NAS Pensacola, Fla. — (GSN) — The Blue Angels are marking a major milestone as the U.S. Navy’s legendary flight demonstration team celebrates 80 years of service and aviation excellence. Formed to showcase the skill and professionalism of naval aviators, the Blue Angels marked the occasion with a special Fly-By of one their own pilot's college campus.

Thanks to Commander Lilly Montana, the Blue Angels' spectacular, smoke-laced lap around Auburn University Thursday morning may rank as the coolest homecoming ever, Auburn's Alumni Magazine reported.

Montana graduated from Auburn in political science in 2010 and was commissioned as a Naval officer through Auburn's Naval ROTC. She joined the famed flight demonstration squadron in 2024 and currently serves as weapons systems officer, handling backseat navigation duties for the F/A-18 Super Hornets. As Blue Angel No. 8, she’s also the squadron’s events coordinator.

And Thursday's event took some coordinating — more than a year’s worth. 

"Lilly reached out once she got on the team," said Jeff Dyal, who as events coordinator for Auburn's Veterans Resource Center serves as point person for campus flyovers. "She said, 'I'd love to try to see if we could do something for Auburn.'"

Dyal, Montana’s Marine officer instructor during her days as a student, said absolutely; the world had other plans.

"Last year there was the government shutdown,” Dyal said. “This year the war in Iran.”

Another complication: the Blue Angels policy on flyovers — they don't do them, not technically.

"But Lilly said they could coordinate something in transit to one of their air shows, at least if it was close enough."

Enter the Vidalia Onion Festival.

"We had mapped out their air show schedule, and saw that there was one in Vidalia, Georgia, and that would work because they'd be flying out of Pensacola," Dyal said. "It also lined up with the week before finals so we thought we could message it as both a homecoming for Lilly and also as a 'good luck on your finals from the Blue Angels.' We thought that would be cool."

Dyal took in the show from probably the best — and closest — seat in the house: On top of Jordan-Hare's south end zone videoboard.

He couldn't stop smiling.

"What you see in the military community and with people like Lilly who come through ROTC is that there's this strong connection back to your roots," Dyal said. "It was really cool to see her again, only this time a little higher up."

Montana feels the same. From the story behind it, to the actual flight path, Thursday, she said, felt like a full-circle moment more than 20 years in the making.

The Blue Angels have entertained the Alabama beach communities for decades. Several U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Blue Angels pilots and officers have hailed from or attended school in Alabama:

• CDR Lilly Montana (No. 8/Events Coordinator): A 2010 Auburn University graduate, she was part of the 2026 team.
• CAPT William Huckeba (C-130 Pilot): A Hoover native selected for the 2020 season.
• CAPT John Hecker (Marine Pilot): Identified as hailing from Alabama.
• John Russell (Pilot): A Montgomery native who served with the squadron.
• Tom Jefferson (Lead Solo/1956–1957): A Marine pilot from Huntsville, who was among the early team members.