Pentagon to send Blue Angels, Thunderbirds to honor essential workers during pandemic
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The famed Blue Angels and Thunderbirds will perform a multicity tour over the United States to honor health care workers and other essential employees during the coronavirus pandemic.
The air shows will occur over “America’s major cities and some of the cities that aren’t so major,” President Trump said this week.
Trump said the flyovers are part of a mission dubbed Operation America Strong.
Trump announces that Thunderbirds and Blue Angels will perform flyovers across the U.S. to honor medical workers https://t.co/7YJ3ZCvvfy pic.twitter.com/iDkTozs26p
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 23, 2020
According to a Pentagon memo sent to the Washington Post, the flyovers are scheduled over the course of the next several weeks.
“America Strong is a collaborative salute from the Navy and Air Force to recognize health care workers, first responders, and other essential personnel while standing in solidarity with all Americans during the covid-19 pandemic,” Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek told Military.com.
Blue Angels, Thunderbirds doing flyovers to thank first responders battling coronavirus pandemichttps://t.co/R4Yy3CkAAS
— TracyTaylorTraffic (@TracyTTraffic) April 24, 2020
The cost of the flights will come from funding already in the Pentagon budget, senior defense officials told the website.
Not everyone was thrilled with the flyover prospects. Some lit up social media with derision over the plan’s potential costs.
The “campaign stunt could cost taxpayers millions,” VoteVets tweeted. “Imagine how much PPE gear that could buy … for healthcare workers.”
With just the cost of fuel for flyovers estimated to be up to $100K in each city, this campaign stunt could cost taxpayers in the millions. Imagine how much PPE gear that could buy for our #COVID19 frontline healthcare workers. https://t.co/eqSkE8iKc9
— VoteVets (@votevets) April 23, 2020
BREAKING: Trump to “honor” medical workers by having military planes fly over different cities. What a waste of time, money and resources. Another unhinged PR stunt. The only way he can truly honor medical workers, is by getting them the equipment they need. Which he hasn’t done.
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) April 23, 2020