Veterans and front line health care workers will be saluted on Memorial Day as World War II-era planes take part in an honor flight over Southern California’s national cemeteries and hospitals.
The event, dubbed “Operation SoCal Strong,” will take to the skies over Loma Linda Medical Center at noon Monday, according to a post on the Commemorative Air Force Inland Empire Wing’s Facebook page.
The post stated that the flyover is meant to be a “salute to all veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy today and to honor frontline COVID-19 health care worker heroes of today.”
The lead aircraft in the event, the Commemorative Air Force Inland Empire Wing’s C-53D named “D-Day Doll,” will fly invited veterans from WWII, and the Korea and Vietnam wars as special guests of honor.
A total of 18 historic planes will fly in the formation, including Palm Springs Air Museum’s Planes of Fame, a Flabob Express transport from Jurupa Valley and a restored C-47 based in Paso Robles, the Press-Enterprise reported.
The planes will be flying much slower than the Thunderbirds and Blue Angels so they will be easier to see, the newspaper reported.
The following flight plan was posted for Monday’s flyover:
- Loma Linda University Medical Center 12 p.m.
- Riverside National Cemetery 12:05 p.m.
- St. Joseph Hospital 12:19 p.m.
- John Wayne International Airport 12:22 p.m.
- Pacific View Memorial Park, Corona Del Mar 12:24 p.m.
- Newport Beach 12:29 p.m.
- Long Beach Veterans Administration Hospital 12:32 p.m.
- The Queen Mary 12:35 p.m.
- USS Iowa Memorial 12:37 p.m.
- Green Hills Memorial Park, Rancho Palos Verdes 12:38 p.m.
- Zamperini Airport, Torrance 12:39 p.m.
- Los Angeles International Airport 12:43 p.m.
- Santa Monica Airport 12:45 p.m.
- Los Angeles National Cemetery 12:46 p.m.
- UCLA Medical Center 12:47 p.m.
- USC Medical Center 12:52 p.m.
- City of Hope Hospital 12:58 p.m.
- Chino Municipal Airport 1:07 p.m. landing at Chino Airport
