LV man, 83, others make jump into Normandy

Tuesday, June 8, 2004 | 10:03 a.m.

SUN STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

SAINTE-MERE-E-GLISE, France -- Sixty years after the D-Day invasion, six U.S. veterans of World War II , including a Las Vegas man, parachuted into Normandy in a re-enactment of their bold wartime mission.

But as late as Sunday night Las Vegan Dick Case, 83, and the others had not been sure they would be allowed to perform their leap of faith, said a Las Vegas man who spearheaded efforts to raise funds and awareness for the jumpers.

"They jumped at 1400 hours (2 p.m. Monday) -- everything went well, no one got injured," said Bob McCaffery, chairman of Friends of D-Day 2004 in Las Vegas. "They are all just elated over the jump and have been celebrating it.

"They faced opposition against the jump from some local officials right up to midnight Sunday."

The octogenarian jumpers were forced to jump a day after the 60th anniversary of D-Day because the U.S. military would not permit them to participate in any of the four U.S.-sponsored events Saturday and Sunday in Normandy.

The concern was that, because of their age, the risk of injury was too great and that any mishap would put a damper on the festivities, U.S. military officials said.

"We did this at the 50th anniversary, but they didn't want us to do it this year because of security," Case said before he left for France. "I remember the night of June 5th and 6th in 1944. When I jumped over the villages of Normandy. I was shaking like a leaf."

Case plans to return to Las Vegas Thursday, McCaffery said.

The former paratroopers went to Normandy for a weekend of commemorative events.

Hundreds of people turned out Monday near Sainte-Mere-Eglise, the first French town to be liberated during World War II, to watch them jump safely to the ground. Under blue skies, the veterans jumped from a Twin Otter aircraft at a height of about 4,600 feet and landed in La Fiere.

"This is a great feeling to have been able to realize a jump that will certainly be the last of our lives," said Carl Beck, 79, of Atlanta. "And with the crowd, it was just magic."

After the veterans of the 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions were refused permission to jump by their own government, French President Jacques Chirac intervened on their behalf for Monday's jump.

"Authorization reached us Sunday night very late," said Col. Pierre Collard, who organized the jump. "This was an immense pleasure because the six survivors will certainly be the last to jump here in Normandy."

Sun reporter Ed Koch and the Associated Press contributed to this story.