75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF WWII FLYOVERS TO PROCEED
To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, aerial tributes in Hawaii and Washington D.C. will take place in August and September. After lengthy discussions and coordination with federal and local officials, the 75th WWII Commemoration Executive Committee has made modifications to planned events in Oahu and the Washington D.C./Northern Virginia area to address health protocols established by state, county and local officials as they pertain to public gatherings.
“Commemoration events are in place to pay tribute and thank our veterans of World War II, the Greatest Generation, for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States,” said Mike Carr, President and CEO of the Battleship Missouri Memorial. “We have worked very hard to ensure this important anniversary would not go unnoticed and look forward to recognizing those who fought for our ultimate freedom. A special evening is planned on Pier Foxtrot 5, where the USS Missouri is docked, on September 1, recognizing the guests of honor. At 9:02 the next morning, the official 75th Commemoration Ceremony will take place on board the ship — where dignitaries from 10 nations gathered in 1945 to sign the Instrument of Surrender, formally ending WWII.”
The 75th Anniversary of World War II Commemoration Act was signed into law last year to establish a commemorative program to honor World War II veterans, highlight the service of those who served on the home front during the war, recognize the contributions of U.S. allies, remember the horrors of the Holocaust and educate the public about the history of these events. The flyover events in Hawaii and Washington D.C. were established as part of the commemorative program. Originally, the Washington D.C. flyover was to take place on May 8, in conjunction with VE-Day (Victory in Europe Day) 75-year anniversary events but was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Arsenal of Democracy, Washington D.C. flyover will take place on Friday, September 25, and include over 60 aircraft from across the U.S. and Canada that will fly down the Potomac River across the National Mall in a historic sequence representing the significant battles of World War II. The aircraft will be over the National Mall at approximately 11:30 AM EST, and the entire flyover will last approximately one hour. Spectators will be able to view the aircraft from several points along the route and watch a live streamed broadcast, complete with narration. Look for additional information on the September 25 flyover at WW2Flyover.org.
For more details: https://ww2flyover.org/about-the-flyover/
Watch Victory in Europe – VE Day 75 Years Later on Friday, September 25 at 11:30am EDT
• Watch on You Tube: https://youtu.be/DC6VBnh86CQ
• Watch on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ww2flyover/
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Story credit: Virginia Department of Aviation; https://doav.virginia.gov/calendar-and-news/news/2020-june/75th-anniversary-of-the-end-of-wwii-flyovers-to-proceed/
Photo & video credit: Arsenal of Democracy Flyover website; https://ww2flyover.org/