Boeing E-6B Mercury Makes Appearance Over St. Louis During Training Flight

By Carmelo Turdo

A U.S. Navy Boeing E-6B Mercury communications and command post aircraft made an appearance over St. Louis County while performing a series of practice approaches at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport Tuesday.  The aircraft, from Strategic Communications Wing One at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, alarmed some residents of nearby Bridgeton and Maryland Heights, who then called authorities and media outlets inquiring about the plane's repeated low approaches to the airport.  According to a Navy spokesperson, the aircraft travel to various airports in the region to ensure crews are prepared to deploy to any location as needed during wartime.  Here are a few nice shots from a local contributor during several touch-and-go passes: