Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) explained how Friday’s reenactment of the D-Day Normandy parachuting is meant to honor the U.S. soldiers who fought on that historic day, all of whom were part of “the greatest generation.”
The Florida lawmaker is one of 10 representatives, all of whom are U.S. veterans, who are recreating the parachuting on the beaches of Normandy on Friday, the day after the 80-year anniversary of the historic event in World War II. Mills explained that as a veteran, the meaning of D-Day holds great value to him, and this reenactment is his way of demonstrating to others what this event means in U.S. history.
“It’s an honor to be able to pay homage to the greatest generation that’s ever existed, to be able to be here, to be able to reenact some of the things they’ve gone through,” Mills said on Fox News’s The Story with Martha MacCallum. “As a paratrooper myself who has served in the 82nd, as a noncommissioned officer who’s led men, it means a lot to be able to be here because every single day, Americans should think about the fact that whether or not they’ve lived a life that’s worthy of the sacrifices by so many in order for us to be here.”
Mills added that the purpose of this reenactment is to carry the sacrifices of those who gave their lives on D-Day forward, as “the cost of freedom isn’t free.”
Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL) also reflected on the importance of the 80-year anniversary of D-Day, as this will likely be the last major anniversary that is celebrated with World War II veterans. He added that while there may be no more D-Day veterans who are still alive in the years to come, he and others are determined to keep the memory of their sacrifices remembered.
“But I have to tell you Martha, being here, I wish I could bring every graduating high school class in the country here to see this, to see how many sacrificed for their freedom so they can wake up breathing free air. But also to feel the gratitude of the French people,” Waltz said. “That’s always been the biggest and most pleasant surprise to me.”
The other representatives joining Mills and Waltz in this reenactment are Reps. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), Ronny Jackson (R-TX), Keith Self (R-TX), Jason Crow (D-CO), Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), Rich McCormick (R-GA), and Mark Green (R-TN).
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D-Day, which took place on June 6, 1944, in Normandy, France, marked the largest amphibious invasion in military history, with almost 160,000 Allied troops landing on the Normandy beaches. About 2,500 American soldiers died in the attack.
President Joe Biden joined other world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Britain’s King Charles III, in Normandy on Thursday to commemorate the landmark anniversary. In his speech, Biden warned against the spread of isolationism and spoke on the importance of preserving democracy for future generations.
