Air Force Heritage Week Activities to Soar over Columbus Published Sept. 11, 2007 By AFMC/PA WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Orville and Wilbur Wright on their breathtaking first flights... WWI flying ace Capt Eddie Rickenbacker shooting down enemy aircraft ... General Jimmy Doolittle and his Tokyo Raiders. Citizens of Columbus, Ohio, have been invited to help celebrate the heritage built by these and the hundreds of thousands of daring and dedicated airmen who've made the U.S. Air Force what it is today: the world's strongest, most professional air, space and cyberspace force. Air Force and city officials are encouraging attendance at Air Force Heritage Week events Sept. 24-30, in recognition of the Air Force's 60th anniversary. These activities are being held in conjunction with the Gathering of Mustangs and Legends at Rickenbacker International Airport, just south of the city. Ohio Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher and Lt. Gen. Terry Gabreski, vice commander of Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson AFB, will kick off the week with a proclamation ceremony at Rickenbacker Monday. Tuesday evening, the famous Air Force Band of Flight performs in concert at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium downtown. Friday, the Air Force Thunderbirds team will visit the Children's Hospital, Hillard-Davidson High School and Groveport Madison Senior High School. Lt. Gen. Gabreski will address the Friday opening ceremony for the Gathering of Mustangs and Legends, which runs through Sunday and includes air shows by the Thunderbirds and a number of restored P-51 Mustangs--aircraft that played a major role in the Allied campaign to achieve air supremacy in WW II Europe. Also Sunday, Ohio's Air National Guard will provide an F-16 flyover for the Columbus Crew game. Additionally, the Crew game will feature "shout-outs" from General Bruce Carlson, commander of Air Force Materiel Command, and a number of Ohio Airmen currently deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.