Air Force planes to fly over Mississippi Coast hospitals as thank you to COVID-19 workers

It’s not a bird, it’s a plane saying thank you to the superheroes of the Mississippi Coast — healthcare workers and essential personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Look up between 6 and 7 p.m. Tuesday, and two Air Force Reserve planes will be circling the hospitals in Gulfport, Biloxi and Ocean Springs.

“This is our way of saying thank you to our community’s medical professionals and honoring the efforts of all the heroes in the fight against COVID,” said Col. Jeffrey A. Van Dootingh, 403rd Wing commander, in a press release.

The two plans will be two C-130J Super Hercules from the wing’s 815th Airlift Squadron.

Here’s the schedule:

• 6:10 p.m. - Garden Park Medical
• 6:20 p.m. - Memorial Hospital at Gulfport
• 6:35 p.m. - Keesler AFB Medical Center
• 6:40 p.m. - Merit Health in Biloxi
• 6:45 p.m. - Singing River Health System in Ocean Springs

Dootingh said Coast residents will be able to see the flyover from the safety of their homes and should maintain all social distancing guidelines.

The 403rd Wing is the only Air Force Reserve unit in Mississippi and consists of more than 1,600 Reserve and civilian professionals.

The wing maintains and flies 20 C-130J Super Hercules and its missions include the only weather reconnaissance mission in the Department of Defense as well as tactical airlift and airdrop, aeromedical evacuation and agile combat support.