Patriot Brief
• What Happened: U.S. veterans and skydivers flew a 3,200-square-foot American flag in freefall, toppling Libya’s record.
• Why It Matters: The daring Pearl Harbor Day jump reclaimed a world title and honored American resilience.
• Bottom Line: The record is certified and headed to Guinness, putting the victory back in American hands.
On Pearl Harbor Day, an American team of elite skydivers reclaimed a global record in spectacular fashion, flying a massive 3,200-square-foot U.S. flag during freefall over the Arizona desert. The certified jump, nearly twice the size of Libya’s recent attempt, is now headed for the Guinness Book of World Records.
NEW: Group of American skydivers reclaim world record for the largest flag flown in free fall just months after the record was broken by Libya.
The jump was organized by retired U.S. Army Ranger Jariko Denman and soon to be NASA head Jared Isaacman.
The group was seen flying… pic.twitter.com/Xmc3LYQ5D5
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 10, 2025
Libya previously set the record on Oct. 5, 2025, after deploying the then-largest freefall flag over Benghazi. When retired U.S. Army Ranger Jariko Denman saw the footage online, he immediately threw down the challenge. He reposted the video with the caption, “Who’s down to break this record?” sparking a mission to bring the title back to American soil.
Denman teamed up with entrepreneur and pilot Jared Isaacman, assembling a powerhouse roster that included skydiving legends from Skydive Arizona and Skydive Chicago, Hall of Famer Rook Nelson, and veterans Sen. Tim Sheehy, Steve Curtis and Nick Kush.
The record attempt took place on December 7, 2025, in Eloy, Arizona — one of the top skydiving hubs in the country. The team jumped from a Vietnam-era Huey at roughly 10,000 feet and deployed the gigantic American flag in freefall.
Flying a flag of this magnitude brought major risks. Denman said no one had ever attempted anything close to this size, calling it “a lot of unknowns” and admitting the jump was “a pretty scary one.”
Despite the challenges, the team pulled it off. The jump has been officially certified and will now be submitted to Guinness World Records, returning the title to the United States on a day of profound historical meaning.