Following July 4th flyover, Department of War says eight Apache helicopter pilot suspensions are lifted
Following public criticism of the suspension of eight Army National Guard pilots who participated in a patriotic flyover event last holiday weekend, the DOW announced the reversal of that suspension.
by Summer Lane | July 10, 2026
Following reports that the South Carolina Army National Guard had suspended eight pilots involved in a Fourth of July flyover, the Department of War announced that the suspensions had been lifted.
On X, video surfaced of a small fleet of U.S. Apache helicopters allegedly conducting a “Salute from the Shore” flyover last weekend in South Carolina. The caption claimed that the pilots involved had been suspended without reason.
According to a report from FOX Carolina, Major Lisa Alle with the South Carolina National Guard said in a statement that the suspension was “temporary” and merely “a routine administrative measure whenever a flight profile is under review.”
Reports of the suspension, however, drew some criticism from the public.
“We sincerely appreciate the strong community support for our service members,” Alle said in her statement. “The South Carolina Army National Guard holds its aviators to the highest standards of professional conduct and aviation regulations. Our absolute top priority is, and always will be, the safety of our personnel and the communities we fly over.”
On Thursday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reposted the video of the Apache flyover with this comment: “We’ll fix this. Carry on, Patriots.”
Just one day later, Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell announced, “Effective immediately, the suspension of all involved South Carolina pilots has been lifted. Carry on Patriots.”
The “Salute from the Shore” event – a tradition since 2010 – was held on July 4 along the coastline of South Carolina.
The non-profit’s vision is “to create an accessible opportunity for South Carolina beachgoers to honor our armed forces by organizing a ‘Salute from the Shore’ of a military flyover of the entire South Carolina coast each Independence Day,” the event website reads.
Photo: Adobe Stock
