Hegseth again intervenes in disciplinary action taken for Apache helicopter flyover
The suspensions of eight Apache pilots who flew low over the South Carolina coast on July Fourth were lifted Friday, according to the South Carolina National Guard, just hours after Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth publicly called for the reversal.
The Apache attack helicopters were flying in South Carolina's annual "Salute from the Shore" event -- which flies from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to Beaufort, North Carolina, along the coast on the Fourth of July -- when video footage posted online appeared to show the pilots flying low over a crowded coastline. The pilots are members of the South Carolina National Guard’s Alpha 1-151 Attack Battalion.
The eight pilots involved were temporarily suspended shortly after the flight, Maj. Lisa Allen, a spokesperson for the South Carolina National Guard, confirmed on Thursday to ABC affiliate WPDE in Florence, South Carolina. What prompted the suspension is unclear.
The Guard clarified in a Thursday press release that the action was a "routine administrative measure whenever a flight profile is under review" and that the soldiers were still taking part in "regular daily duties in a non-flying capacity" -- emphasizing in a post on X that it was "not a disciplinary action." Allen confirmed on Friday that the review was now complete.
Low-altitude flying carries inherent risks, including the potential for debris to scatter on the ground and less time for pilots to respond to emergencies.
As the video of their flyover circulated on social media, reports of the suspension drew national scrutiny and prompted backlash from state and federal lawmakers.
Republican Rep. Russell Fry of South Carolina called for the National Guard to "drop this review and restore these pilots immediately" in a Thursday morning post on X, saying the pilots "should be celebrated, not sanctioned." Fry also penned a letter to the South Carolina National Guard, where he decried the suspension as a "misguided decision and a misuse of resources."
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, also criticized the suspension.
"Surely, they know how to safely navigate the coast of South Carolina — and her scores of cheering residents and tourists on our 250th anniversary," McMaster wrote on X.
Hegseth weighed in on Thursday evening, promising to "fix" the suspension in response to a video of the flyover posted on X.
"We’ll fix this. Carry on, Patriots," Hegseth wrote.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell echoed Hegseth in his Friday announcement lifting the suspension, writing on X that "Effective immediately, the suspension of all involved South Carolina pilots has been lifted. Carry on Patriots."
Allen also announced in a press release that the suspension was lifted, adding that "The South Carolina National Guard appreciates the outpouring of concern and support from our community and state leaders."
It is not the first time that Hegseth has intervened on behalf of suspended Apache pilots. In late March, two Apache helicopters were flagged by the Army for flying low and hovering near Kid Rock's Nashville house. Their suspension was rolled back just hours after it was announced, and Hegseth quickly took credit.
“Pilots suspension LIFTED. No punishment. No investigation. Carry on, patriots,” he posted on X at the time.
Apaches are the Army's primary attack helicopter, being fully integrated into the force in the 1980s and seeing their combat debut during the U.S. invasion of Panama. They continued to be heavily used in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and are currently deployed in the war with Iran.
