Oregon National Guard flyovers continue; Madras, Warm Springs on Friday

Earlier this month flew over St. Charles Bend, Redmond, Prineville

SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Air National Guard is scheduled to continue flying multiple F-15 Eagle flyovers over hospitals and other locations throughout Oregon on Friday and Monday in order to salute Oregonians on the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic, lift morale during a time of severe health and economic impacts, and remember those brave service members who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

The flyovers are a joint effort between Oregon’s 173rd Fighter Wing, based in Klamath Falls, and the 142nd Wing, based in Portland, aimed at supporting and thanking healthcare workers, first responders, and other essential workers who are working to keep Oregonians safe and healthy each day.

The tribute also hopes to unify and boost the spirits of Oregonians and to recognize military members who have lost their lives in service to our country.

Anyone living in and around these hospitals and other locations should see and hear the jets. People are encouraged to view the flights from the safety of their own homes and practice physical distancing.

 A pair of Oregon Air National Guard F-15 Eagle jets streaked across the Central Oregon skies on Friday, May 8 in a special flyover salute to Oregonians on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, zooming past the St. Charles hospitals in Prineville, Redmond and Bend.

The flyovers listed below are scheduled for the following locations at the approximate times Friday, May 22.  
8:48 a.m.   Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center, Vancouver, Wash.
9:10 a.m.   Pioneer Memorial Hospital, Heppner, Ore.
9:15 a.m.   Good Shepherd Health Care System, Hermiston, Ore.
9:19 a.m.   St. Anthony Hospital, Pendleton, Ore.
9:25 a.m.   Grande Ronde Hospital, La Grande, Ore.
9:31 a.m.   Wallowa Memorial Hospital, Enterprise, Ore.
9:39 a.m.   St. Alphonsus Medical Center, Baker City, Ore.
9:48 a.m.   Blue Mountain Hospital, John Day, Ore.
10:05 a.m. St. Charles Madras Hospital, Madras, Ore.
10:07 a.m. Warm Springs Health and Wellness Center, Warm Springs, Ore.

The flyovers listed below are scheduled for the following locations at the approximate times Monday, May 25 and include previously approved Memorial Day flyover locations.
10:50 a.m.  Sky Lakes Medical Center, Klamath Falls, Ore.
10:58 a.m.  VA White City, Ore.
11:10 a.m.  VA Roseburg Health Care System, Roseburg, Ore.
11:10 a.m.  Mercy Medical Center, Roseburg, Ore.
11:18 a.m.  Peace Harbor Cottage Grove Community Med. Center, Cottage Grove, Ore.
11:22 a.m.  McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center, Springfield, Ore.
11:22 a.m.  Peace Harbor Medical Center at Riverbend, Springfield, Ore.
11:24 a.m.  Peace Harbor Sacred Heart Medical Center, Eugene, Ore.
11:40 a.m.  Peace Harbor Medical Center, Florence, Ore.
11:44 a.m.  Lower Umpqua Hospital, Reedsport, Ore.
12:00 p.m.  Asante Three Rivers Medical Center, Grants Pass, Ore.
12:00 p.m.  Grants Pass Riverside Park, Grants Pass, Ore.
12:10 p.m.  Brookings Harbor, Brookings, Ore.

The flyovers have been coordinated as a part of OPERATION: AMERICAN RESOLVE to salute those at the forefront of the COVID-19 response and will be done in conjunction with regularly scheduled training. Pilots must perform a minimum number of flight hours to maintain proficiency. These flyovers will incur no additional cost to taxpayers and are done in lieu of regularly scheduled training.

These flyovers will complete the Oregon Air National Guard’s Air Force Salute flyovers in Oregon. To date, the Oregon Air National Guard has flown approximately 1,920 miles covering 53 hospitals and other locations.

All passes are approximately 2,000 feet above ground level at approximately 400 mph airspeed. Flights could be canceled or times changed due to inclement weather or operational contingencies.

Anyone who gets video or photos of the F-15s flying overhead are encouraged to post on social media using the hashtags: #AirForceSalutes, #AFFlyover, #FlyoverFriday

The Oregon Air National Guard has been an integral part of the nation's air defense since 1941. Pilots from the 173rd Fighter Wing and the 142nd Wing train for a variety of mission skill sets in order to maintain combat readiness for the defense of our state and nation. Additionally, the 142nd Wing provides around-the-clock Aerospace Control Alert for the defense of our homeland, while the 173rd FW is home to the sole F-15C pilot training facility for the United States Air Force. Both units also respond to state and national emergencies as directed by the Governor of Oregon.