F-15 Pilot Hopes Flyover Inspires Health Care Workers
BOSTON (CBS) – There was a special salute in the sky Wednesday for health care workers across Massachusetts in the coronavirus pandemic.
Just after noon, four F-15 Eagles from the Massachusetts Air National Guard 104th Fighter Wing in Westfield flew over several hospitals to pay tribute to all the men and women on the front lines of the crisis. It's part of Operation American Resolve, a nationwide effort to salute first responders.
Colonel Andrew Jacob was one of the pilots, and spoke with WBZ's Nick Emmons about what it means to support front line workers. "We really appreciate what they've been doing. They've been risking their health going to work every day," said Col. Jacob. "It's something we do most of the time when we're deployed, so we know it a little bit, but they're the ones out there right now."
Col. Jacob is commander of the 104th operations group. He and the other three pilots flew in formation, just feet apart at 400 miles per hour, and at an altitude of about 1,000 ft.
Col.Jacob said, "I hope they feel the appreciation that we're trying to send their way and hopefully that tingle up their spine when fast jets go by making a little bit of noise."
He hopes to inspire hospital workers to stay in the fight. "If this motivates even one person and gets them past a tough time, then it's completely worth the effort," Col. Jacob said.
The flyover started over Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis and then Brockton Hospital about 5 minutes later. The jets then made their way to the Boston Hope field hospital at the convention center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston before moving on to Framingham, Worcester, Springfield, Holyoke and Northampton.
