80-year-old veterans take to the skies for repeat of jump

DEFYING age and the advice of local authorities, six US World War II veterans yesterday parachuted into this northern French village with youthful vigour to remember the invasion of Normandy 60 years ago.

On D-Day, four of the octogenarian veterans had parachuted into Sainte-Mere-Eglise, one of the first villages to be captured by the invading Allied troops.

Sixty years on, on a glorious summer afternoon, the six parachutes unfurled against the sky and all the veterans landed safely to the rousing applause of the hundreds of onlookers.

“I feel tremendous. Toujours terrific,” Tom Morrison, a veteran of the original raid, told the crowd after landing his chute just metres away from the centre of the target.

“It’s a pleasure to jump for you and represent all the airborne forces and all the forces who did not get back,” he added, before yelling at journalists to stop treading on his parachute.

But obtaining permission for the jump had proved a tricky task, with the local authorities unwilling to allow the veterans to risk life and limb over their region.

However, last minute intervention from French Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie allowed the jump to go ahead even though officials were somewhat jumpy on the day.

All those who took part in Monday’s jump had presented medical certificates stating they were in good health and an orthopaedic surgeon was on standby, as well as ambulances and firemen.