
Commemorative Air Force Aircraft Leads Navy to Victory Tour Honoring 80th Anniversary of Allied Victory in WWII

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory in World War II, Ready 4 Duty, a historic U.S. Navy World War II-era aircraft operated by the Dallas-based Commemorative Air Force (CAF), is embarking on a transatlantic journey from Texas to Europe to honor the service and sacrifice of American and Allied sailors.
Ready 4 Duty’s ambitious 12-week, 12,000-mile Navy to Victory Tour, which runs from April through July, includes appearances at over a dozen aviation and ceremonial events across the southern and eastern U.S., Iceland, the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands.
“Safely operating an eighty-year-old aircraft for such an extended journey is no mean feat,” says Christopher Volpe, Navy to Victory Tour’s lead coordinator. “But helping to build a lasting legacy for veterans makes all of the preparations and sacrifices worth it.”
According to Volpe, the advancing age of World War II veterans — the youngest of whom are now ninety-seven — factored heavily into the decision to conduct this intercontinental tour. “The window to honor these men and women while they’re still with us is closing rapidly,” says Volpe. “For them, their families and society at large, we’re committed to paying tribute to them on this 80th anniversary of the Allied victory.”
The iconic aircraft will also transport artifacts from surviving U.S. World War II-era warships, such as U.S.S. Yorktown, Battleship Texas, and U.S.S. Laffey, during the Navy to Victory Tour. The exhibition, assembled specifically for this tour, marks the first time that artifacts from so many U.S. WWII warships are publicly displayed together.
“The Navy to Victory Tour is a heartfelt tribute to the countless Allied sailors and airmen who served with courage and conviction during the Second World War,” says CAF president and CEO, David Oliver. “This commemorative mission embodies the transatlantic bonds forged in the fight for freedom and remain a cornerstone of our shared history.”
For more information, visit www.commemorativeairforce.org.