Those are the six aviators currently five from the Navy and one from the Marine Corps who perform in the airshows. For more news from the Blue Angels, visitwww.blueangels.navy.mil/. On Nov. 6, 2002, near Baghdad, Iraq, a pair of naval aviators dropped the first ordnance from an F/A-18E on an enemy target. Following his department head tour, Captain Cochran was screened to command of an operational F-14 squadron and was selected to attend the Air War College, at Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama. What this meant for the 1986 team, they would get an extra year on the team. The officer selection process requires pilots and support officers (flight surgeon, events coordinator, maintenance officer, supply officer, and public affairs officer) wishing to become Blue Angels to apply formally via their chain-of-command, with a personal statement, letters of recommendation and flight records. The Texan was named "Beetle Bomb" and served until 1950. The new C-130 demonstration pilot will be Marine Corps Capt. Brian Kesselring, the Blue Angels commanding officer and flight leader, said in a statement. Tom Winkler, a Blue Angels pilot, autographs a ballcap for a young fan following a performance at the Thunder Over Michigan Air Show.jpg, US Navy 070823-N-3271W-001 The Honorable Becky Skillman, Lt. WebDonnie L. Cochran is a former United States Navy naval aviator and was the first African-American aviator to be selected to the Flight Demonstration Squadron Blue Angels in Alternating crews of about 45 team members travel to each airshow, according to the Navy. To make room for the Special Forces Helicopters, VFP-63 Detachment 5 was flown to the USSCoral Sea(CV-43) for the remainder of the deployment. Police identify 3 victims, their killer and 'hero' bystand Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave, What's next for Buster Murdaugh after dad's murder conviction, life sentence, US home prices just did something they haven't done since 2012, Kristen Doute supports Ariana Madix amid mutual ex Tom Sandovals scandal, Celeb-loved jewelry brand Dorsey drops dazzling new styles, White Lotus actor jokes about being hit on following shows success, Undertaker transforms coffin into barbecue grill, Tom Sizemore And The Dangerous Burden of Desperation, Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce. She graduated from Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois in 2007, according to the U.S. Navy. As has been the case throughout the history of the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the demonstration pilots adjusted the show routine to take advantage of the new platforms capabilities. read more All structured data from the file namespace is available under the. From 1952 to 1954, the Blue Angels flew a single TV-2 Shooting Star. Captain Cochran flew over 24 missions and earned an Air Medal. He is a naval flight officer assigned to the Naval School of Aviation Safety and graduated from the University of Colorado in 2008. Higgins flew the teams C-130 Fat Albert transport plane from 2014 to 2016. Naval Academy, The Sullivan Brothers and the Assignment of Family Members, Historic Former U.S. Navy Bases and Stations, The African American Experience in the U.S. Navy, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. Navy, Contributions of Native Americans to the U.S. Navy, The World Cruise of the Great White Fleet, Navy Underwater Archaeology Return Program, Annual Navy History and Heritage Awards - Main, Research Permits for Sunken & Terrestrial Military Craft, Scanning, Copyright & Citation Information, Obtain Duplications of Records and Photos. New National Museum of the U.S. Navy-October 2020, New National Museum of the U.S. Navy - October 2022, Exhibits: New National Museum of the U.S. Navy, Exhibits: New National Museum of the U.S. Navy - Main, The American Revolution and the French Alliance, The Forgotten Wars of the Nineteenth Century, Civil War: Securing the Seas for Union Victory, Education Resources (Lesson Plans and Class Activities), Education Resources (Lesson Plans and Class Activities) - Main, Sailor's Life at Sea & Poetry (Grades 4-6), DIVE! She previously worked with the House Foreign Affairs Committee as an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow and spent four years as a general assignment reporter for The Record newspaper in New Jersey and the USA Today Network. An estimated 11 million spectators watch the squadron perform every year throughout the country and in Canada. Official U.S. Navy Photograph. Lee is one of six new officers to join the Blue Angels team for the 2023 air show season. In July 1994, he was selected as the first African-American commanding officer and flight leader of the Blue Angels.[3]. The team makes selections at the conclusion of that week. Steps to Becoming a Blue Angels Pilot Step 1. The history and Technology of Submarines (Grade 5), To the Ends of the Earth and Beyond (Grades 5-8), The Date that Lives in Infamy: Pearl Harbor (High School), Codes and Signals: Breaking the Spy Games of World War II and Vietnam, Damage Control Mission Brief: (Blue Navy) A Study Based on the Battle of Okinawa, Damage Control Mission Brief: (Green Navy) A Study Based on the Battle of Okinawa, Family Art Workshop: Kites and Observation, Talk: The Washington Navy Yard During the Civil War, A Conversation with Historians Dr. Regina Akers and Dr. Eddie Valentin: From Benjamin Drummond to Doris Miller: Race, Identity, and the Struggle Against Discrimination in the U.S. Navy, Virtual Book Talk: When Giants Ruled the Sky: the Brief Reign and Tragic Demise of the American Rigid Airship, with John J. Geoghegan and Curator, Gordon Calhoun. Simonsen, the ^6 pilot and opposing solo for the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, give.jpg, US Navy 110706-N-DI587-095 Blue Angels plane captains strap William Gordon, executive director for Orange County public schools, into an F-A 18 Hor.jpg, US Navy 110716-N-IR859-007 Members of the U.S. Navy Fight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.jpg, US Navy 110716-N-IR859-039 Members of the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.jpg, US Navy 110716-N-IR859-041 Members of the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels.jpg, US Navy 110716-N-NT881-144 Members of the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, greets the public and signs autographs after a Blue.jpg, US Navy 110831-N-DI587-003 A Sailor applies a Navy Energy Security logo to a Blue Angels F-A-18.jpg, US Navy 110901-N-JM744-077 Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announces conducting demonstration flights with a 50-50 mix of biofuel and JP-5 aviation.jpg, US Navy 110901-N-ZZ999-002 Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus speaks during a press conference at Naval Air Station Patuxent River about the.jpg, US Navy 110910-N-IR859-010 Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Nathaniel Stuart, crew chief for the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue An.jpg, US Navy 110910-N-IR859-012 Capt. 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The team operated both the short-nose and long-nose versions, and when the F-4 Phantom II replaced the Tiger after the 1968 show season, the F11F Tiger marked the end of an era as the last Grumman-built aircraft flown by the team. The number 7 pilot narrates for a year, and then typically flies Opposing and then Lead Solo the following two years, respectively. Lt. Amanda Lee will join the elite Blue Angels flight demonstration team this fall as its first female fighter pilot. The venerable aircraft routinely opens air shows and for many years executed jet-assisted takeoffs (JATOs) to the delight of spectators. Evaluated by the Blue Angels as a possible demonstration aircraft in 1953, the F7U Cutlass proved as unpopular with the team as it did in the fleet, where it had a reputation for being underpowered and presented challenges for maintenance personnel. Allegations of misconduct are taken very seriously by the Navy but it would be inappropriate at this time to comment on an ongoing investigation, Tucker said. Brian Kesselring, commanding officer and flight leader of the Blue Angels. Blue Angels Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet performing the sneak pass during a training flight over Naval Air Station Pensacola. Blue Angels Grumman F8F Bearcats (National Naval Aviation Museum). MOUNDS VIEW, Minn. For the first time in the history of the famed U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron Blue Angels, a woman has been named as a pilot for the team. He is assigned to the Red Rippers of Strike Fighter Squadron 11 and is a 2009 graduate of the U.S. Marine Maj. Frank Zastoupil, of Kingwood, Texas. Lt. Amanda Lee will soon train for the 2023 air show season. July 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. Navys famed Blue Angels aerial demonstration team on Monday named the first female pilot in the squadrons history, the organization said. Blue Angels Grumman F11F Tiger (National Naval Aviation Museum). Blue Angels. The new team members will officially begin their training for the 2022 show season following the Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Nov. 6. Svetlana Shkolnikova covers Congress for Stars and Stripes. A native of Belarus, she has also reported from Moscow, Russia. Thanks for contacting us. During his three years as a demonstration pilot Captain Cochran flew over 1,500 hours and over 240 airshows. Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Heinz asks fans to help find sailor who survived weeks at sea on ketchup so they can buy him new boat, Chinese military orders US Navy plane to stay away from its airspace, Decorated Navy SEAL killed in free-fall parachute training accident, Pitcher set to join Phillies after Navy service change. Naval Air Forces, walks with members of the U.S. Navy flight demonstration s.jpg, US Navy 110416-N-IR859-030 The Blue Angels performed at the joint reserve base as part of the 2011 show season and in celebration of the Centennial.jpg, US Navy 110417-N-IR859-087 The Blue Angels performed at the joint reserve base as part of the 2011 show season and in celebration of the Centennial.jpg, US Navy 110417-N-YM440-006 Aviation Support Equipment Technician 2nd Class Jeff Harper, assigned to the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team, the Bl.jpg, US Navy 110506-N-ZL585-030 Lt. Jason Smith, center, and Hospital Corpsman 1st Class John Mocek visit with young patients at Children's Hospital New.jpg, US Navy 110614-N-BA418-014 Aviation Electronics Technician 1st Class Curt Metzger, from St. Petersburg, Fla., assigned to the U.S. Navy flight demo.jpg, US Navy 110614-N-BA418-053 Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Andrew Schweitzer, from Orlando, Fla., assigned to the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squ.jpg, US Navy 110626-N-IR859-042 Capt. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Brian Kesselring, commanding officer and flight leader of the Blue Angels. DIVE! ", "Former Blue Angels pilot tells what inspired him to fly", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Donnie_Cochran&oldid=1137292325, African-American United States Navy personnel, BLP articles lacking sources from November 2015, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. The U.S. Navy flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, practice performance maneuvers at Spirit of St. Louis Airport, June 10, 2022. Pilots serve two to three years, and position assignments are made according to team needs, pilot experience levels, and career considerations for members. Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. [This quote needs a citation]. The Blue Angels, the Navys flight demonstration team, announced six new officers for the 2023 air show season on Monday, including the first woman demonstration pilot to fly the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Greg McWherter presents Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus an autographed memento of the Blue Angels flight demonstration team in flight.jpg, US Navy 100625-N-0092J-029 Members of the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, rest on the vertical stabs of an F-A-18 Hornet after performing at The Great Minnesota Air Show.jpg, US Navy 101022-N-8102J-044 Retired Cmdr. He was the first African American pilot to fly with the Blue Angels and flew for three seasons (1986-87-88). Commander Greg McWherter (Head of the Blue Angels) Lieutenant James Tomaszeski. Supply Officer: Commanders have halted this unnamed persons activities with the Blue Angels while the team continues to conduct winter training at Naval Air Facility El Centro for the upcoming show season, Tucker said. The Blue Angels appointed its first female jet pilot to join the squadron on Monday. -LT William Kruger, of Scottsdale, Arizona, is a Supply Officer currently assigned to USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). 66 PENSACOLA, Florida (NNS) The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, The Blue Angels, announced officers selected for the 2022 air show season When in a leadership role or command, you cannot accept or accommodate any behavior, comments, or actions that undermine your authority as the leader. With its sleek lines and afterburner, the F11F Tiger proved one of the most popular show aircraft flown by the Blue Angels. [2], Donnie L. Cochran was born July 6, 1954, on a farm near Pelham, Georgia. Blue Angels Vought F7U Cutlass jet fighters (National Naval Aviation Museum). A total of 17 officers serve with the Blue Angels, the second-oldest formal aerobatic team in the world. Cochran at the dedication ceremony for the A-4 static display on the Campus of Savannah State University on May 10, 1991. The Navy annually counts 16 officers who volunteer for the team and theyre supported by nearly 100 enlisted sailors and Marines. Watch What Happens! His next assignment was as an instructor pilot at the F-14 Replacement Air Group Squadron (RAG) VF-124. The selected 2022 officers include: Navy). New team members will report to the Blue Angels in September for a two-month turnover period before beginning a rigorous five-month training program at the teams home base of Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Fla., and the Naval Air Facility in El Centro, Calif. Officers typically serve two to three years with the team, according to the Blue Angels. In November 1994, Cochran assumed command as the first African American commanding officer and flight leader of the Blue Angels at a ceremony at National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. Brian Kesselring, of Fargo, North Dakota, Navy Lt. Katlin Forster, of Scottsdale, Arizona, Navy Cmdr. Hundreds of women have held various roles with the Blue Angels over 55 years, but Lee is the first woman selected to serve as a demonstration pilot. The Blue Angels select finalists to interview at the teams home base of Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Florida, during the week of the Pensacola Beach Air Show The following 160 files are in this category, out of 160 total. The swept-wing successor to the F9F Panther, the Cougar equipped the Blue Angels for only a brief time. Her relief on Monday raised eyebrows because the Air Force had announced only two weeks earlier that Kotnick would take command of the Vipers. WebCurrent Blue Angel Pilots L Lieutenant Amy Tomlinson Lieutenant Ben Walborn Lieutenant Commander Frank Weisser Lieutenant Jim Tomaszeski Lieutenant Robert Kurrle, Jr M He is a 2014 graduate of the University of Virginia. I first served as an Enlisted Sailor. This began a practice that continues to this day of operating a two-seat aircraft for show support and VIP rides. John Saccomando, assigned to the U.S. Navy flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, signs autographs after their performance.jpg, US Navy 050202-N-3874J-002 Crew Chief Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class Eric Velazquez of Ceiba, Puerto Rico, moves to a safe location, as his Blue Angel F-A-18A Hornet starts to taxi prior to take off.jpg, US Navy 050202-N-8977L-004 A crew coordinator for the Blue Angels prepares to taxi four of the Blue Angel's F-A-18A Hornets prior to launch for a morning training exercise during their annual winter training on board Naval Air.jpg, US Navy 050203-N-0962S-170 Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Terry Scott climbs from the back seat after taking a flight in an F-A-18D Hornet while visiting the Blue Angels' winter training facility on board Naval.jpg, US Navy 050203-N-0962S-204 After receiving a flight in a Blue Angel F-A-18D Hornet, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Terry Scott speaks to the pilots and maintenance team at the Blue Angels' winter training facili.jpg, US Navy 050203-N-0962S-209 After receiving a flight in a Blue Angel F-A-18D Hornet, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Terry Scott speaks to the pilots and maintenance team at the Blue Angels' winter training facil.jpg, US Navy 050203-N-1539M-006 Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON) Terry D. Scott answers questions from members of the Blue Angels maintenance team.jpg, US Navy 050203-N-8977L-003 Sailors of the Blue Angels Power Plants Department remove the engines from an F-A-18A Hornet for maintenance during their annual winter training on board Naval Air Facility (NAF) El Centro, Calif.jpg, US Navy 050401-N-2360K-013 Dallas Cowboy football legend, Roger Starbach, presents the members of the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Team, Blue Angels, with autographed footballs.jpg, US Navy 050401-N-2360K-014 James Reagan and Rebecca Bennet receive signed lithographs from the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Team, Blue Angels, as congratulations for their achievements.jpg, US Navy 050401-N-8110K-058 U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Team Blue Angels Maintenance Master Chief, William Casttilla, left, and Command Master Chief, Kevin Harris, center, greet retired Tuskegee Airman Dick Macon.jpg, US Navy 050402-N-1328C-631 F-A-18A Hornet Slot Pilot, Lt. Cmdr.