jim bittermann has this story. >> reporter: paratroopers are known for their checklists.nd at the top of former paratrooper peewee martin's list was taking the opportunity to make one more jump over normandy. and so with young servicemen and women a third of his age, he suited up and prepared to board a c-47 not much different than the one he boarded almost exactly 70 years ago to the hour. >> just the helmet from don francis. >> like his old comrade, martin first parachuted into normandy a dark night with the enemy shooting at him. >> everybody was scared all the time. anybody that tells you isn't is full of crap. but you do what you to have to. that's one of my original jackets right here. >> reporter: but if he wanted to come back one more time to the spot where he was part of history, it was not to see the relics of his past or wallow in glory. >> people think you come back and you're all emotional about it. i'm not that way about it. i enjoy the people. but i am kind of humbled and embarrassed with the adulations because i don't think we did anything we weren't suppo

jim bittermann is near the shores of gold beach right now in france. and just remarkable to be there, jim, on any day is to be overwhelmed by the significance of where you are on the map and what happened there, but today, 70 years, it's even more so. >> reporter: well, exactly, that's right, christine. in fact, we're about halfway along these beaches, 60 miles of beaches where the landings took place, and here at aromange, this is the site of the artificial harbor that was built. just to give you an idea of the kind of thing they had to plan for, they weren't going to take after the disasters of 1942, they were not going to take any of the harbors, the natural harbors that they could have along the coast. they were worried about doing that. so, they brought these artificial harbors like this one here, created out of gigantic, floating concrete casons, which were floated across the channel from england and were sunk here and from which they made a break water and then were able to make a pier that would bring in all the vehicles and what not that they n

cnn's jim bittermann is in france with a preview of what to expect this week. >> reporter: randi, friday the big day here in france for the 70th anniversary of d-day. something of a test for french diplomats because in addition to inviting the heads of state of the former allied powers like president barack obama and queen elizabeth, the french have invited vladimir putin, the russian president, who is being shunned by the rest of the leaders because he sent troops to invade the ukraine and just adding to the diplomatic delicacy is the fact that they've invited petro poroshenko, the newly elected leader of the ukraine. it could be a diplomatic opportunity as well. apart from that, there will be nearly a thousand world war ii veteran here's for the big commemorations which would include air shows, mock invasions and a huge fireworks display up and down the normandy coast. >> thank you, jim. be sure to watch our special coverage of d-day right here on cnn. no horse, by the way, turning now to horse news. no horse has won the triple crown since 1978, but that could change this saturday at t

jim bittermann, cnn, france. >>> we have this just in to cnn. violence to report in eastern ukraine. the ukrainian state border guard says one of their border guard is under attack by hundreds of militants. the assault is ongoing with seven border guards wounded but so far no fatalities. >>> we want to look at the weather now. another round of severe weather for part of europe and another hot day for northeast asia. >> deja vu. let's go to ivan with the cnn -- >> or dodge him depending on -- >> for brisbane -- >> no one was watching last hour. >> no, not at all. >> move on. >> indeed. >> practicing. >> yes. all right. we will move on indeed. >> try to remember my self-esteem. >> all right. >>> let's check in on rainfall here. it is deja vu. in fact, for eastern europe because the low has not moved, it has been in the same spot for the last several days. look what it's done. some of the rainfall tallies here, 45 millimeters in parts of romania, ukraine at 38. 62. these are not blockbuster numbers here, but nevertheless, it's been raining. these a

jim bittermann has his story. for their checklists.and at the top of former paratrooper jim "pee wee" martin's list coming back to france for this d day anniversary.was taking the opportunity to make one more parachute jump over normandy. and so with young servicemen and women a third his age martin suited up and prepared to board a c-47 not much different than the one he boarded in england almost exactly 70 years ago to the hour. because if martin was going to be the last of his generation to parachute into normandy.well this was one for the team. given and services go was robbed after meeting a woman three dating service. he met up with a woman to other men showed up with the gun and demanded his belongings he handed over a cellphone and wallace in a takeoff and a black sedan. the police track down the security vehvehicle and a tame five peop >>: local helps arthur runs. the doghouse and as work inspiring other rows patience is a missing more than 24 hours. but let let's let issuers return safely and the man who