Editing Missing man formation (section)

{{Short description|Flight formation to honor certain figures}}
{{About||the musical group|Missing Man Formation (band)|the album|Missing Man Formation (album)}}
{{Infobox recurring event
|name              = Missing man formation
|native_name       = 
|native_name_lang  = 
|nickname          = 
|logo              = 
|logo_alt          = 
|logo_caption      = 
|logo_size         = 
|image             = Missing Man Flyover formation.jpg
|image_size        = 
|alt               = Photographed from the flight deck of an aircraft carrier: three airplanes are flying in formation while approaching, and a fourth plane is climbing up and away from the formation to signify the missing man.
|caption           = Pilots assigned to [[Carrier Air Wing Three]] (CVW-3) perform a Missing Man Flyover formation, above [[USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75)|USS ''Harry S. Truman'']] (CVN-75), during a wreath-laying ceremony held on the flight deck in memory of a service member killed during a training accident.
|status            = active
|genre             = Memorial service salute
|date              = <!-- {{start date|YYYY|mm|dd}} "dates=" also works, but do not use both -->
|begins            = <!-- {{start date|YYYY|mm|dd}} -->
|ends              = <!-- {{end date|YYYY|mm|dd}} -->
|frequency         = <!-- Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Semi-annually, Annually, Bi-annually, 2nd Tuesday of November, etc. -->
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|location          = 
|coordinates       = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LON|type:event|display=inline,title}} --> 
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|years_active      = <!-- {{age|YYYY|mm|dd}} Date of the first occurrence -->
|first             = <!-- {{start date|YYYY|mm|dd}} "founded=" and "established=" also work -->
|founder_name      = <!-- or | founders = -->
|last              = <!-- Date of most recent event; if the event will not be held again, use {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD|df=y}} -->
|prev              = 
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|participants      = 
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|activity          = airshows, sporting events
|leader_name       = 
|patron            = 
|organised         = <!-- "organized=" also works -->
|filing            = 
|people            = 
|member            = 
|sponsor           = <!-- | or sponsors = -->
|website           = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} -->
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|footnotes         = 
}}
The '''missing man formation''' is an aerial salute performed as part of a [[flypast]] of aircraft at a funeral or memorial event, typically in memory of a fallen pilot, a well-known military service member or veteran, or a well-known political figure.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1123590 |title=Missing Man Formation |first=Bob |last= Edwards |author-link= Bob Edwards |date= May 28, 2001 |format= link to audio |publisher= [[NPR]] |access-date= 2011-09-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aiipowmia.com/histories/histformation.html |title=Histories: The Missing Man Formation |publisher=All POW-MIA |access-date=13 September 2013 |archive-date=21 November 2000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001121100500/http://www.aiipowmia.com/histories/histformation.html}}</ref><ref name="oldglorytraditions">{{cite web |url= http://www.oldglorytraditions.com/missingmanhistory.htm |title= The History of The Missing Man Formation |publisher= Old Glory Traditions |access-date= 2011-09-12 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130605074000/http://www.oldglorytraditions.com/missingmanhistory.htm |archive-date= 2013-06-05 }}</ref>  The planes [[Formation flying|fly in a formation]] with a space where one plane should be, symbolizing the person's absence. Though similar formations have occurred as early as [[World War I]], the first flypast in the modern formation of four planes is believed to have occurred in 1931 at the funeral for [[Charles W. "Speed" Holman]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Ford |first=Daniel |date=May 2001 |title=High Honor |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/high-honor-2041010/ |access-date=2023-11-04 |website=Smithsonian Magazine |language=en}}</ref>

Missing man formations are also used in [[motorsport]] in memory of a recently deceased driver,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Riggs |first=D. Randy |date=2018-06-21 |title=F5000 Drivers Honor Racer Jeff Green With Missing Man Formation |url=https://vintagemotorsport.com/2018/06/21/f5000-drivers-honor-racer-jeff-green-missing-man-formation/ |access-date=2023-11-04 |website=Vintage Motorsport |language=en-US}}</ref> and in [[American football]] and [[ice hockey]] in memory of a recently deceased player.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stubbs |first=Roman |date=September 1, 2018 |title=Maryland football started its season with a missing-man formation |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/terrapins-insider/wp/2018/09/01/maryland-football-took-a-penalty-on-seasons-first-play-in-tribute-to-jordan-mcnair-texas-declined-it/ |access-date=November 4, 2023 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Newland |first=Jason |date=October 16, 2024 |title=The Way The Columbus Blue Jackets Honored Their Fallen Superstar Was Perfect |url=https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/latest-news/the-way-the-columbus-blue-jackets-honored-their-fallen-superstar-was-perfect |access-date=October 16, 2024 |newspaper=[[The Hockey News]]}}</ref>