JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The nearly three dozen pilots chosen for the Navy’s presidential salute from the skies may come from different backgrounds, families, and levels of experience, but their respect for former President Jimmy Carter is uniting them for a mission unique to their careers.
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“When your boss tells you, ‘hey, I want you to do a flyover for a President,’ you come running,” said Lt. Commander Brandon Allgood.
He’s one of the pilots leaving from Jacksonville this week to take part in a flyover over President Carter’s hometown of Plains, Georgia. For him, this isn’t just a sendoff, but it’s paying respect to his grandfather, a Georgia senator he says was elected the same day Jimmy Carter became the only Georgian elected to the nation’s highest office.
“Getting to be part of this is a great honor,” Allgood said, “it’s an amazing experience that’s once in a lifetime.”
Lieutenant Commander Charity Somma, another of the pilots taking part in the flyover, is also from Georgia. She doesn’t have the same familial connection to the Carters but says no opportunity has made her more proud, especially as a Georgian.
“It’s an incredible honor, I’m so excited to be a part of it. To get to jump in this amazing aircraft and to take to the skies is something I’ve dreamed of since I was a little kid,” said Somma.
The pilots say they’ll be performing what’s called a “missing man” formation when they do the flyover. It involves the pilots making a diamond shape with their jets, before one peels away. The missing pilot is meant to symbolize the loss of a fellow service member or, in this case, a commander-in-chief.
“President Carter was a great man of character, it’s an honor to be able to do this for his family,” said Capt. Chris Dentzer, one of the leading pilots for the flyover.
The last time the Navy performed a presidential flyover was in 2018, honoring President George H.W. Bush after he died that same year. Commander Jason Hoch was deployed at the time but is now taking part in President Carter’s flyover, saying it’s an opportunity he wouldn’t miss.
“In my 19 years with the Navy, this is one of the highest honors I’ve been part of,” Hoch said.
The flyover is happening this Thursday, after his remains are flown back to his hometown to be buried next to his wife, Rosalynn.
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