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CAF Wings Over Houston | Ellington Airport, Houston

October 26-27, 2024

US Navy Blue Angels

50 Years of History & Boom – FB

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“A Date WhicH Will LIVE IN INFAMY …”

Tora! Tora! Tora! Returns to Wings Over Houston Airshow and Celebrates 50 years of History and BOOM!

In the words of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, A Date Which Will Live in Infamy.” This special historical tribute will be headlined with a reenactment by Tora, Tora, Tora and commemorates the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese Imperial Navy on December 7, 1941.

Tora, Tora, Tora – A Living History Museum Returns to the 2022 Airshow

“Tora, Tora, Tora” is the Commemorative Air Force’s recreation of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that signaled the beginning of the American involvement in World War II. Designed as a living history lesson, “Tora, Tora, Tora” is intended as a memorial to all the soldiers on both sides who gave their lives for their countries.

6 Ship Fing

The motto of the Commemorative Air Force and the “Tora” act is “Lest We Forget.” “Tora, Tora, Tora”, as other Commemorative Air Force flying history recreations, is not intended to promote nationalism or glorify war. The intent of the Tora group is to help generations of individuals throughout the world born after World War II understand that war does not discriminate in the pain it causes and that courageous individuals on both sides lose their lives. In furtherance of this mission, the Tora group has participated in the making of numerous documentaries produced by Japanese filmmakers and Japanese historians.

The pilots and crew of “Tora, Tora, Tora” are proud of the reputation they have developed with veterans of the Japanese military as an accurate lesson on the history of the time and as a tribute to themselves and their comrades. Over the years, “Tora, Tora, Tora” has brought both American and Japanese veterans together to celebrate the spirit of cooperation our two nations have enjoyed for more than 50 years. At air shows throughout the country, Japanese veterans living, working, and visiting in this country have had an opportunity to meet with the Tora gang and join with American veterans in a sprit of brotherhood and friendship that only former servicemen can experience.

TORA_TORA

“Tora Tora Tora began in 1972, when six replica Japanese aircraft used in the movie of the same name were donated to the CAF. The Gulf Coast Wing requested assignment of the aircraft and began developing an act for presentation at airshows. The act debuted at the Galveston Air Show on June 25,1972 and is the longest continuously performing non-military airshow act in the United States, and perhaps the world.”

“The show combines pyrotechnics with a thrilling airshow to reenact the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. The performance is a living history lesson that immerses viewers in history and takes audiences back to the day that changed the course of American history – December 7, 1941.”

“Even after 50-years, this renowned performance continues to be one of the most in-demand airshow acts nationwide. The act has been performed in 49 states, including Alaska, plus performances in Canada and Mexico. Through the years, Tora Tora Tora has participated in several commemorative anniversaries of Pearl Harbor and has been featured in numerous films and documentaries. In 2001, the Tora Tora Tora airshow was awarded the prestigious Art Scholl Award for Showmanship from the International Council of Air Shows (ICAS).”

As the pilots taxi for takeoff, Tora ground crew and Tora Bomb Squad members can frequently be seen saluting the pilots in the traditional Japanese fashion of a bow. From that moment in the air show until the final notes of Kate Smith’s rendition of “God Bless America” are heard as the smoke and fires from Tora finally fade away, the men and women of Tora are dedicated to one simple, yet powerful task… the telling of the story… “lest we forget”. Dedication…Selflessness…Commitment… these terms are synonymous with the men and women of Tora, Tora, Tora.

As one airshow promoter so aptly phrased it… “An airshow without TORA or the TORA Bomb Squad is just another fly in.” Treat yourself to a day at the museum, the multi-sensory, 3-D, living history museum known as TORA, TORA, TORA.”

by the late Elliott “Doc” Pood, Former TORA Public Information Officer

Credit/Source:
http://www.toratoratora.com/ourstory.html
https://commemorativeairforce.org/news/tora-tora-tora-turns-fifty

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