Info & photos provided by Bruce Boland and Bob Rutherford

Thanks to the wonderful generosity of the officers and personnel of the Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, and the pilots and personnel of F/A-18 "Hornet" Squadron VFA-147 (the "Argonauts"), a little 7 year old girl's dream day came true.

With Capt. Robert Rutherford USN as "Mission Assistant" our Angel Flight arrived at Auburn Calif from San Diego at 9:30 AM on Monday 10/24. After a quick meeting with Alyssa and her mother Leeann, we were off to NAS Lemoore.


Bruce helps Alyssa get strapped into his Beech Bonanza

 
Alyssa was hosted in the Air Station's dinning facility to a lunch that a little girl could really enjoy. Hot dogs, banana splits, and a special cake made just for her by the "bakers" of NAS Lemoore. On the wall above her white linen, flowers and balloons covered table was a 20 X 5 foot banner with a picture of a Hornet on it wishing her well and signed by all the children of the NAS Lemoore Grammar School.

Following lunch Alyssa was the "Distinguished Guest" of the Argonauts in a highly secure Hornet simulator building with her own special access badge. She flew the Hornet in the "Mother of all video games", a very sophisticated full flight simulator

After the simulator ''ride" she was greeted at the Squadron hanger and a given a tour of a real hornet.

The Squadron presented her with her own (correctly sized) Flight Jacket with appropriate "patches" and a set of Naval Aviator sweetheart wings. Her name tag on the jacket said she was the "Argo Angel".  A framed picture of a VFA -147 Hornet, signed by the pilots was the icing on the cake of a day she will always remember.

Thanks to all, this very brave little girl that has endured 2 major brain operations and chemotherapy that required 15 months of isolation at home, had a great day!!

After flying a tired but happy girl and her mother home to Auburn in a Bonanza full of banners, balloons, cake, pictures and wonderful memories, our "Angel Flight' returned to San Diego. Thirteen hours traveled, and 9 hours of flight time, left these old fighter pilots life long fans of Alyssa.

A special Thank You to RAdm (ret) Bruce Boland and Capt. Bob Rutherford for making the arrangements, and for making this long day / long flight for Alyssa.  The flight was coordinated thru Angel Flight West.