Fireworks display Marines in action Humvee M1A1 Abrams tank
The advance team then clipped on to a rope dangling from a Huey and the eight Marines were extracted and
flown through the sky. Three Ospreys made a high‐speed pass, transitioned to hovering flight, then de‐
scended to deliver their loads of infantry. Then it was time for the aptly named “Heavy Haulers” to bring in
the mechanized equipment. Three CH‐53E Super Stallions, one with a Humvee dangling below it, delivered
their loads. The Marines on the ground slowly advanced towards the crowd line, all the while providing each
other cover. From show right soon appeared an armored column led by two M1A1 Abrams tanks and fol‐
lowed by several LAV‐25s, Humvees and an MTVR 7‐ton truck towing a howitzer. Two final passes by the Hor‐
nets and Harriers, each accompanied by a wall of fire, ended the assault demo. Now it was time for the pass
in review, where all of the ground assets paraded within arm’s reach along the crowd line, and the aircraft
flew slowly overhead. The Marines were heartily cheered by the crowds and they, in turn, exchanged high‐
fives and handshakes with the spectators. It is truly one of the highlights of the show and a demonstration
seen very rarely elsewhere.
A bittersweet moment for many in the crowd was the final flight of the CH‐46E, also known as the “Phrog.”
“The Marine Corps is about to be out of the Phrog business and that seems sad; however, it is also an exciting
time as we complete the transition to the more capable MV‐22 and prepare to write the next chapter in the
great legacy of Marine aviation,” said Lt. Col. John Field, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 364
commanding