Kicker: D-Day parachuting

MEGAN BASHAM, HOST: 75 years ago, Tom Rice parachuted into Nazi-occupied France. He was 22. He’d gone in to disrupt German defenses before the sea invasion the following day.

Yesterday, he did it again. This time, he had no dangerous D-Day objective he had to meet. This time, it was in honor of a whole generation who had what it takes.

AUDIO: Beautiful jump. Beautiful flight. Everything was perfect.

Now 97, Rice lit on the same spot he’d landed all those years ago, almost to the hour.  He spoke of the hardship and destruction of the war, and the guilt survivors feel. He hopes these commemorative events bring closure and learning. Rice said, “I’d go up and do it all again.”

It’s The World and Everything In It.

(AP Photo) U.S. World War II D-Day veteran Tom Rice, from Coronado, CA, parachutes in a tandem jump into a field in Carentan, Normandy, France, Wednesday, June 5, 2019. 

WORLD Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of WORLD Radio programming is the audio record.