On May 31, 2024, two members of the Tomahawk team, Peter O’Connell and Joseph Collins, flew out of the US with their families to France to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the World War 2 D-Day landings in the hallowed grounds of Normandy. The trip wasn’t only about attending the memorial or having a summer vacation with their families. It was about teaching their children about sacrifice, commitment, honor, bravery, and loss. In particular, the sacrifice made by the men who parachuted in and landed on the beaches 80 years before.
Collins, a former US Marine and Paratrooper in the 101st Airborne, is also a member of the US WW2 Airborne Demonstration team in his spare time. The Airborne Demonstration team’s mission is to keep the history of the Airborne landings alive by recreating the jumps that the 82nd and 101st Airborne made on D-Day. During their time in Normandy, the team planned to make three jumps from a WW2 C-47 aircraft, the same one used the night of June 6, 1944. Even though Normandy weather can sometimes be four seasons in one day and the winds aren’t always favorable for parachuting, they managed to get all three jumps into Normandy. The first two jumps were into Saint Marie Du Mont and the third into Graignes. Both areas were pivotal to the Allies and the 13,000 Airborne troops from the 82nd and 101st Airborne who jumped that night during the invasion.
The demonstration team takes their recreation of the events very seriously, all the way down to the equipment, the jump, and the authentic 1944 uniforms they wear. When asked if he could jump in some items for Tomahawk Charitable Solutions, Collins said yes without hesitation. Even though the space in his jump equipment was limited, Joseph jumped in a US flag (Old Glory) and a Tomahawk Performance Crosswind jacket. Both items will be available at the silent auction at the Tomahawk Charitable Solutions event in Nashville this November. We want to thank Joe and his family for this amazing contribution and, more importantly, for honoring the monumental and courageous actions of the Americans who landed in France on June 6, 1944.