FOR RELEASE: Sunday, May 24, 2020
CONTACT: 2nd Lt. Katie Lee, acting deputy public affairs officer, Colorado National Guard Public Affairs, 720-250-1050, katherine.m.lee31.mil@mail.mil
Colorado National Guard conducts Memorial Day helicopter flyover of state, honoring our brave
BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – The Colorado National Guard will conduct a Memorial Day helicopter flyover of the state, May 25, 2020, to salute Coloradans who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom and healthcare workers and first responders, especially those supporting our veterans during The COVID-19 pandemic.
The flyover will take place during the period 9:00 a.m. to noon over Parker Cemetery, Parker, Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver, Red Rocks, Morrison, Golden, Eagle County, Rifle, Grand Junction, Montrose and Silverton, Colorado.
“We are really excited that U.S. Army leadership has allowed us to focus some of our training hours to thank our veterans and the healthcare workers and first responders caring for them during these difficult times,” State Army Aviation Officer U.S. Army Col. William Gentle said. “This Memorial Day is unique but no less important than any other in our nation’s history. We must never forget those who have sacrificed so much to keep this great nation free.”
Participating units include the 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 135th Regiment, Colorado Army National Guard, Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colorado, and the High-Altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site, Gypsum, Colorado.
The 2-135th GSAB is planning to launch one CH-47 Chinook, two UH-60 Black Hawks, and one LUH-72 Lakota from BAFB. HAATS is planning to launch two UH-60s.
There will be three routes with two covering the Front Range and the other covering the High Country and Western Slope.
Approximate locations and times where the aircraft will be visible are:
Route 1
08:30 a.m. - Buckley AFB
08:45 a.m. - Centennial Airport, Centennial
10:00 a.m. - J.S Parker Cemetery, Parker
10:10 a.m. - Highlands Ranch
10:15 a.m. - Ft Logan National Cemetery, Englewood
10:20 a.m. - Arvada
10:25 a.m. - Thornton
10:35 a.m. - Denver
10:45 a.m. - Centennial Airport
Route 2
10:55 a.m. - Centennial Airport
11:30 a.m. - Colorado Springs
12:00 p.m. - Buckley AFB
Route 3
09:00 a.m. – HAATS
09:25 a.m. – Rifle
09:50 a.m. – Grand Junction
10:15 a.m. – Montrose/ Fuel
11:30 a.m. – Silverton
12:25 p.m. – Gunnision
01:00 p.m. – HAATS
Times may vary by approximately 15 minutes.
Flyovers are conducted at no additional cost to the taxpayer and serve as training for our pilots.
Coloradans should maintain social distancing while observing the flyover.