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93-year-old veteran parachutes into Normandy on D-Day anniversary

June 6, 2014

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Friday marks the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

While the country remembers D-Day, one 93-year-old veteran decided to honor that memory a little differently.

Jim "Pee Wee" Martin parachuted into Normandy 70 years ago, and said he wanted to suit up one more time.

>> WWII Veteran Jim Martin talks about his Normandy experience with the 101st Airborne

Martin was part of the U.S. 101st Airborne Division that parachuted down over Utah Beach in their bid to retake France, and, eventually, the rest of Europe from Nazi Germany. They actually touched down in enemy-controlled territory a night before what's referred to as D-Day.

"What made me do it today?   A little ego because I am 93 and I can still do it, and also, I just wanted to show all the people that you don't sit and die just because you get old," said Martin.

Martin said he was humbled because he didn't do anything exceptional, he just did what he was trained to do.

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