70 years later, D-Day vet Jim 'Pee Wee' Martin jumps again! Jim Pee Wee Martin au Centre Historique des Parachutistes du Jour-J (Dead Man's Corner Museum) lors des commémorations du 70e Anniversaire du Débarquement en Normandie.
And to think the last time he did it, it was in the pitch black of night, with fireworks going off all around him. And by fireworks, I mean tracer rounds going everywhere, including through their chutes, and flak from the AA guns exploding in their ear drums. Not to mention the tens of thousands of German soldiers on the ground literally everywhere, and fields that were flooded and essentially turned into retention ponds.. meaning if you landed in one, you drowned. No matter where you landed, there was enemy surrounding you, hell bent on killing you. And the majority of them landed no where near their intended drop zones. I try to imagine just what was going through the minds of these men as they were falling into normandy that night. It's impossible. You can't. And then he has the nerves to come back as a 93 year old man, and jump out of a "perfectly good airplane" just because he can. What a great man.
FiftyOne Well spoken! ''None are closer to the very author of sacrifice Himself... Than those who choose to peform it for the very sake of others.'' -former recondo sgt.''rock'' 82nd abn. 11b4p 1/504 inf. '71-'74 7218
I loved both quotes "if someone says they're not scared, they're full of crap. it's when you do what you're supposed to do regardless of it that makes the difference." "you don't have to sit and die just because you get old."
A lot of these heroes never say they were heroes, but instead they say they were surrounded by heroes. They think of themselves as a normal person put through the grinder, but hold their brothers/sisters in high esteem.
I spent 3 years in the US Army 82nd Airborne Division and this Screaming Eagle epitomizes everything it means to be a paratrooper. 92 years old and his knees are still in the breeze under a canopy. Airborne all the way, sir!
Bracket & FFE on that one Brother in Arms! ''None are closer to the very author of sacrifice Himself... Than those who choose to peform it for the very sake of others.'' -former recondo sgt. ''rock'' gilpin 82nd abn. 11b4p 1/504 inf. '71-'74 7218
Since all the Easy Company's members passed away, I wonder if there are still some surviving world war II veterans from the 82nd division and also from the other companies from the 506th regiment such as Dog campany, Abel company, Fox company
I have the honor of calling Jimmy my Friend since we met in Toccoa in 2001, he is without a doubt one of the greatest generation that this country will ever produce.
@@andrewpestotnik5495 and an apple is just a fruit, your point? like hes so clearly talking about not wasting your life the older you get not about fucking some child, like get a grip bro
Back then unfortunately it seemed like a lot more knew what the flag stood for and I’m talking about the stars and stripes thanks to all those military men and women
These are and will always be great men! Reminds me of the first time I met my buddy's uncle who was US Navy SEAL...said if "if you don't shit or piss yourself your first fire fight you're a liar"
My great-grandfather was 101st airborne, he was deployed on Normandy Beach and the Ardennes Offensive. I'm not sure what regiment he was in, though. He died in 2009, when I was about four years old. I still have his 101st insignia.
''None are closer to the very author of sacrifice Himself... Than those who choose to peform it for the very sake of others.'' -former recondo sgt.''rock'' 82nd abn. 11b4p 1/504 inf. '71-'74 7218
God bless that generation my father was in World War II two purple hearts Bronze Star Oak Leaf cluster he said we had a job to is names on the World War II Memorial John S. C a l ECA
"because in their youth their hearts were touched with fire", Oliver Wendell Holmes. That's from a different war but also a nightmare. They don't want to relive the terror and blood and cold and mud. They want to honor their friends who didn't make it back, and remember the occasional good times like being on leave and having a drink with their comrades...
SethKimmel; Righteous be thy word & fact. ''For None are closer to the very author of sacrifice Himself... Than those who choose to peform it for the very sake of others.'' -former recondo sgt.''rock'' 82nd abn. 11b4p 1/504 inf. '71-'74 7218
What a real man I bet he never identified as a woman or cried if anyone swore at him or was taught to be gender fluid by his parents ,the world has gone mad .I say it again what a real man .
I dont have to sit and die because I get old! Wow this was THE greatest generation, grandfather was S1 in the navy all 5 years involved what he did...not told and unknown. My old man wont submit a simple form to the navy to find out. Anyone the knew a Stanley Panek, please speak up. My Uncle, 69-71, Vietnam, started with an M14, soon swapped 5 months in for an M16, he heard the cracking of shells, mortar fire, anything to repel us from an unworthy political cause, in fact he was spat on, just for not taking the 2nd option. Canada. What shame to rise when you are not inspired to enlist bud the call and devotion to duty I call it. He describes it as staying alive which I believe are hand in hand. These vets are just as heroes as those that fell alongside them. They had the same risk, quick prep, and devotion to duty. That makes them no less a hero that made them lucky by chance Hans needed another belt for Hitler's buzzsaw. Turned out he wasn't the greatest builder of fortifications after all! SOME SAY THIS WAS THE GREATEST GENERATION...I AGREE. TO A PONT. I FIRMLY BELIEVE EVERYONE SERVED IN OUR ARMED FORCES ENGAGED OR NOT, ARE THE GREATEST OF THEIR GENERATION!!!
