CLOSE Soldiers of the Old Guard conduct Flags in at for Memorial Day. The decades-old tradition may look different, but the thoughts and feelings for remembering the fallen are the same. USA TODAYThe claim: Military aircraft honor fallen with an angel-like flare saluteAn old misconception about how the military honors fallen service members has resurfaced on Facebook.A short video reposted May 30 shows a plane shooting flares in the shape of an angel. The clip was originally published in 2018.Similar to older versions of the post, the most recent caption shares misinformation about the plane, its mission and its flares.”The Angel flight. This is an awesome sight of a C-130 transporting a fallen hero back home for a military funeral. These are flares coming out of the plane that look like angel’s wings,” the caption reads.The original video has more than 49,000 views. Leading up to Memorial Day on May 31, similar versions of the post appeared on Facebook.Fact check: Donald Trump wore pants properly, images and videos showIt is true that military aircraft can shoot flares, but it’s not for the reason some social media users claim.A Defense Department official says military aircraft use flares as a defense maneuver against heat-seeking missiles, not to honor the fallen.…
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Fact check: Angel-like flare from military aircraft is a defense mechanism, not a salute
