A contingent of U.S. servicemembers participated in the opening ceremony of Game 3 of Major League Baseball’s National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Oct. 15.
The ceremony culminated in a flyover of a C-17 Globemaster III plane over Dodger Stadium. The C-17 began its flight from Edwards Air Force Base and thundered over the stadium just as the last note of the national anthem was sung.
“It went successful, I think everybody enjoyed the patriotism of the C-17 fly-by, accompanied by the big U.S. flag midfield and with the fireworks, it’s a very patriotic moment,” said Maj. Duncan Reed, 418th Flight Test Squadron.
Reed, a C-17 test pilot, was at the highest point at Dodger Stadium with a small crew to facilitate the flyover. The crew coordinated with stadium staff and the plane’s flight crew to time the plane’s arrival. As the giant U.S. flag was unfurled at the field below and the last note of the national anthem was sung, the plane flew over the stadium right on cue.
Local servicemembers from the Air Force, Navy, Marines and Army assisted in providing personnel for the opening ceremony, including unfurling the giant U.S. flag that spread across the outfield and performing honor guard duties.
While the Edwards crew on the ground was used to seeing things from their perspective in the air, being on the ground was a new experience for them, said Master Sgt. Caleb Patterson, airlift flight chief, 418th FLTS.
“It’s interesting seeing it from a different perspective, from the ground looking up and hearing the crowd go crazy when a C-17 flies over versus seeing it from the other side,” he said.