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Military France
2020-05-26
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Pentagon plans to dispatch Blue Angels and Thunderbirds in coronavirus tribute
The Air Force's Thunderbirds squadron pays tribute to health-care workers and first responders with a flyover in Las Vegas this month.
The Air Force's Thunderbirds squadron pays tribute to health-care workers and first responders with a flyover in Las Vegas this month. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun/AP)
By
Dan Lamothe
April 23, 2020 at 8:37 a.m. GMT+7
The Pentagon is planning a multicity tour of the U.S. military’s top flight demonstration teams to “champion national unity” amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to senior U.S. officials and a memo obtained by The Washington Post.
The Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds, the demonstration squadrons for the Navy and Air Force, will fly over some cities together and others separately, according to the memo. The flyovers will take place in the next several weeks “to thank first responders, essential personnel, and military service members as we collectively battle the spread of COVID-19.”
President Trump announced the mission, named Operation America Strong, after it was reported by The Post on Wednesday afternoon. He said that the mission was “the idea of our great military men and women,” and will recognize health-care workers.
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“This is a tribute to them, to our warriors because they’re equal warriors to those incredible pilots and all of the fighters that we have for the more traditional fights that we win,” Trump said.
The mission was conceived by senior military officers in the Pentagon and is meant to be a nonpartisan show of resolve, said a senior U.S. military official, speaking on Wednesday before the president’s announcement. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the plan had not yet been announced.
“This is just a sincere thank-you,” the senior military official said. “It’s one way to acknowledge those who are pitching in.”
Sign up for our Coronavirus Updates newsletter to track the outbreak. All stories linked in the newsletter are free to access.
White House officials were briefed on the plan because of sensitivities about people gathering to watch amid the pandemic, the senior official said.
While Trump said Wednesday evening that “air shows” will be performed, the senior military official said that there would be no air shows, and that squadrons would perform flyovers. They will avoid flying over areas where people can congregate, the senior official said.
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The decision comes amid Trump’s frequent use of military symbolism to convey American strength, sometimes in controversial ways. On Independence Day, he oversaw a “Salute to America” in Washington that drew some criticism for its use of tanks but that ultimately mostly highlighted U.S. military history.
The use of the jets to show resolve could anger those frustrated with the administration’s struggles to find enough protective equipment for medical personnel. Flying the squadrons cost at least $60,000 per hour.
The Air Force's Thunderbirds squadron pays tribute to health-care workers and first responders with a flyover in Las Vegas this month.
The Air Force's Thunderbirds squadron pays tribute to health-care workers and first responders with a flyover in Las Vegas this month. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun/AP)
By
Dan Lamothe
April 23, 2020 at 8:37 a.m. GMT+7
The Pentagon is planning a multicity tour of the U.S. military’s top flight demonstration teams to “champion national unity” amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to senior U.S. officials and a memo obtained by The Washington Post.
The Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds, the demonstration squadrons for the Navy and Air Force, will fly over some cities together and others separately, according to the memo. The flyovers will take place in the next several weeks “to thank first responders, essential personnel, and military service members as we collectively battle the spread of COVID-19.”
President Trump announced the mission, named Operation America Strong, after it was reported by The Post on Wednesday afternoon. He said that the mission was “the idea of our great military men and women,” and will recognize health-care workers.
AD
“This is a tribute to them, to our warriors because they’re equal warriors to those incredible pilots and all of the fighters that we have for the more traditional fights that we win,” Trump said.
The mission was conceived by senior military officers in the Pentagon and is meant to be a nonpartisan show of resolve, said a senior U.S. military official, speaking on Wednesday before the president’s announcement. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the plan had not yet been announced.
“This is just a sincere thank-you,” the senior military official said. “It’s one way to acknowledge those who are pitching in.”
Sign up for our Coronavirus Updates newsletter to track the outbreak. All stories linked in the newsletter are free to access.
White House officials were briefed on the plan because of sensitivities about people gathering to watch amid the pandemic, the senior official said.
While Trump said Wednesday evening that “air shows” will be performed, the senior military official said that there would be no air shows, and that squadrons would perform flyovers. They will avoid flying over areas where people can congregate, the senior official said.
AD
The decision comes amid Trump’s frequent use of military symbolism to convey American strength, sometimes in controversial ways. On Independence Day, he oversaw a “Salute to America” in Washington that drew some criticism for its use of tanks but that ultimately mostly highlighted U.S. military history.
The use of the jets to show resolve could anger those frustrated with the administration’s struggles to find enough protective equipment for medical personnel. Flying the squadrons cost at least $60,000 per hour.
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