An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Thunderbirds to mark Selfridge centennial

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Dan Heaton
  • 127th Wing
SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE --  The Airmen of Selfridge Air National Guard Base will welcome the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds to the base to mark the 100th anniversary of the Macomb County military installation, Aug. 19-20,2017.

The Thunderbirds will headline the 2017 Selfridge Open House, which will celebrate the 100-year heritage of the base. Selfridge was established on July 1, 1917, as America prepared to enter World War I. Since that time, thousands of Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and Homeland Security agents and other public servants assigned to the base have been part of a proud heritage of service to state and nation.

"The 2017 Open House will not only celebrate the full century of service the men and women of Selfridge have contributed to America, but will also launch us into our second century," said Brig. Gen. John D. Slocum, commander of the 127th Wing, the host military unit at Selfridge.

The Selfridge Open House will include an air show demonstration by a wide variety of current military and heritage aircraft. All the nation's military services will be represented with ground displays during the event as well. Past Selfridge Open Houses have drawn in excess of 200,000 visitors and a similar large turn-out is expected in 2017.

The 2017 Open House will mark the first return visit of the Thunderbirds to Selfridge since 2009.

Those interested in signing up to receive periodic email information about the Selfridge Open House and Air Show may do so at the web site teamselfridge.com

In addition to the Open House, Slocum said a number of special events are planned throughout 2017 to honor the occasion of the centennial.

"At Selfridge today, we stand on the shoulders of so many patriots, so many military personnel from the past 10 decades who have lived the core value of Service Before Self," Slocum said.

Additional details of the Selfridge Centennial will be released in late 2016. Among the special events planned are a special museum display, the publishing of a coffee-table style heritage book and ceremonies for both military personnel and the surrounding community.

Information on the history of Selfridge Air National Guard Base is available on the History & Heritage page of the 127th Wing's official website, www.127wg.ang.af.mil/resources/history&heritage.asp