The world famous Blue Angels, the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Team, will be performing over Charleston Harbor next to the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point on 17 and 18 April from 2 to 3 PM.
At the end of World War II, the Chief of Naval Operations, Chester W. Nimitz, ordered the formation of a flight demonstration team to keep the public interested in Naval Aviation. The Blue Angels performed their first flight demonstration less than a year later in June 1946 at their home base, Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, Florida. LCDR Roy "Butch" Voris led the team, flying the Grumman F6F Hellcat.
Interestingly, Butch flew in VF-2 under Commander James H. Flatley, Jr., who made the first landing on the USS Yorktown (CV-10) in a Hellcat as Airgroup Commander (CAG) in May 1943.
On the flight deck of USS Yorktown is a former Blue Angel aircraft, an F-4J Phantom that was Blue Angel number 5 (lead solo) in the early 1970's, read more about it here...
Stay tuned for further details on our Navy Week 12-18 April, as the Blues may do a flyover in honor of USS Yorktown on 15 April and possible meet and greet for scouts and visitors on 16 and 17 April...
Read the Post and Courier article here...
