LOUISVILLE, Ky. –
Kicking off the beginning of the Derby season, thousands of Kentuckians flocked to the shores of the Ohio River to celebrate Thunder Over Louisville, April 20, 2024.
Soldiers and Airmen of the Kentucky National Guard supported the event.
“I’ve served at Thunder Over Louisville for a few years now,” said Air Force Master Sgt. Ryan Penne of the 123rd Special Tactics Squadron, 123rd Airlift Wing. “This year we had the opportunity to work with the [63rd Theater Aviation Brigade] out of Frankfort. They do the hard work so we can have an easy time out here, and everyone here can see our interoperability in action.”
Historically, the KYNG has augmented the Louisville Metro Police Department to aid in traffic control and to provide additional security over the event, while other elements of the KYNG demonstrated the Guard’s capabilities to the attendees.
During this year's event, Soldiers and Airmen served from within the city to its riverside, and included in the skies.
Military police from the 198th Military Police Battalion augmented Louisville Metro Police Department officers, providing security at busy intersections and within the event grounds.
Artillery Soldiers from the 138th Field Artillery Brigade provided three 105mm Howitzer cannons on 2nd Street Bridge to start the air show with a boom.
Airmen from the 123rd AW piloted four C-130J Super Hercules aircraft over the river, which included a parachute demonstration where they leaped from the plane into the water below.
Aviators and crews from two UH-60 Black Hawks assigned to the 63rd TAB supported the 123rd STS in their helocast demonstration.
“A helocast operation is an infill of special operations swimmers. We will slow the aircraft to a hover over water and they will jump off the aircraft and into the water,” said Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Richardson of the 2-147th Assault Helicopter Battalion. “It looks like a lot of fun, but the things that we’re doing have real world applicability. We practice these maneuvers constantly.”
Helocasts were used extensively in disaster relief efforts during the 2022 Eastern Kentucky floods, which enabled National Guard Soldiers to extricate civilians stranded by rising waters and safely relocating them out of danger.
In participating in the air show, the Kentucky National Guard is also able to showcase its interagency capability by seamlessly working together with other military branches, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the German Luftwaffe.
The Thunder Over Louisville event has been a key part of Kentucky tradition. Since the first Thunder event in 1989, it has represented the start of the Derby season and a moment for Kentuckians to come together and celebrate what makes the Commonwealth unique.
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