Sound of freedom - 910th C-130 flyover above 13 Northern Ohio Memorial Day events Published May 29, 2025 By Senior Master Sgt. Bob Barko Jr. 910th Airlift Wing Public Affairs YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE STATION, Ohio -- Memorial Day, a federal holiday held the last Monday in May, is the United States of America's foremost annual day to mourn and honor its deceased service men and women. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration, Congress designated Memorial Day as a national holiday in 1968. While many people have this day off and recognize it as the unofficial start to summer, a small group of Citizen Airmen assigned to several squadrons of the 910th Airlift Wing were hard at work at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio, to ensure 13 different Memorial Day public observances had a C-130 flyover as part of their respective events. Members of the 757th Airlift Squadron, 910th Operations Support Squadron, 910th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 910th Maintenance Squadron and 910th Logistics Readiness Squadron teamed up to launch a single C-130H Hercules aircraft, fly the mission and then recover the aircraft that spent nearly six hours in the air during the morning and early afternoon hours of Monday, May 26. Starting with the first Time Over Target of 9 a.m. to the last TOT of 2 p.m., the 910th conducted scheduled flyovers above the communities of Middle Bass Island, Mentor, Cuyahoga Falls, Canfield, Highland Heights, Twinsburg, Kent, Columbiana, Madison, Fowler, Bath Township, Marlboro Township, and Cortland, Ohio (listed in the chronological order of the time the flyovers occurred). Retired Col. Jeff Van Dootingh, former 910th Airlift Wing commander and Associate Chairman of the Middle Bass Island Veterans Association, shared the island community’s reaction to the flyover at their Memorial Day Observance on the 910th’s official Facebook page. Van Dootingh’s post read, “Awesome flyover at Middle Bass Island! I lost count of how many attendees expressed their gratitude. Thank you, Team Youngstown!” In addition to being a valuable tool to the 910th for building relationships with neighboring communities, the flyovers provided training for the wing’s Citizen Airmen supporting the mission. “This was an opportunity for the aircrew and mission planners to gain additional experience plotting a flight course between various points on the ground and hitting the TOTs at the exact requested moment as well as completing other required in-flight training,” said Lt. Col. Steve Stroney, 757th Airlift Squadron director of operations. “The supporting ground personnel also gained additional experience in ensuring the aircraft was ready to go for this mission and good to go for upcoming flights upon its return.” Members of the community interested in requesting a flyover for their public events can visit the U.S. Air Force Aerial Events page at www.airshows.pa.hq.af.mil for more information. Requests should be made at least 90 to 120 days prior to the scheduled event date to allow ample time for coordination, including the required Federal Aviation Administration and Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs approvals of the flyover request. According to the U.S. Air Force Aerial Events website, support may be requested to provide Air Force aerial event support for air shows, national-level sporting events and events held in honor of the five patriotic holidays (Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day, July 4th, POW/MIA Day and Veterans Day). Historically, local college and high school military/veteran-themed sporting events and large-scale public community events have also been eligible for flyover support. Community engagement with the American public is a core Air Force Public Affairs mission. By conducting C-130 flyovers, the 910th Airlift Wing accomplishes this mission by letting the ‘sound of freedom’ ring over many cities, townships and even a Lake Erie island in northern Ohio, resounding in the hearts of the many people in attendance.