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/marine-logo-white.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/marine-logo-white.png","caption":"Marine Corps Times"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1","name":"migration","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"migration"},"url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/author\/migration\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP24153452480467.jpg.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Marine Corps Times","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70777","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70777"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70777\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":91848,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70777\/revisions\/91848"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70777"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70777"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=70777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}