Pentagon lifts suspensions of South Carolina Apache pilots

The Pentagon has lifted the flight suspensions of eight South Carolina Army National Guard Apache helicopter pilots after a low flyby over crowded beaches during a Fourth of July event drew scrutiny and political backlash.

“Effective immediately, the suspension of all involved South Carolina pilots has been lifted,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell wrote Friday morning on social media. “Carry on Patriots.”

The pilots had been temporarily removed from flying duties after taking part in “Salute from the Shore,” a July 4 tradition in South Carolina that honors service members with military aircraft flying along the state’s 187-mile coastline. Video from the event showed Apache helicopters flying low over beachgoers, many of whom waved and recorded the aircraft on their phones.

The South Carolina Army National Guard said Thursday that the suspensions were “a routine, non-punitive safety measure” and “not a disciplinary action.” The soldiers “remain in good standing” and continued performing non-flight duties, the Guard said. It also said it could not comment on specific allegations, “including questions regarding flight altitude or Federal Aviation Administration Regulations.”

The reason for the initial suspension was not made public. Republican U.S. Rep. Russell Fry of South Carolina said on X that the pilots had been suspended because of a “frivolous complaint,” but he did not provide additional details. In a letter he shared online to Maj. Gen. Robin B. Stillwell, the head of the South Carolina Army National Guard, Fry called the suspension “misguided” and a “misuse of resources.” He also said the pilots “should be celebrated, not sanctioned.”

Other South Carolina Republicans also criticized the action. State Rep. Tim McGinnis called the suspension “ridiculous” and said he had contacted the South Carolina Army National Guard and the governor’s office.

Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican who serves as commander-in-chief of the state’s National Guard, said Friday morning that he trusted the pilots’ judgment. “Surely, they know how to safely navigate the coast of South Carolina – and her scores of cheering residents and tourists on our 250th anniversary,” McMaster wrote on social media.

Late Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signaled that the Pentagon would intervene. “We’ll fix this. Carry on, Patriots,” he wrote on X. Parnell announced the lifting of the suspensions the next morning.

The South Carolina Army National Guard had not publicly commented on the Pentagon’s decision to lift the suspensions. The Guardian reported that officials with McMaster’s office and the Guard did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Friday, including on whether McMaster had directly intervened. The Pentagon declined to comment beyond Parnell’s statement, The Guardian reported.

“Salute from the Shore” has been held since 2010 and is intended to spark patriotism among thousands of residents and tourists gathered along South Carolina’s beaches for the holiday. This year’s event included F-16s from the South Carolina Air National Guard’s 169th Fighter Wing at McEntire Joint Base and a C-17 from the 437th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Charleston. Civilian-owned vintage aircraft, including T-34s and T-6s, also participated. The Apache helicopters joined the air parade for the first time.

A similar episode occurred in March, when two AH-64 Army helicopters flew near singer Kid Rock’s Nashville home during a training mission. The Army initially suspended the pilots pending an investigation. The next day, Hegseth said the suspensions had been lifted and that there would be no investigation or punishment.