This Iconic Museum Will Commemorate Those Who’ve Lost their Lives With a Series of Powerful Events
Memorial Day is right around the corner and tTo honor those who both served and lost their lives in the United States Armed Forces, the Palm Springs Air Museum will host its annual Memorial Day Air Fair and Flower Drop. These events will run from May 30-31 and will feature a 1 p.m. ceremony each day, followed by a Missing Man formation and dropping of red and white carnations from a vintage warbird. Here’s everything you need to know about this incredible weekend in Palm Springs. Air Museum Memorial Day
Fallen Petals Air Museum Memorial Day
This marks the 23rd Flower Drop for the Palm Springs Air Museum. The first Flower Drop took place on Memorial Day in, 1997. Palm Springs Air Museum’s B-17 Flying Fortress, named Angela, made the drop through 2005, but since then, it has been after 2005, it was the B-25 that dropped the flowers onto the Palm Springs Air Museum’s tarmac.
The aircraft typically drops 3,000 carnations (2,000 white and 1,000 red) to honor those who gave their life to secure our precious freedoms. The white ones represent those killed during World Wars I and, II, Korea and Vietnam. The red carnations represent those who made the ultimate sacrifice in Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan. Since there will be two Flower Drops with limited capacity, approximately 1,500 carnations (1,000 white and 500 red) will be dropped each day.
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Honoring Heroes
On Monday only, honor the 996 black Tuskegee Airmen heroes who served as pilots, navigators and mechanics during World War II. These brave men fought for freedom in Europe and North Africa despite not having the right to vote at home while also, and despite facing discrimination. These four bronze statues serve as a perpetual reminder of their sacrifice and courage. The Tuskegee Airmen are best known for their P-51 Red Tailed Mustangs that escorted the B-17 bombers that bombed Germany and Italy during WWII. Very few B-17s were lost after the Tuskegee Airmen began escorting them!
Taking Flight Air Museum Memorial Day
Experience the thrill of flying in a vintage warbird! Whether you’re the sole passenger in the Stearman bi-plane open to the sky, in a racing P-51 Mustang, in the T-28 trainer, taking the family onto the C-47 Skytrain or being the lone passenger in the jet T-33 jet,— these are a once- in- a- lifetime opportunity! Advance tickets are recommended, so visit www.palmspringsairmuseum.org/warbirdrides to secure your spot.
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Palm Springs Air Museum
745 N Gene Autry Trail
Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.778.6262
