As the Boston Red Sox celebrate their first game of the season at Fenway Park against the San Diego Padres, there’s one home opener tradition that fans won’t see on Friday afternoon: a military flyover.
The Red Sox confirmed to WBZ-TV that pregame ceremonies won’t include a flyover. Last year, two F-35’s flown by the 134th Fighter Squadron, Green Mountain Boys of the Vermont Air National Guard and one KC-46 from the New Hampshire Air National Guard’s 157th Air Refueling Wing flew over Fenway.
John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Amid the war with Iran, Senior Master Sgt. Michael Davis with the Vermont Air National Guard told WBZ-TV, “due to ongoing mission operations and commitments, our unit was unfortunately unable to provide support for this event today.”
WBZ-TV has reached out to the New Hampshire Air National Guard for comment.
U.S. Air Force spokesperson Jennifer Bentley said in a statement that “The Air Force approved the Red Sox game for support on April 3, however, it appears the team was unable to find a unit to volunteer.”
“All flyovers are done on a volunteer basis at the unit level. The event organizer contacts units directly to check their availability to support,” Bentley said. “There have been no policy changes regarding flyovers. Support is fully based on aircraft mission requirements and availability at the individual unit level.”
There will still be a military presence at Fenway for the home opener. The team said the colors will be presented by members of the Vermont Army National Guard, Massachusetts Army and Air Force National Guard from Hanscom Air Force Base.
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