NINE DEMONSTRATION TEAMS TO HEADLINE THE SALUTE TO VETERANS
NINE DEMONSTRATION TEAMS TO
HEADLINE THE SALUTE TO VETERANS
CORPORATION 21ST ANNUAL
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND CELEBRATION
The
Theme for the 21st Annual Salute To Veterans Celebration is:
“Honoring and Remembering One Giant Leap For Mankind” in recognition of the 40th
Anniversary of Man Walking on the Moon.
USN Captain and Hall of Fame Astronaut, Robert “Hoot” Gibson will be one
of the 10 Honored Guests during the two-day FREE Airshow on May 23-24 at
Columbia Regional Airport and at the Salute To Veterans Parade on May 25th,
Memorial Day, in downtown Columbia, MO.
Demonstration Teams,
Aircraft and Featured Events Include:
·
The
U.S. Navy F/A-18C TACDEMO Team from NAS Lemoore, CA will be flown by Hannibal,
MO native, Lt. Jason Dalby. Lt.
Dalby’s grandmother, is a 1941 graduate of Columbia College, who is hosting the
team.
·
The
Canadian Forces, CF-18 Hornet National Demonstration Team flown by Captain Tim “Donor” Woods,
Team Pilot, and with Captain Bruce Ehmann as Narrator, will be “Celebrating 100
Years of Flight in Canada”.
·
Joining them from Canada,
The Canadian Armed Forces Parachute Team: The Skyhawks, with their highly recognizable “Canada
Flag” parachutes, are known for their daring display of aerial acrobatics,
precision and teamwork.
·
The U.S. Air Force A-10 West Coast Thunderbolt II Demonstration
Team will be flown by Team Pilot Captain Paul “Harb” Brown in a combination of
high and low speed maneuvering, rapid rolls, climbs and descents.
·
The U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command “Heritage Flight” will
feature a rare WWII P-38 Lightning flown by Pilot Kevin Eldridge.
·
The
spectacular Aeroshell Aerobatic Demonstration Team will be performing in their North
American AT-6 Texan’s. In addition to
flying their four-ship aerobatic routine, they will also include a Texas
Military Style Solo.
·
Clyde Zeller will fly a low and slow patriotic Aerobatic Musical
Salute to all Veterans.
·
The
U.S. Army K-9 Corps from Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri will again amaze the crowds
with their highly tactical demonstration of command and control.
·
The
Kansas City Dawn Patrol in their unique “Flying Circus” will put as many as 10
WWI aircraft into the sky showing what flying was in the days of the Great War.
·
Over
40 vintage and active duty military Aircraft will be on display and flying
including a rare WWII P-40 Warhawk painted in Flying Tiger colors; A-1D
Skyraider; TBM Avenger; P-38 Lightning,
C-130 Hercules, USN Lockheed Martin P-3
Orion on static display with a Missouri crew, P-51 Mustangs; and a BT-13 Vultee, just to name a few.
·
The
NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Exhibit will feature NASA’s present and
future exploration projects, with space suit photograph opportunities for
families, as well as posters, decals and other information.
·
The
new and exciting U.S. Army Aviation Element simulator allowing spectators to
“fly” a helicopter.
·
The Salute To
Veterans Parade will be held on Memorial Day, May 25th in downtown
Columbia with over 155-Units including Military Reunion Groups, bands, Honored
Guests and all the aircraft from the airshow flying cover overhead as a tribute
to fallen comrades.
·
Courthouse Military Ceremony. The Parade ends at the Boone County Court
House where 50 wreaths have been placed, the Columbia Community Band plays, a
short speech is given by the ranking military officer Honored Guest on the
meaning of Memorial Day, followed by “Amazing Grace” by the Bagpipers Band, a
21-Gun Salute and then Echo Taps brings the 6-day Celebration to a close.
For further information, visit our website at www.salute.org and click on Airboss Schedule,
Aircraft, Demo Teams and Honored Guests.
