The US military’s elite flight teams will fly over New York City, Newark, Trenton and Philadelphia on Tuesday to salute health care workers, first responders, military and other essential workers.
“We are incredibly honored to have the opportunity to salute those working on the frontline of the COVID-19 response, we are in awe of your strength and resilience,” Cmdr. Brian Kesselring, US Navy Blue Angels commanding officer and flight leader, said in a
news release.
“Thank you to all of those in essential industries keeping our nation moving forward. We will get through this. We are all in this together.”
The coordinated flyover will begin over Newark and New York City around noon and will last for 35 minutes before moving on to Trenton for 10 minutes and Philadelphia for 20 minutes.
Residents are encouraged to watch the flyover from their yards or porches and to avoid gathering in groups.
The mission is one of many multi-city flyovers both demonstration teams will conduct in the next two weeks in areas of the country hit hardest by the coronavirus. The military is calling the collaborative salute “
America Strong.”
“We are truly excited to take to the skies with our Navy counterparts for a nation-wide tribute to the men and women keeping our communities safe,” US Air Force Lt. Col. John Caldwell, Thunderbird 1 and mission commander for the flyover, said in a
news release.“We hope to give Americans a touching display of American resolve that honors those serving on the frontline of our fight with COVID-19.”
The Thunderbirds also flew over
Las Vegas and
Colorado to celebrate health care workers and essential workers there in early April.
