VIENNA — The 910th Airlift Wing is launching ”Hercs Over America” Monday to salute the region’s thousands of health care workers, essential employees and other first responders in the battle against COVID-19.

This ”salute” flyover will consist of two of the 910th’s C-130H Hercules aircraft, scheduled to take place over health care facilities from Erie, Pa., Cleveland, and the Akron / Canton area to the Mahoning Valley during the late-morning hours Monday.

The 910th’s aircraft, based out of the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna, will kick off the flyovers at UPMC Hamot Primary in Erie, Pa.

The two-aircraft formation then will proceed to the Cleveland area to salute workers at The Cleveland VA Hospital; University Hospital Ahuja Medical Center – Beachwood; University Hospital Cleveland Main Campus; Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital; Cleveland Clinic Main Campus; Metro Health – Cleveland and Fairview Hospital – Cleveland.

The C-130s then will head to Akron Children’s Hospital and Cleveland Clinic Akron General in Akron, and then on to Mercy Medical Center in Canton. The 910th aircraft will conclude the salute in the Mahoning Valley skies above St. Joseph Warren Hospital, and St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital and St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital.

The 910th Airlift Wing public affairs office will contact each of the locations to notify them of the approximate time the flyover salutes will occur over their respective facilities. As with many Air Force Reserve community engagement flying activities, these flyovers are scheduled to occur during one of the wing’s training missions and will incur no additional cost to taxpayers, according to Master Sgt. Bob Barko, public affairs officer for the 910th.

Area residents should be able to see the flyover from their homes, Barko said, via media broadcasts or on the 910th’s social media platforms. The 910th encourages maintaining social distancing guidelines during this event. Area residents also should refrain from traveling to hospitals or gathering in large groups to view the flyover.

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