2RHPZ
06-04-2004, 11:02 AM
June 02, 2004
WWII vets to parachute into Normandy ? even without DoD permission
Associated Press
CLEVELAND ? An area World War II paratrooper and 10 other veterans aren?t waiting for the Pentagon?s approval to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Allied invasion of France this month by parachuting into Normandy.Howard Greenberg, of Bay Village, and the veterans will re-enact the airborne invasion, but they will jump June 7, a day after D-Day.
?I am really looking forward to it,? said Greenberg, 79, who served with the 11th Airborne Division in the Pacific. ?Though we would rather jump on the anniversary, I think it?s important to send a message that a lot of Americans lost their lives over there on D-Day.?
They had hoped to be part of the anniversary in France on June 6, as they were at the 50th anniversary in 1994. But the Army decided last month that the parachute drop would be too dangerous for the veterans who all are in their 70s and 80s.
?The Army still wants no part of it, but the French government gave us the OK to jump on June 7, so that?s what we are going to do,? said Richard Mandich, president of the Return To Normandy Association. ?I have to admit it makes us feel like second-class citizens.?
Greenberg was among the group of veterans wanting to jump into Normandy 10 years ago who faced similar obstacles, but President Clinton allowed the 38 veterans to jump near Ste.-Mere-Eglise, the D-Day objective of the 82nd Airborne Division.
The upcoming jump also will be over Ste.-Mere-Eglise.
Greenberg and the other paratroopers leave Thursday for London.
?It?s our last chance to make this statement,? said Mandich. ?I don?t think we?ll be doing this jump on the 70th anniversary of D-Day.?
Mandich, of San Diego, said the group is short of the estimated $50,000 needed to pay for the tribute.
?We?ve raised $3,000 in cash and have a pledge to pay for the rental of an airplane and the parachutes,? he said. ?We?re hoping to raise the rest of the money to pay for airfare, hotels and expenses for the men. They will pay for the trip themselves and get reimbursed as we get in the funds.?
woot
WWII vets to parachute into Normandy ? even without DoD permission
Associated Press
CLEVELAND ? An area World War II paratrooper and 10 other veterans aren?t waiting for the Pentagon?s approval to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Allied invasion of France this month by parachuting into Normandy.Howard Greenberg, of Bay Village, and the veterans will re-enact the airborne invasion, but they will jump June 7, a day after D-Day.
?I am really looking forward to it,? said Greenberg, 79, who served with the 11th Airborne Division in the Pacific. ?Though we would rather jump on the anniversary, I think it?s important to send a message that a lot of Americans lost their lives over there on D-Day.?
They had hoped to be part of the anniversary in France on June 6, as they were at the 50th anniversary in 1994. But the Army decided last month that the parachute drop would be too dangerous for the veterans who all are in their 70s and 80s.
?The Army still wants no part of it, but the French government gave us the OK to jump on June 7, so that?s what we are going to do,? said Richard Mandich, president of the Return To Normandy Association. ?I have to admit it makes us feel like second-class citizens.?
Greenberg was among the group of veterans wanting to jump into Normandy 10 years ago who faced similar obstacles, but President Clinton allowed the 38 veterans to jump near Ste.-Mere-Eglise, the D-Day objective of the 82nd Airborne Division.
The upcoming jump also will be over Ste.-Mere-Eglise.
Greenberg and the other paratroopers leave Thursday for London.
?It?s our last chance to make this statement,? said Mandich. ?I don?t think we?ll be doing this jump on the 70th anniversary of D-Day.?
Mandich, of San Diego, said the group is short of the estimated $50,000 needed to pay for the tribute.
?We?ve raised $3,000 in cash and have a pledge to pay for the rental of an airplane and the parachutes,? he said. ?We?re hoping to raise the rest of the money to pay for airfare, hotels and expenses for the men. They will pay for the trip themselves and get reimbursed as we get in the funds.?
woot