JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — For nearly 80 years, the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels have been the most famous mascot for Naval aviation in the world, but there's a chance you don't know where they got their name.
The Blue Angels, formally named the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, were created in 1946, as Admiral Chester Nimitz wanted to maintain the public's interest in naval aviation following World War II.
The first Blue Angels air show took place in Craig Field in Jacksonville on June 15, 1946.
Since then, the Blue Angels have traveled the country showing off their awe-inspiring Naval prowess. In 2021, they unveiled their Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, which will be on display at the NAS Jax Air Show this weekend.
Needing something catchier and easier to say than the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the crew landed on Blue Angels. The name was picked by the original demonstration pilots when they were planning a show in New York in their inaugural year. According to the Navy's website, one of the members came across the name of New York's famous Blue Angel nightclub in the New Yorker Magazine.
For more information about the Blue Angels, like how close they fly together during their demonstrations, you can visit their Frequently Asked Questions page.
