MEMORIAL DAY-FLY OVER-SALUTE TO VETERANS AND FRONTLINE COVID-19 HEALTH CARE WORKERS
WWII Aircraft to Perform Memorial Day Honor Flight over Southern California
18 historic warbirds will salute veterans and frontline health care workers in “Operation Social Strong”
(Riverside, CA, May 25, 2020) – On Monday, May 25, the Commemorative Air Force’s (CAF) Inland Empire Wing, based in Riverside, California, will be performing a Memorial Day flyover to honor all veterans and frontline Covid-19 health care workers. The 90-minute flyover begins at 12:00 p.m. PT over Loma Linda Medical Center and ends at Chino Airport. It will feature several World War II era aircraft and serves as a salute to all who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy today and honors the frontline Covid-19 health care worker heroes.
The 18-plane formation of historic warbirds will fly the skies above the Inland Empire, Orange County, and Los Angeles County areas on Memorial Day. The formation has 19 designated flyover locations, listed below in order of the planned itinerary, beginning at approximately noon PT and ending at approximately 1:30 p.m. PT: • Loma Linda University Medical Center • Riverside National Cemetery • Anaheim • St. Joseph Hospital, Tustin • John Wayne International Airport • Pacific View Memorial Park, Corona Del Mar • Newport Beach • Long Beach Veterans Administration Hospital • The Queen Mary • USS Iowa Memorial • Green Hills Memorial Park, Rancho Palos Verdes • Zamperini Airport, Torrance • Los Angeles International Airport • Santa Monica Airport • Los Angeles National Cemetery • UCLA Medical Center • USC Medical Center • City of Hope Hospital • Chino Municipal Airport.
“We’ll be doing 120 mph, a lot slower than previous recent flyovers,” said Commemorative Air Force Inland Empire Wing Operations Manager Bill Prosser. “We’ll be up there for 70 to 90 minutes. We’ll have smoke trails. We’ll be low, slow and loud.”
The lead aircraft CAF Inland Empire Wings D-Day Doll, a Douglas C-53D manufactured in 1943 to carry paratroopers and cargo in World War II, will lead the formation. It will host veterans from WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraqi Freedom onboard as special guests of honor during the flight. Additionally, the CAF’s goal is to signal to all Southern Californian’s to remain vigilant during these challenging times as past generations have and to say thank you to those on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic.
The following aircraft have agreed to participate, but due to factors such as weather or mechanical issues, participating aircraft and schedules are subject to change without notice: • D-Day Doll • Flabob Express • Palm Springs Air Museum • Spirit of Benovia • Betsy’s Biscuit Bomber • Condor Squadron • Lyon’s Museum
Those across Southern California are invited to participate by heading outside and looking up from 12:00-1:30 p.m. PT. Share your photos with #LOOKUP, or follow the flight via flightaware N45366.
