On the Fourth of July in South Carolina, spectators gathered at a beach event described as a “Salute to the Shore.” During the demonstration, members of the South Carolina Army National Guard flew low Apache helicopter passes for the crowd. After the flyover, several pilots involved were suspended from flight duties as the National Guard reviewed whether safety procedures were followed, according to Maj. Lisa Allen. Allen said the suspension was a routine administrative step pending an investigation and was not meant to be punitive, and she declined to provide further details about any allegations.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth later intervened. In posts on X, he indicated he would address the suspension. Subsequently, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced that the suspension of the involved South Carolina pilots was lifted, effective immediately. The CBS account describes the incident as involving Army helicopters used for the low flyover, while the New Republic provides additional detail that eight pilots were suspended and later reinstated. Both accounts characterize the action as an overturning of the pilots’ suspension following the holiday demonstration.
