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U.S. American and French Armed Forces parachute together on D-Day 74th Anniversary
U.S. American and French Armed Forces celebrate and commemorate the 74th anniversary of D-Day in Djibouti, June 6, 2018. Both countries trained together in preparation for the jump, parachuting in remembrance and honor of our nations’ friendship and alliance. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Scott Jackson/Released)
Photo by: Senior Airman Scott Jackson
Photo 2 of 10
U.S. American and French Armed Forces parachute together on D-Day 74th Anniversary
U.S. American and French Armed Forces celebrate and commemorate the 74th anniversary of D-Day in Djibouti, June 6, 2018. Both countries trained together in preparation for the jump, parachuting in remembrance and honor of our nations’ friendship and alliance. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Scott Jackson/Released)
Photo by: Senior Airman Scott Jackson
Photo 3 of 10
U.S. American and French Armed Forces parachute together on D-Day 74th Anniversary
U.S. American and French Armed Forces celebrate and commemorate the 74th anniversary of D-Day in Djibouti, June 6, 2018. Both countries trained together in preparation for the jump, parachuting in remembrance and honor of our nations’ friendship and alliance. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Scott Jackson/Released)
Photo by: Senior Airman Scott Jackson
Photo 4 of 10
U.S. American and French Armed Forces parachute together on D-Day 74th Anniversary
U.S. American and French Armed Forces celebrate and commemorate the 74th anniversary of D-Day in Djibouti, June 6, 2018. Both countries trained together in preparation for the jump, parachuting in remembrance and honor of our nations’ friendship and alliance. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Scott Jackson/Released)
Photo by: Senior Airman Scott Jackson
Photo 5 of 10
U.S. American and French Armed Forces parachute together on D-Day 74th Anniversary
U.S. Navy Cmdr. Scott Higgins wears his French parachutist badge after jumping with the French on Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, June 6, 2018. Both countries trained together in preparation for the jump, parachuting in remembrance and honor of our nations’ friendship and alliance in World War II. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Scott Jackson/Released)
Photo by: Senior Airman Scott Jackson
Photo 6 of 10
U.S. American and French Armed Forces parachute together on D-Day 74th Anniversary
Marechal des Logis Chef Christophe, a jump master with the French Forces in Djibouti, demonstrates procedures to American parachutists at the 5th Arms Regiment Overseas base in Djibouti, June 3, 2018. Both countries trained together in preparation for the jump, parachuting in remembrance and in honor of our nations’ friendship and alliance. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Scott Jackson/Released)
Photo by: Senior Airman Scott Jackson
Photo 7 of 10
U.S. American and French Armed Forces parachute together on D-Day 74th Anniversary
Parachutists stand together for a photo after receiving French parachute static line training at the 5th Arms Regiment Overseas base in Djibouti, June 3, 2018. The countries trained together in preparation for the jump, parachuting in remembrance and honor of our nations’ friendship and alliance in World War II. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Scott Jackson/Released)
Photo by: Senior Airman Scott Jackson
Photo 8 of 10
U.S. American and French Armed Forces parachute together on D-Day 74th Anniversary
Marechal des Logis Chef Christophe, a jump master with the French Forces in Djibouti, demonstrates procedures to American parachutists at the 5th Arms Regiment Overseas base in Djibouti, June 3, 2018. Both countries trained together in preparation for the jump, parachuting in remembrance and honor of our nations’ friendship and alliance. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Scott Jackson/Released)
Photo by: Senior Airman Scott Jackson
Photo 9 of 10
U.S. American and French Armed Forces parachute together on D-Day 74th Anniversary
U.S. American and French Armed Forces celebrate and commemorate the 74th anniversary of D-Day in Djibouti, June 6, 2018. Both countries trained together in preparation for the jump, parachuting in remembrance and honor of our nations’ friendship and alliance. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Scott Jackson/Released)
Photo by: Senior Airman Scott Jackson
Photo 10 of 10
U.S. American and French Armed Forces parachute together on D-Day 74th Anniversary
U.S. American and French Armed Forces celebrate and commemorate the 74th anniversary of D-Day in Djibouti, June 6, 2018. Both countries trained together in preparation for the jump, parachuting in remembrance and honor of our nations’ friendship and alliance. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Scott Jackson/Released)
Photo by: Senior Airman Scott Jackson
In remembrance of the 74th anniversary of D-Day, U.S. and French Armed Forces parachuted together, June 6, 2018, symbolizing the bond and partnership between the two nations and their shared history.
After the French-hosted joint jump, six French parachutist badges were awarded to the American jumpers.
“The French invited us to participate in an airborne operation with them in order to continue relations and help and increase our ability to plan and execute missions together,” said Staff Sgt. Robert Hames, a supplier with the 404th Army Civil Affairs Battalion.
French jump masters and parachutists assisted eight American static line parachutists and 13 free-fall parachutists from French C-160 aircraft. The US jumpers were from the Army, Navy and Air Force.
In order to obtain the French Parachutist badge, the service members went through training from French Airborne school instructors and completed one jump with the French to obtain their wings.
Hames, having previously jumped with the French in 2014 and 2015 in Djibouti, helped to coordinate the jump, including vetting the jumpers to make sure they met the requirements, and coordinating the drop zone party and medical support.
In the afternoon, French jumpers came to Camp Lemonnier to participate in the presentation of the French parachute badges to the six Americans who jumped.
“Today this jump illustrates our partnership and our ability to work together with a common vision of training and cooperation,” said the Plans and Operations Director of French Forces in Djibouti, Lt. Col. Jean-Hugues. “We thank you for making this jump possible; long live the United States!”
