Arrival of F-35B to be celebrated in community event

Arrival of F-35B to be celebrated in community event

Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in downtown Beaufort will be the scene of a free community celebration on Friday, July 11th, to welcome the new F-35B Join Strike Fighter Training Squadron, VMFAT-501, to Beaufort.

Starting at 6pm, the event organized by the Military Enhancement Committee of Beaufort’s chamber of commerce is scheduled toArrival of F-35B to be celebrated in community event include a performance by the Parris Island Marine Band along with free watermelon and other refreshments, games and prizes and a fireworks display to end the evening at 9pm.

The new F-35 Pilot Training Center at Marine Corps Air Station Beau­fort is gearing up for full operations with the first class of pilots beginning training in the fall. As operations are ramped up it’s expected that about 70 pilots a year will be trained in Beaufort and up to 88 jets eventually could be based at the station.

Arrival of F-35B to be celebrated in community event