Double amputee vet to jump into Normandy for D-Day
Jon Harmon, a double above-knee amputee and former paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division, will jump into Normandy on June 7 as part of the 82nd anniversary D-Day commemoration. The jump will take place at La Fière at Sainte-Mère-Église, the same drop zone where paratroopers of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment fought during the 1944 invasion. Remarkably, the jump falls exactly 14 years after the day Harmon lost both legs to an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan's Kandahar Province while serving with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.
Harmon's injuries occurred during a patrol in June 2011 when he stepped on an IED while setting up a support-by-fire position. Within seconds, fellow soldier Private First Class Brandon Goodine stepped on a second device, and medics triggered a third while attempting to evacuate casualties. Goodine was killed instantly, and the unit suffered 10 to 12 casualties that day. After emergency surgeries in Afghanistan and Germany, Harmon was transported to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where doctors amputated his left leg above the knee. His right leg was already gone from the initial blast.
Following his recovery, Harmon became the first double above-knee amputee to return to active duty in the 82nd Airborne Division through the Army's Continuation on Active-Duty program. He served as the XVIII Airborne Corps liaison, helping wounded soldiers and their families navigate the challenges of severe combat injuries, until leaving the Army in 2020 to pursue higher education. His return to jumping came after Ramon Alvarez, an active-duty first sergeant at Fort Benning, Georgia, and co-founder of the WBS Charity Foundation, began recruiting veteran paratroopers for the Normandy anniversary ceremonies.
Harmon connected with the Liberty Jump Team, a commemorative parachute organization that preserves airborne history by performing World War II-style static-line jumps at historic sites and memorial events. Nearly 14 years after completing jump school, he began retraining on specialized short prosthetic legs designed for parachuting. During his first jump this past March, Harmon experienced what he described as catharsis, breaking down in tears after landing unscathed. He is believed to be the first double above-knee amputee to complete a static-line parachute jump and has now completed three jumps with prosthetics, bringing his total to 10.
For disabled veterans, Harmon's story illustrates the potential of adaptive equipment and specialized training to restore capabilities once thought permanently lost. The Army's Continuation on Active-Duty program, which enabled Harmon to return to service after catastrophic injuries, represents one pathway for severely wounded service members to continue contributing in meaningful roles. His subsequent work as a liaison helping other wounded soldiers demonstrates how combat-injured veterans can leverage their experiences to support others navigating the medical retirement and disability benefits system.
On June 7, Harmon will carry Brandon Goodine's necklace, lent to him by the fallen soldier's daughter, along with some of his grandfather's ashes and his original Army ID card. His wife, an active-duty soldier, has encouraged him to continue jumping after seeing the profound impact it has had on his well-being. Harmon noted he hasn't been this happy in years, underscoring the therapeutic value of reclaiming lost skills and honoring fallen comrades through meaningful action.
Disabled veterans interested in adaptive sports or commemorative military activities should explore organizations like the Liberty Jump Team and similar groups that specialize in making high-level physical activities accessible to amputees and other disabled veterans. Connecting with veteran service organizations and adaptive sports programs can provide information about available equipment, training opportunities, and events that honor military service while promoting physical and mental recovery. These programs often work closely with prosthetics specialists to develop equipment suited for demanding activities that many assume are no longer possible after severe injuries.