PGRNY Completed Missions

Special Mission

82nd Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Remembrance
and Dropping of the Roses

All Military Branches

Farmingdale, NY - 12/07/2023

Mission applies to the following Region(s):

Region 8, Region 9

About the Mission:

82nd Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Remembrance and Dropping of the Roses - The Long Island Air Force Association has once again invited Patriot Guard Riders to participate in the annual Pearl Harbor Day Ceremonies and the "Dropping of the Roses."

Following the indoor ceremony, overhead doors open and everyone moves outside to the tarmac, where LIAFA personnel take off in a vintage plane to drop roses over the Statue of Liberty in memory of the men and women who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor in 1941.

OVERVIEW - The late Joseph Hydrusko was a Navy medic serving at Pearl Harbor during the attack on December 7th, 1941. He was credited with saving countless lives as the Japanese aircraft dropped their bombs on the Navy fleet.

In 1970, Joe started a tradition of dropping American Beauty Roses (one rose for each anniversary year) over the Statue of Liberty while flying his own aircraft. The "Dropping of the Roses" was his way of paying a personal tribute to the men and women who lost their lives during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Following his death in 1974, his friends from the "Skytypers" and the Air Force Association continued on with the tradition. Due to their advanced ages, his friends Mort Arken, Irv Hansen, Walter Zywan and others asked the Long Island Air Force Association (AFA) to accept the responsibility for the tradition of the rose.

Primary Staging Date and Staging Time:

12/07/2023 at 10:00am

Staging Location:

American Airpower Museum
1230 New Highway
Farmingdale, NY 11735

Lead Ride Captain and Contact Info:

Pete Jepson
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Special Covid-19 Mission Guidelines:

Updated 8 March 2022

Based on the most current COVID-19 Prevention Guidelines: Protect Yourself and Your Family from COVID-19, and CDC Guidelines of 3 March 2022, going forward, the Lead Ride Captain for any mission will be responsible for determining whether PGR members will have to mask up or not. Please ensure that you have a mask with you, should the need arise, and respect the LRC’s decision in these matters.

Special Information:

We will stand a flag line at appropriate times throughout the ceremony, as called by the Ride Captain.

Is there a Second Stage to this Mission?

no

Submitted by:

Wayne Cohen

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