On Pearl Harbor Day, a group of top-tier skydivers achieved a remarkable feat by unfurling a massive 3,200-square-foot American flag during a freefall over Arizona. This impressive display nearly doubled the size of the previous record set by Libya and is now on its way to being recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records.
Libya had previously set the record on October 5, 2025, over the skies of Benghazi with what was then the largest flag flown in freefall.
Motivated by the Libyan achievement, retired U.S. Army Ranger Jariko Denman reached out to entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to propose an attempt to reclaim the record for the United States.
Denman recounted to Fox News Digital how he first came across the Libyan jump on social media, which sparked his interest. He reposted it with the question, “Who’s down to break this record?” This call to action initiated the project.
During the record-setting attempt in Arizona on December 7, 2025, the skydivers carried the enormous American flag while jumping from a Vietnam-era Huey helicopter. Their mission was to reclaim the freefall flag record from Libya. (Photo Credit: Perspective Strategies)
Denman and Isaacman assembled a talented team, including professionals from Skydive Arizona and Skydive Chicago. Among them was Hall of Fame skydiver Rook Nelson. The team also featured veterans like Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., along with Steve Curtis and Nick Kush, who all contributed to the successful endeavor.
The record attempt took place on Dec. 7, 2025, in Eloy, Arizona, one of the country’s major skydiving hubs.
He said the team selected the date based on scheduling availability.
Team members hold the fully opened 3,200-square-foot American flag on the ground. (Credit: Perspective Strategies)
Jumping from a Vietnam-era Huey at about 10,000 feet, the team deployed a 3,200-square-foot American flag – almost twice the size of the Libyan flag.
Denman said no one had ever attempted to fly a flag of this size before, creating “a lot of unknowns” and making the record-setting jump “a pretty scary one.”
According to the team, the jump was certified and will be submitted to the Guinness Book of World Records.
Members of the skydiving team gathered for a group photo in Arizona during a world-record freefall attempt on Dec. 7, 2025. (Credit: Perspective Strategies)
Only the most experienced members of the group handled the flag in freefall due to the technical demands and risks involved.
Denman noted that the size and weight of the flag, coming in at 170 pounds, introduced “a lot of extraneous dangers to mitigate,” adding that the team had to account for risks not previously encountered in any similar jump.
He also credited the technical team for making the attempt possible, saying, “It was my idea, but Steve Curtis did the brunt of the work. And Sterling Becklin engineered the whole system from nothing. I’m really proud of what the team pulled off.”
Denman, Isaacman and Sheehy participated in the jump but did not control the flag itself. A ground crew supported the operation, and all personnel and equipment landed safely.
Sheehy said he viewed the effort as both a team accomplishment and a symbolic one.
“I was honored to be part of the incredible team of veterans, SEALs, Army Rangers, and some of the best skydivers in the world who returned the world record for the largest flag ever parachuted out of an aircraft back to the United States,” he said. “There’s no question about it: this record belongs on American soil, and setting it alongside this great team of patriots is a fitting way to kick off the celebration for 250 years of American independence next year.”
