JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Thousands of people flocked to NAS Jax Saturday to watch the Blue Angels and other military pilots show off their skills during the 2024 NAS Jax Air Show.
Nearly 300,000 people were expected to attend the air show. Some waited in line for hours Saturday morning just to get to the tarmac and secure their spot front and center.
David Shivervecker was at the show, he returned to NAS Jax after more than 20 years.
“It’s a homecoming. I actually got out of the car and touched the tarmac," said Shivervecker, a Navy veteran who was stationed at NAS Jax.
He and his sister say they planned months in advance to be at the air show. It will be her first time seeing the Blue Angels.
“We knew they were going to be here and we were sitting back and forth sitting around and I’m like Jax and he says yes," said Kim Shivervecker, a Navy veteran.
They joined thousands of other veterans, families and aviation lovers who filled this tarmac Saturday morning.
It was windy, and clouds were in the sky, but that didn’t stop the excitement on the ground.
For some, coming to the base for the air show turned into a family affair, and for one veteran who flew planes during his time in the service, it was a way to show his family why he served.
“As a proud Navy veteran, I want to make sure that my grandchildren as well as my children know how proud I am to have served and I want them to see some of the exciting things I was able to see while serving," Carlos Ortiz, a Navy veteran, said.