Flyover comes to Lake County
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LAKE COUNTY – To salute and support workers battling on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Montana Air National Guard dispatched two C-130 Hercules aircraft to perform flyovers over hospitals throughout Montana.
“The Montana National Guard salutes each Montanan serving on the frontlines in our fight against COVID-19,” said Col. Buel Dickson, commander of the 120th Airlift Wing. “These flyovers are a small gesture of appreciation to the heroes across the state.”
In a press release, the commander spoke directly to healthcare professionals: “You epitomize the ethos as Montanans helping Montanans. We are indebted to your service and appreciate your efforts in trying to keep our state safe.”
Wednesday’s flyover was dubbed “Montana Salutes” as part of a nationally coordinated military campaign to pay tribute and show solidarity for all the healthcare workers and first responders who have pulled together to serve during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The two cargo planes started their mission with a tandem flight over Benefis Hospital in Great Falls before splitting off. One aircraft took an easterly route and the other covered the western part of the state. The eastern route included healthcare facility flyovers in Lewistown, Harlem, Wolf Point and Glendive before wrapping up over Miles City, Hardin, Billings, Livingston and Bozeman.
The western crew started their flight over Havre, Shelby, Browning, Columbia Falls, Whitefish and Kalispell before coming to the Mission Valley. Once in the valley, the rumble of the turboprops could be heard overhead as the military plane made its’ way over Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson and St. Luke Community Healthcare hospital in Ronan.
Healthcare professionals at St. Joseph hospital gathered outside the main entrance, while others looked through office windows, to watch and wave at the low flying C-130 as it passed over the town. The aircraft continue on down the valley towards Ronan.
The St. Luke staff gathered in the parking lot at the clinic and outside the hospital to watch and cheer on the flyover. Another group of healthcare workers congregated on the roof of the hospital and held a large American flag so the C-130 crew could see it as they passed over the hospital. The flight path continued towards St. Ignatius to tip a wing towards healthcare workers in that town. After leaving the valley, the plane flew over hospitals in the Missoula, Butte and Helena to complete the mission.
“It was an honor that the flyover included so many places and not just the big cities,” said Patrick DeVoe, an Emergency Medical Technician for Polson Ambulance.
He watched the flyover with his wife. The couple waved from their Polson residence. He said the flyover was a really neat idea. “The symbolism was great,” DeVoe said of the flight and choice of aircraft. “They chose a four-engine heavy-duty transport, a hard working airplane, just like the healthcare workers on the front lines. The mission they flew was long, like the shifts worked by our healthcare workers. And just like the crew of the C-130, they were doing what they loved as much as we love serving our community.”
According to the Department of the Air Force, saluting the American healthcare heroes was at the forefront and main objective for the flyovers. The flights also served as a flight-training mission for the aircrews. It was also intended to lift morale in towns, cities and states across America due to the severe health and economic impacts that have resulted from COVID-19.
Wednesday also happened to mark National Nurses Day and the celebration of the 200th birthday of the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale.
