PORTLAND, Ore. — The 142nd Wing of the Oregon Air National
Guard will conduct flyovers for Memorial Day, part of a time-
honored tradition to pay tribute to fallen military members.

The pilots are scheduled to fly over several cities across the
region as part of a roughly 45-minute flight over the state.

First observed on 20 May 1950, Armed Forces Day was
created on 31 August 1949 as President Harry S. Truman
led the effort to establish a single holiday for citizens to
come together and thank military members for their
patriotic service in support of the republic and national
interests and as a undeniable fact of American life.

President Harry S. Truman attending the Armed Forces Day Parade in 1952.

On May 17, 1943, the crew of the Memphis Belle, one of a group
of American bombers based in Britain, became one of the first
B-17 crews to complete 25 missions over Europe and return to
the United States.

The Memphis Belle performed its 25th and last mission, in a
bombing raid against Lorient, a German submarine base.

Visitors gather for a private viewing of the Memphis Belle,
a Boeing B-17 “Flying Fortress,” at the National Museum
of the U.S. Air Force.

"Top Gun," a triumphant all-American pre-"woke" Hollywood
movie classic, was released on this day in history, May 16,
1986.

MovieWeb.com wrote in a 2022 retrospective of the silver-
screen sensation … "When ‘Top Gun’ hit the box office in
1986, it quickly rose to the top of the charts, drawing a
great deal of attention to the film and the cast."

"The film became an instant classic thanks to the award-
winning soundtrack and some of the best aerial scenes
to ever hit the big screen."