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62nd AW salutes COVID-19 heroes with morale flyover

By Senior Airman Tryphena Mayhugh, 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs / Published May 08, 2020

A C-17 Globemaster III from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., flies over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Tacoma, Wash., May 8, 2020. The 62nd Airlift Wing C-17 Demonstartion Team, made up of pilots and loadmasters from the 4th, 7th, and 8th Airlift Squadrons, conducted a flyover of nearly 45 hospitals, healthcare, organizations and landmarks up and down the Puget Sound, in appreciation of those working during the COVID-19 pandemic. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Mikayla Heineck)
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A C-17 Globemaster III from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., flies over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Tacoma, Wash., May 8, 2020. The 62nd Airlift Wing C-17 Demonstartion Team, made up of pilots and loadmasters from the 4th, 7th, and 8th Airlift Squadrons, conducted a flyover of nearly 45 hospitals, healthcare organizations and landmarks up and down the Puget Sound, in appreciation of those working during the COVID-19 pandemic. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Mikayla Heineck)

A Providence Regional Medical Center employee waves at the two-ship C-17 Globemaster III formation May 8, 2020 in Everett, Washington. The 62nd Airlift Wing, based out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, saluted American heroes who are on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19 with a morale flyover in the state’s Puget Sound region. Providence was the first U.S. hospital to report a coronavirus case. (U.S. AIr Force photo by Maj Candice Allen)
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A two-ship C-17 Globemaster III formation flies over Providence Regional Medical Center May 8, 2020 in Everett, Wash. The 62nd Airlift Wing, based out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., saluted American heroes who are on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19 with a morale flyover in the state’s Puget Sound region. Providence was the first U.S. hospital to report a COVID-19 case. (U.S. Air Force photo by Maj. Candice Allen)

Two C-17 Globemaster IIIs assigned to the 62nd Airlift Wing conduct an Air Force Salutes morale flyover above the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Tacoma, Wash., May 8, 2020. The flyover honored the American heroes at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Smoot)
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Two C-17 Globemaster IIIs assigned to the 62nd Airlift Wing conduct an Air Force Salutes morale flyover above the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Tacoma, Wash., May 8, 2020. The flyover honored the American heroes at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Smoot)

A C-17 Globemaster III assigned to the 62nd Airlift Wing conducts an Air Force Salutes morale flyover across the Puget Sound region, May 8, 2020. The flyover honored the American heroes at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Sara Hoerichs)
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A C-17 Globemaster III assigned to the 62nd Airlift Wing conducts an Air Force Salutes morale flyover across the Puget Sound region, May 8, 2020. The flyover honored the American heroes at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Sara Hoerichs)

Two C-17 Globemaster IIIs assigned to 62nd Airlift Wing conduct an Air Force Salutes morale flyover in Seattle, Wash., May 8, 2020. The flyover honored the American heroes at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tryphena Mayhugh)
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Two C-17 Globemaster IIIs assigned to 62nd Airlift Wing conduct an Air Force Salutes morale flyover in Seattle, Wash., May 8, 2020. The flyover honored the American heroes at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tryphena Mayhugh)

A Providence Regional Medical Center employee waves his hands at the two-ship C-17 Globemaster III formation May 8, 2020 in Everett, Washington. The 62nd Airlift Wing, based out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., saluted American heroes who are on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19 with a morale flyover in the state’s Puget Sound region. In January, Providence was the first U.S. hospital to report a COVID-19 case. (U.S. Air Force photo by Maj Candice Allen)
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A Providence Regional Medical Center employee waves his hands at the two-ship C-17 Globemaster III formation May 8, 2020 in Everett, Washington. The 62nd Airlift Wing, based out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., saluted American heroes who are on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19 with a morale flyover in the state’s Puget Sound region. In January, Providence was the first U.S. hospital to report a COVID-19 case. (U.S. Air Force photo by Maj. Candice Allen)

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JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. --

The 62nd Airlift Wing (AW) saluted the American heroes at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19 during an Air Force Salutes morale flyover throughout Washington State’s Puget Sound region, May 8.

“The 62nd AW salutes each American serving on the frontlines in combat against the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Robert V. Lankford, 62nd Operations Group commander. “We are grateful for the opportunity to show our appreciation to local heroes, and look forward to a time when we can embrace one another without fear.”

The wing’s C-17 West Coast Demonstration Team flew two C-17 Globemaster IIIs over more than 40 healthcare facilities, including those in Olympia, Tacoma and the Seattle metropolitan areas, as well as other areas of interest.

The first known case of COVID-19 in the United States was at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Washington, which was one of the healthcare facilities over which the Demo Team flew.

“It was so nice to see the Air Force and JBLM [Joint Base Lewis-McChord] recognize our caregivers for their amazing work in the fight against COVID-19,” said Janine Holbrook, chief nursing officer, Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett. “We certainly appreciate the show of support and encouragement, because we’re all in this together.”

The 62nd AW also encouraged the local community to take pictures of the flyover at their location and submit it for a photo contest. Lankford will judge the photos and the winner will be announced on the wing’s Facebook page May 15. They will receive the patch and a signed photo of the Demo Team.

The World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern for COVID-19, Jan. 3. Since then, approximately 16,000 deaths have been attributed to the virus in Washington State.

The Air Force is hosting Air Force Salutes flyovers throughout the nation’s largest metropolitan areas in an effort to show appreciation to the thousands of American heroes who are at the front line battling COVID-19 and providing the support that America needs.


Maj. Candice Allen, 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs, also contributed to this report. 

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