GA pilots fly veterans to Army-Navy game

The Army Black Knights and Navy Midshipmen have been battling it out on the gridiron since 1890 in an event known as “America’s Game.” The U.S. Naval Academy won the first game 24-0 and still holds a 60-52 overall lead over the U.S. Military Academy—with seven ties—despite a 17-10 loss on Dec. 8.

Marine Corps and Army National Guard member Brett Hightower, from Bowling Green, Kentucky, said they arrived “right on time” with the help of GA pilots Karl Hoffman, Bill Daugherty, John Hinshaw, and Steve Barker.

Hightower was deployed to Afghanistan where he was severely injured in a 2008 firefight with the Taliban, and he said attending the game with his peers was a special moment. He thanked the PALS organization’s volunteer pilots for bringing the servicemen and women together to celebrate the gridiron classic. “This is a tremendous asset to me and a lot of the other guys,” he explained. “We don’t have to drive for hours and hours, or have to stay in hotels, and it gives us a little camaraderie. The excitement of getting on one of these planes and getting to know one another jump starts the day. It’s a great opportunity.”

Hoffman, who is based in the Chicago area, organized the rendezvous and delivered five Marine Corps service personnel aboard his Cessna Citation M2. “It’s awesome to be able to do this and give back to guys that protect this nation,” he said after securing the jet on the ramp crowded with a variety of military and civilian aircraft. Participating in the flights was a way of saying “thank you for what you did for us,” he noted.

Hoffman said recruiting pilots and aircraft for the outreach mission wasn’t a hard sell. “I basically made three phone calls, and everybody said ‘yes.’” He participated in previous humanitarian missions and said they can be emotional, but they were also personally rewarding. Hoffman suggested other aviators who haven’t thrown their hat into the ring might enjoy similar outreach to “give a little back and enjoy flying at the same time.”

Daugherty, a pilot from Lexington, Kentucky, said the group of pilots bonded because of Hoffman, and he tipped his cap to the Illinois aviator. Daugherty flew seven veterans and noted that “they loved it.” A tailwind and a groundspeed of 350 knots made the trip fly by “so it was fun and really exciting for them.”

Hinshaw flew four veterans in his Citation Mustang CE-510 from Indiana’s Clark County Regional Airport and said he looked at the trip “as an opportunity to help someone else” and to share some joy during the holiday season.

Barker, a pilot and president of Triton Airways, in Lexington, said the flight was one of the most rewarding things he’s done. “We’re going to have a lot of fun,” concurred Hinshaw as they viewed the first half from the Navy end zone.

Chuck Reed of Kentucky Wounded Heroes Inc. noted that “a lot of these guys were wounded during their time serving for the United States and almost everyone here is a Purple Heart recipient.”

Meanwhile, it was an all-hands-on-deck situation for FBO manager John Butterworth and staff, and he vowed his team was up for it. “Oh yeah, we’re busy” said Butterworth, who is also a private pilot. He split his time between greeting arrivals at the front desk and waving aircraft into parking spaces on the ramp dotted with “Beechcraft King Airs, Cessna Citations, 12 U.S. government Gulfstream jets,” and other military aircraft. “Don’t forget, all the branches of the military are represented at the game, so we see a little bit of everything” on the ramp. A Cessna 150 was pulled into a hangar “so it wouldn’t get blown away” by the big iron, he added.

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Richard McCormick rushed to arrive for pregame activities so he could cheer the service personnel gathered on Lincoln Financial Field. A sea of dark blue and gray military uniforms crowded the usual home for the Philadelphia Eagles National Football League team during the national anthem. The Washington Post reported that when 8,000 service personnel snap to salute during the national anthem “there is no moment like that anywhere else in college sports.”

Before the game, all eyes turned skyward for a series of aerial military demonstrations including U.S. Navy Leapfrog and U.S. Army Golden Knight parachutists swirling from the sky in a challenging breeze. Flyovers were performed by pilots in Apache and Blackhawk helicopters. They were followed by four Navy F/A-18C Hornet Strike Fighter Squadron 34 pilots screaming overhead in a diamond formation. “It was very humbling and exciting to see that,” noted Daugherty. “I was expecting a flyover, but I wasn’t expecting to see that kind of a treat with a stadium full of people.”

Trump touched down at 2:07 p.m., and an hour later he made the ceremonial coin toss to begin the game. The Navy won the flip and deferred to the second half. The Navy’s strategy backfired after Army immediately posted an 82-yard touchdown drive to the glee of thousands of gray-overcoated military members who jumped, clapped, and waved patriotic flags in the stands.

On the field, Trump shook hands with Army and Navy team members and then joined the Black Knights in the stands for the first half. He greeted the pilots and their passengers during halftime and later ventured across the field to sit with the Midshipmen for the second half. 

“When we found out the president was going to be at the game [Kentucky Wounded Heroes state director] Chuck Reed contacted Congressman [Andy] Barr and Senator [Mitch] McConnell,” Daugherty explained. President Trump met with us during halftime for a good 20 minutes and he thanked everyone for being there. He shook our hands and made sure everyone felt good about their service” to the country.

Behind quarterback Kell Hopkins, the Black Knights secured the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy during their third win in a row. Hopkins went 4-9 in the air for 61 yards, and the Army defense held the Midshipmen to 198 total yards.