STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Four vintage aircraft will perform a flyover and missing man tribute honoring men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice for their country during Memorial Day ceremonies in Hailey and Ketchum on Monday.

The planes, provided by the Warhawk Museum of Nampa, will fly over about 11:30 a.m., as the 11 a.m. ceremonies are winding down.

One of the planes is the P-51C Mustang called the “Boise Bee.” John Maloney, vice president of Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino, Calif., will fly the plane, which is painted in the markings of Boise native and five-time World War II Fighter Ace Lt. Col. Duane W. Beeson, who flew it in the 334^th Fighter Squadron, 4^th Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force in England.

The second aircraft, a P-51D called “Hell-er-Bust,” will be flown by Mark Peterson, a businessman from Boise.

Jim Thomas of Livermore, Calif., will fly the Curtiss P-40, which earned a reputation for extreme ruggedness as America’s foremost fighter in service when World War II began. And John Hinton, who works for Fighter Rebuilders in Chino, Calif., will fly the museum’s P-40N Warhawk, which is painted in the markings of the Parrot Head Squadron.

The 14^th annual Hailey Memorial Day Ceremony will start at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 29, and will honor nearly 400 veterans from Blaine County laid to rest at the Hailey Cemetery, said GeegeeLowe.

This year’s theme is “In Memory of Many, In Honor of All, Thank You.”

The ceremony will feature the Mountain Home Air Force Base Honor Guard and the Idaho Army National Guard. Boise highlander bagpipers will provide music, and the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage and guest speakers will provide other musical selections and poem readings.

Ret. U.S. Army Col. Rich Cardillo of Higher Ground, and Brig. Gen. Robert Lytle of the U.S. Army National Guard, will be guest speakers.

The Hailey Cemetery will be decorated from Friday, May 26, to Monday, May 29, with American flags placed on every known veteran’s gravesite.

Further north in Ketchum, the American Legion Hall will sponsor a ceremony at 11 a.m. Col. David W. Brynteson, the 366^th Fighter wing vice commander at Mountain Home AFB, will be the speaker.

“We encourage everyone to come help us honor the true meaning of Memorial Day,” said Geegee Lowe. “While we can never fully repay our debt to America’s fallen warriors, we can remember their service and honor their sacrifice.”

WANT MORE INFORMATION? Call 208-720-7395 or 208-788-2007.