Westover C-5 flyover wows crowd of 175,000 at Plymouth, Mass., parade

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. James Bishop
  • 439th AW Public Affairs
WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. - --  For the first time in recent memory, a C-5B from Westover performed a flyover at a large parade.

The aircraft carried 200,000 pounds of cargo on a mission bound for a base in the Midwest. But first, it flew a "positioning leg" up the Plymouth, Mass., coastline to the delight of a crowd that topped 175,000 during America's Hometown Thanksgiving Parade Nov. 20.

The annual event is billed as the second largest Thanksgiving Day Parade in the country, according to event organizers.

While an Army National Guard unit shot large-caliber blanks next to Plymouth Rock and in sight of the Mayflower replica, Mayflower II, the C-5 banked and headed west out of sight.

"This was awesome. It could not have gone better," said event coordinator John Cochran. "We hope the partnership with Westover will continue in the coming years as we move forward toward the 400th anniversary of the landing at Plymouth."

As the Air Force talent band Tops in Blue performed "Proud to be an American," the C-5 banked and headed north along the Plymouth Harbor coastline with landing gear and flaps down.

Then a technical drama unfolded on the ground.

Tops in Blue Technical Director, Tech. Sgt. Matt Flowers, working with Westover flight engineer Master Sgt. Eric McGlynn, attempted cockpit-to-ground communication. They made cell phone contact with pilot Lt. Col. Gary Cooke, but strong winds washed out the clarity, so Sergeant Flowers tucked the microphone and cell phone together inside his coat.

"That dampened the ambient noise," he said. "I was pleased with how well it worked."
From the cockpit, Colonel Cooke thanked the crowd for attending on behalf of the men and women of the 439th Airlift Wing.

During the parade, a giant United States flag flew between the reviewing stand and the crowd gathered along a hill in Waterfront Park. During the event, Tops in Blue chief of Air Force entertainment, Tom Edwards told the crowd, "Tops in Blue will present this flag to military men and women in Afghanistan on Christmas Day."

Before the parade, Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) thanked the crowd for supporting America's troops and ideals by attending.