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Air Force Week concludes in St. Louis

by Jason Yaley

In a testament to the U.S. Air Force vision of "Lasting Heritage ... Limitless Horizons," the inaugural Air Force Week brought together Airmen of the past, present and future to celebrate the service's history and future.

With the St. Louis Gateway Arch as a backdrop, Air Force Week 2006 events included flyovers of Busch Stadium and a lecture by an Air Force astronaut at the St. Louis Science Center. The events allowed Airmen to meet with citizens across the community and thank them for their support.

Air Force Week 2006 kicked off Aug. 5 as a B-2 Spirit from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., flew over downtown St. Louis. The following day, the St. Louis Cardinals joined Airmen in celebrating Air Force Week at Busch Stadium. Three Airmen were given the opportunity to throw out the game's ceremonial first pitches. They were Gen. Norton Schwartz, commander of U.S. Transportation Command, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley and Airman 1st Class Rebecca Blascak of the 375th Logistics Readiness Squadron.

During the game's opening ceremony, Chief McKinley also presented a member of the St. Louis community with "Ace," an Air Force-themed teddy bear that had been flown on the previous night's B-2 flyover.

The ceremony concluded with two F-15 Eagles roaring over the field at the conclusion of the national anthem. Throughout the game, messages were played from local Airmen deployed around the globe cheering on the Cardinals and thanking the community for its continued support of the Air Force.

Air Force Week events continued downtown Aug. 7 as Lewis Lynch and Dr. John P. Morgan of the Hugh J. White Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen joined St. Louis Mayor Frances Slay and local Air Force leaders to officially proclaim Air Force Week in St. Louis.

That evening, Col. Alan Hunt, commander of the 375th Airlift Wing at Scott AFB, Ill., joined Lt. Col. Terry Virts, a NASA astronaut, to throw out the first pitch at an Air Force-themed Gateway Grizzlies minor league baseball game. The baseballs had been previously signed by the Grizzlies and flown with Airmen from the 437th Airlift Wing at Charleston AFB, S.C., as they delivered support and humanitarian aid to eight countries.

Staff Sgt. Albert Williams of the Air Force Band of Mid-America sang the national anthem, followed by a flyover of a C-17 Globemaster III from the 58th Airlift Squadron at Altus AFB, Okla.

Other Air Force Week events included Maj. Robert Novotny, a fighter pilot featured in the IMAX movie "Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag" and Colonel Virts speaking to audiences at the St. Louis Science Center about their Air Force careers.

Air Force Week 2006 concluded with an open house and air show at Scott AFB Aug. 12 and 13 with the Thunderbirds, fighter and transport flyovers, parachute jumps, and numerous other displays and demonstrations.

Source: U.S. Air Force

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