JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas —
Reserve Citizen Airmen with the 433rd Airlift Wing, 960th Our on-line world Wing, 340th Flying Coaching Group and twenty third Intelligence Squadron participated in San Antonio’s 74th annual Fiesta Flambeau parade, the most important illuminated evening parade in the US in response to the official Flambeau group web site, on April 9.
Certainly one of three parades and a number of Fiesta occasions, the Fiesta Flambeau parade started in 1948. With the phrase Flambeau that means “tall, adorned candlestick,” in French, contributors used their floats and outfits to light up the evening throughout the celebration.
This 12 months’s parade theme was “Celebrating Literary Classics.” The consolidated group represented the Air Power Reserve by making a float spotlighting retired Senior Grasp Sgt. James Bynum, an area Tuskegee Airman who served throughout World Battle II.
“We determined to focus on the Tuskegee Airmen,” stated Lt. Col. Timothy Wade, 433rd AW, public affairs officer. “They’re an excellent a part of our historical past. We’re showcasing not solely what they’ve finished up to now, however how their groundbreaking of the Air Power and Division of Protection led to items such because the 433rd Airlift Wing, 960th Our on-line world Wing and the twenty third Intelligence Squadron.”
Because of unexpected circumstances, Bynum was not capable of attend the parade. Nevertheless, the Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland’s Airman Heritage Basis loaned an genuine WWII uniform to a parade participant to take care of the spirit and accuracy of the time interval in addition to Bynum’s legacy.
“In honor of him, we determined to maintain urgent ahead,” stated Wade. “That’s the reason I’m dressed as an genuine Tuskegee Airman by utilizing historic belongings from our Air Power museum. We need to ensure we get it proper and inform that story to everybody.”
After a two 12 months pause as a result of Covid-19 pandemic, Reserve unit members got here collectively for the primary time to not solely create the float however to indicate camaraderie post-lockdown by strolling within the parade collectively.
“That is the primary 12 months that 340th Flying Coaching Group, the 960th Our on-line world Wing and the 433rd Airlift Wing all participated collectively,” stated Chief Grasp Sgt. Christopher Howard, 340th FTG, senior enlisted chief. “After we speak about Covid, we not solely introduced everybody again collectively however we introduced wings collectively beneath this explicit occasion.”
In response to the Fiesta San Antonio Fee, 750,000 spectators attended the parade. As they cheered and waved whereas the float rode by, Howard spoke of his pleasure and delight of being part of the San Antonio neighborhood, particularly throughout this annual occasion.
“I haven’t been a part of a neighborhood like San Antonio earlier than that actually embraces the army,” stated Howard. “The sensation of strolling down that parade route with all the neighborhood popping out and their outpouring of help is wonderful.”
