North Idaho sailor supporting Super Bowl flyover

MILLINGTON, Tenn. — During the 2023 Super Bowl national anthem performance, three Navy tactical squadrons will conduct a unified flyover. Petty Officer 1st Class Zackary Ray, a native of Bonners Ferry is one of the sailors maintaining the aircraft for Electronic Attack Squadron 129.

The flyover formation includes two F/A-18F Super Hornets from “Flying Eagles” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 122, an F-35C Lightning II from "Argonauts" of Strike Fighter Squadron 147, and an EA-18G Growler from “Vikings” Electronic Attack Squadron 129.

Growing up in Bonners Ferry, Ray graduated from Bonners Ferry High School in 2012 and earned an associate degree from the University of Massachusetts Global in 2022.

Skills and values similar to those found in Bonners Ferry are important to succeed in the military.

“A lesson that I learned growing up in a small, yet passionate town, was never give up, especially in the face of adversity,” said Ray. “Our hometown ‘Badger Pride’ has stuck with me and is passed on to my children as well.”

Ray joined the Navy 10 years ago. Today, Ray serves as an aviation electronics technician.

“I joined the Navy to serve, as many in my family have done before me,” said Ray. “My dad was in Army artillery and his dad was in Vietnam. My maternal grandfather was in the air guard for many years and was proud of that service also.”

According to Navy officials, naval aviation is the best in the world because of its ability to harness the entire ocean as a runway.

As Ray continues to train and perform missions, there’s a great deal of pride serving in the United States Navy.

“Serving in the Navy means doing my part to preserve freedom and democracy,” Ray said. “It is important to train your replacement to be better than yourself, so that when I retire, I can give my family some of the time we missed while I was deployed.”

Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Bryan Nielgal is with the Navy Office of Community Outreach.