Military aircraft will fly over four major cities on Saturday afternoon to celebrate Independence Day ahead of the July 4 air show in Washington, DC
Defense Secretary Mark Esper approved the air salute to several cities that were central to the American Revolution. The overpasses will begin in Boston at 4 p.m. and then travel to New York City, Philadelphia and Baltimore.
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Military aircraft will join the largest air show in Washington, DC, which will kick off around 6:30 pm with a demonstration by the U.S. Army’s Golden Knights parachute team and a salute of 21 weapons by the 3rd Military Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard.
President Trump is slated to comment at the White House afterward during a Salute to America celebration that he and First Lady Melania Trump are hosting for frontline workers, including police, doctors, nurses and members of the military, and their families. .
Some 1,700 service members will support the air celebration, according to military officials.
President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, during an overpass at Mount Rushmore National Monument on Friday, July 3, 2020, near Keystone, South Dakota (AP Photo / Alex Brandon)
Air Force and Marine Corps aircraft will fly over cities in five waves, led by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, followed by B-1, B-2, and B-52 bombers, the F-15 and F-22 fighters and the US Marine Corps F-35 fighters.
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Military excellence was on display the day before when the Blue Angels flew over Mount Rushmore as part of Trump’s visit on Friday to begin the holiday weekend.
Here are the details of the overpasses for each city, according to the United States Northern Command:
BOSTON: The aircraft is scheduled to fly over the city center at approximately 4 pm approaching from the northeast at 1,000 feet above the ground. Several planes will fly over the USS Constitution and then pass through Fenway Park before leaving the city.
NEW YORK: The plane is scheduled to fly down the Hudson River at approximately 5 pm and pass east of the Statue of Liberty.
PHILADELPHIA: The aircraft is scheduled to fly over the city center at approximately 5:15 pm approaching from the northeast at 1,000 feet above the ground. Multiple planes will fly over Independence Hall and Liberty Bell and then proceed southwest out of town.
BALTIMORE: The plane is scheduled to fly over Fort McHenry at approximately 5:30 pm approaching from the northeast at 1,000 feet above the ground. Several planes will fly over Fort McHenry before turning south out of town.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
