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Inspirational: The Normandy Warrior Fallen Again at 100 | Israel today

2021-08-16T09:14:37.597Z


Tom Rice jumped from a plane on the occasion of his round birthday, in memory of his friends who were killed in World War II • He said before the flight that he was not afraid: "I'm used to it" • View documentation


There are few more special ways than the way Tom Rice decided to celebrate his birthday - jumping from a plane at a huge height and falling to the ground.

Late in the morning yesterday (Sunday) he boarded a plane only to take off from it in the skies of the city of San Diego and land safely on the ground.

Jumping from nearly 8,000 feet over Coronado, World War 2 Veteran Tom Rice brought in his 100th birthday like no other!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOM!

#tomrocks @ 10News pic.twitter.com/a4PFb71MIi

- Nia Watson 10news (@NiaWatsonTV) August 15, 2021

Rice is one of the few fighters left in the legendary 101st Paratroopers Unit, or officially called the 101st Airborne Division, which performed the parachute behind enemy lines the night before the invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944. This parachute, and the heroic operations of Unit 101 thereafter, in the war World War II, documented in the "Brothers in Arms" series by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.

Rice participated in many of the battles seen in the series, including the conquest of Hitler's Eagle's Nest.

Really cool to see Tom Rice, a distinguished American veteran, make a jump over Coronado on his 100th birthday today.

Really incredible.

#TeamTom pic.twitter.com/k2oFxtff4w

- Chris Carlin (@PeteIncaviglia) August 16, 2021

In 1944, when he parachuted with his friends beyond enemy lines, in one of the most heroic parachutes ever, Rice was 23. Even today, 77 years later, his acquaintances say he is remarkably sharp and has a clear memory of that landing.

"This parachute is in honor of all my friends many of whom have never been home. It is a recognition that they exist in our memory. As one of the only ones left from the operation I carry the weight of the entire division on my shoulders."

Really cool to see Tom Rice, a distinguished American veteran, make a jump over Coronado on his 100th birthday today.

Really incredible.

#TeamTom pic.twitter.com/k2oFxtff4w

- Chris Carlin (@PeteIncaviglia) August 16, 2021

Prior to the crash, Rice said he was not afraid.

"I'm used to it. I have a little anxiety, but I have a good paratrooper with me, who runs a parachute training center. We know what's going on and why, and we won't get in trouble."

He laughed and said: "Unlike the complicated and tense landing in France, here I am slipping on my butt in the sand."

Indeed, yesterday afternoon he slipped perfectly on the sand at the San Diego beach.

Have to share the event that I saw today.

Veteran Tom Rice, a former WW2 Paratrooper, celebrated his 100th birthday by jumping out of a plane and landing at the @delcoronado where I happened to be.

Here are a couple photos, one being from the interview for the news.

So inspiring!

pic.twitter.com/cwkyZeBJrA

- Peyton Zaletsky (@peytonzcourant) August 16, 2021

This is not the first time Rice has fallen in recent years. In 2019 he arrived in France and restored there the historic fall in Normandy. So he fell in the skies of Europe twice - the first time near the town of Carinthia and the second time in the Netherlands, above the town of Eindhoven where the unit's fighters operated.

Source: israelhayom

All news articles on 2021-08-16

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