By W. Thomas Smith, Jr., Richland County Sheriff’s Department
Richland County Sheriff’s Department Reserve Deputy Paul Waldner was in France last week as part of a contingent of parachutists jumping over Normandy during the 75th anniversary commemoration of the D-Day landings and Battle of Normandy.
Waldner and other civilian and military parachutists were specifically honoring the American and British paratroopers who began jumping just after midnight June 6, 1944, before the seaborne landings that took place a few hours later that morning.
Waldner also jumped over Normandy last year.
As a reserve deputy, Waldner serves on RCSD’s Special Response (SWAT) Team.