President Trump’s July Fourth “Salute to America” celebrated the United States armed forces and included performances and seven military flyovers with aircraft from each branch of the military.
First up to perform was the U.S. Marine Corps’ Drum and Bugle Corps. They stood solemnly and played as light rain fell around them:
Next was the Marine Corps Silent Drill Team — who perform entirely silently but in lockstep, often performing tricky maneuvers with their rifles despite the rain:
Next was the U.S. Army Fife and Drum Corps, who also stoically performed in the light rain:
As President Trump arrived to deliver a speech, Air Force One conducted a flyover as he walked out onstage:
After his speech, there were six more flyovers featuring each of the military services.
First were a Coast Guard HH-60 Jayhawk, an AC-144, and an HH-65 Dolphin (from left to right)
Second — and a huge crowd pleaser — was the Air Force, with two F-22 Raptors and a B-2 stealth bomber:
The third flyover was from the U.S. Navy — that flew two F-18 Super Hornets and two F-35B Joint Strike Fighters:
The fourth flyover was from the U.S. Marine Corps, that flew a brand-new VH-92 to serve as Marine One — a presidential escort helicopter, and two V-22 Ospreys:
The fifth flyover was from the U.S. Army, which appeared to consist of four Apache attack helicopters:
The sixth flyover — and another huge crowd pleaser — was from the famed U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels elite demonstration team:
The Blue Angels delighted the large crowd gathered around the reflecting pool with another surprise flyover — the show’s seventh — this time, flying from behind the Lincoln Memorial in the other direction from which they came.
It is the first time a military flyover show has been part of the Capitol’s Fourth of July celebrations.
Follow Kristina Wong at @kristina_wong.