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Former North Salem resident and North Salem High School alumni Lieutenant Margaret Dente, also known as Peggy Bobbin, was part of the all-woman team who took part in an integrated flyover over State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, where the game was held on Sunday, Feb. 12, North Salem Town Supervisor Warren Lucas said.
The flyover was conducted at the end of the national anthem, and consisted of three tactical aircraft squadrons, US Navy officials said.
The squadrons all departed from Luke Air Force Base, which is located near the stadium.
The flyover included two F/A-18F Super Hornets from the “Flying Eagles” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 122, an F-35C Lightning II from the "Warhawks" of VFA-97, and an EA-18G Growler from the “Vikings” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129.
In addition to celebrating the game, the flyover also was an effort to commemorate 50 years of women flying in the Navy, which began in 1973 when the first eight women began flight school in Pensacola, Florida.
"We are extremely proud of Peggy," Lucas said in a social media post, adding that her father is also a pilot. Dente's family still lives in North Salem, he added.
Before the flight, Dente said she grew up wanting to fly because of her family.
"I feel so fortunate for the privilege to serve this country alongside its finest, doing the job I love, with all the amazing friends I have made along the way," Dente added.
Dente was most recently deployed on the USS Theodore Roosevelt from October 2017 to May 2018.
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