PHOTOS: Healthcare Workers Honored In Murrieta During Flyover

SOUTHWEST RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — More than 100 people and about three dozen healthcare workers gathered Thursday afternoon at and near Loma Linda Medical Center Murrieta — with social distancing in mind — to watch two aircraft do a flyover salute.

The two jets from March Air Reserve Base were part of a nationwide effort that started last month to recognize frontline healthcare workers.

The first aircraft, a C-17 Globemaster III cargo jet flew over the hospital just after 1 p.m. as the crowd cheered and waved. About 2 minutes later, a KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling jet flew by to the same reaction.

Each pilot tipped a wing to honor healthcare workers.

In addition to the cheering residents and healthcare workers, several units from Murrieta Fire and Rescue were also on hand to watch the display.

Thursday's flyovers took place across 19 Riverside County hospitals. They started the route at 1 p.m. and it took under 90 minutes. Both planes and their crews — all Air Force reservists — were attached to the 452nd Air Mobility Wing.

"These flyovers incur no additional cost to the taxpayer," according to a Wing statement.

The Riverside County flyovers and times included:

Menifee Global Medical Center-(1:03 p.m.)
Kaiser Permanente Murrieta-(1:05 p.m.)
Loma Linda Medical Center Murrieta-(1:05 p.m.)
Temecula Valley Hospital-(1:09 p.m.)
Rancho Springs Medical Center-(1:11 p.m.)
Inland Valley Regional Medical Center-(1:12 p.m.)
Lake Elsinore Family Care Center-(1:13 p.m.)
Corona Regional Medical Center-(1:20 p.m.)
Kaiser Permanente Riverside-(1:22 p.m.)
Parkview Community Hospital-(1:23 p.m.)
Riverside Community Hospital-(1:24 p.m.)
Arrowhead Regional Medical Center-(1:26 p.m.)
Loma Linda Children's Hospital-(1:27 p.m.)
Loma Linda VA Hospital-(1:28 p.m.)
San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital-(1:33 p.m.)
JFK Memorial Hospital-(1:48 p.m.)
Desert Regional Medical Center-(1:55 p.m.)
Riverside University Health System-(2:06 p.m.)
Kaiser Permanente Moreno Valley-(2:08 p.m.)

The event was part of "Operation America Strong," which the U.S. Department of Defense authorized in April as a morale-booster amid the coronavirus crisis.

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