【Epoch Times, September 29, 2026】From September 25-27, the 2026 America’s Air Show was held at the MCAS Miramar in San Diego, California, celebrating America’s 250th anniversary of independence and promoting freedom, democracy, and dedication.
Rear Admiral Robert B. Brodie, Commander of the Third Marine Aircraft Wing, stated in his opening speech, “On behalf of the aircraft wing and the Marines, sailors, and their families serving here, welcome to the base. Beyond marveling at the formidable helicopter force and all that we see in the sky, I want to emphasize the courage, dedication, and hard work of our military in defending our country.”
“I once had the same dream as you, of soaring the skies on an aircraft. 32 years ago, I got the opportunity and started a lifelong career,” he asked the young people present, “Are you honest and idealistic? Do you crave self-challenges, sharpening yourself through daily tests, and understand that the most meaningful achievement in life lies in serving others? I invite you to talk to the officers, soldiers, and recruiters, to see if you have the potential to become a Marine.”
In his closing remarks, Rear Admiral Brodie extended his gratitude to the citizens, veterans, active-duty personnel, and their families, saying, “Let us always remember the pioneers and the heroes who sacrificed for our country! It is my lifelong honor to stand here and fight alongside all of you, forever loyal!”
Colonel R. Erik Herrmann, the Commander of MCAS Miramar, welcomed the audience to “Fighter Town USA”, the historical nickname of the base, and announced, “This year’s air show continues the classic theme of ‘personnel, aircraft, and power’, let us witness their spectacular demonstrations together!”
During the show, the U.S. Special Operations Command’s paratrooper team showcased their exceptional free-fall techniques, with the American flag fluttering in the sky. On the ground, the Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard and the Third Marine Aircraft Wing Band marched by.
Following was a stunning demonstration by the Marine Air-Ground Task Force, showcasing F/A-18 Hornets and F-35B Lightning II fighter jets flying past the audience, while Marine Corps members descended from helicopters on ropes and infantry deployed from armored vehicles to attack targets on the ground.
Each Air-Ground Task Force includes a command element, an aviation element, a ground combat element, and a logistics element. As a joint force formed for specific missions, members of each element would deploy together to respond to crises upon receiving orders.
Two ladies watching the air show for the first time were continuously snapping photos with their phones. One of them remarked, “This is amazing. This is what the Marines are capable of.”
The flight performances lasted from 10 am to around 4 pm, featuring acts like the UK Falcons parachute team, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, civilian aerobatic pilots, and more dazzling displays.
In addition to the aerial shows, there were interactive exhibits at the air show. Some aircraft were open for residents to climb aboard and take photos. Besides the HH-60W Jolly Green II, residents lined up to board the aircraft, including children and adults, to sit in the pilot or gunner’s position for pictures.
Beside the aircraft, a serviceman explained, “This is the new model from Sikorsky, similar to the UH-60M Black Hawk but modified for combat search and rescue missions to locate missing personnel. It can fly quite high without power issues and low to the ground. The machine gun has a firing rate of 3,000 rounds per minute, similar to a laser gun, and can also be refueled mid-air through a C-130 transport plane.”
Teacher Ron Flaherty from El Camino Real Charter High School brought 100 students, saying, “This lets everyone connect with the military and understand the air show. For the kids, it’s a fun and joyous day.”
Flaherty, a retired Marine from Miramar base and a teacher in the school’s Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, organized students to attend the air show for the 13th time this year. He did 20 pull-ups, with several lasting quite a while, as students cheered him on loudly. He said, “I’m over 60 now, and I was stronger in the service than I am now.” However, none of the students managed to do 20 pull-ups.
Lockheed Martin brought an F-35 Lightning fighter jet simulator, allowing people to experience aerial flight realistically. Many lined up to try it out, with staff teaching a boy how to take off, land, perform forward and sideways flips in the simulator, designed for the Marines since the fighter jet only has one seat, making instructor-led flights impossible.
Two Marine Corps soldiers demonstrated items and information used by the Marine Corps during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War at their booth. One named Allen explained hand grenades to children, saying, “Once the safety lever flies off in the air, the spring-loaded striker hits the primer, causing it to explode. Generally, there’s about a 4-5 second time frame. Anyone within a 5-meter radius will be hit by shrapnel, but Hollywood movies exaggerate its effects.” He recalled feeling that the grenade would explode in his hand when he first joined the Marines and had to throw it immediately.
The U.S. Air Force brought a Lockheed C-5 Galaxy transport plane primarily for cargo transport. A staff member explained, “The rear cabin only has 73 seats, fewer than large commercial aircraft, as it was designed to transport large cargo.”
Members of the 144th Fighter Wing of the California Air National Guard from Fresno brought an F-15 Eagle fighter jet, with a pilot saying, “We love this type of aircraft; we can go anywhere in the world, wherever the U.S. Air Force needs us, we can be there.”
Two female Marine Corps soldiers were teaching young people how to use tourniquets to stop bleeding, explaining, “Particularly for arterial bleeding, if it is spraying out bright red blood, immediate action is needed to stop the bleeding. The human body has about 5 liters of blood, so with arterial bleeding, blood could drain out in 2 minutes, causing unconsciousness, cessation of breathing, and death.” A Navy Corpsman nearby added, “There are several ways to handle it, we also have a hemostatic agent resembling gauze, containing ingredients to accelerate blood clotting, which can be inserted into the wound to make the arterial blood coagulate.”
Robert Feliciano, a docent at the USS Midway Museum, introduced, “This is a massive ship, serving from 1945 to 1992, participating in World War II, the Vietnam War, Desert Storm, and more. We have many activities on board, and if you were to explore every area, it would take about 4.5 hours due to the ship having 17 decks.” ◇