Tops in Blue come to England

  • Published
  • By Sara Harr
  • 48th Force Support Squadron
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  Tops In Blue, the Air Force's premier entertainment group, will perform at RAF Mildenhall Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. in Hangar 539. 

Tops in Blue, is an all-active duty U.S. Air Force special unit made up of talented amateur performers selected for their entertainment abilities. Each year, thousands compete in base talent contests and the most talented move on to higher levels of competition. The result is an elite group composed of 35 of the most talented vocalists, musicians, and dancers anywhere. 

Known as the Air Forces' Expeditionary Entertainers; the group's main mission is to perform for military personnel and their families throughout the world. The enormous popularity of the group has also made them America's goodwill ambassadors around the globe. 

Since its first world tour in 1953, the group has also performed on film, produced albums, and appeared on national television with such legends as Ed Sullivan, Bob Hope, Alabama, Barbara Mandrell, BOYZ II MEN, and many others. They performed the entire halftime shows for the 1981 Garden State Bowl and Super Bowl XIX. They have performed for heads of state and dignitaries throughout the world. 

They have toured throughout Western, Central, and Eastern Europe, the Far East, Middle East, Central America, Canada, and all 50 of the United States. Countries such as Taiwan, Bulgaria, Iceland, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Albania, Vietnam, and Cuba have all experienced the entertainment of Tops in Blue. 

Since 1996, their mission led them through hostile locations to build morale for our nation's joint military services supporting Operation Joint Endeavor in Bosnia-Herzegovina and contingency bases in Croatia, Hungary, Italy and Turkey. In 2002, Tops in Blue continued their expeditionary mission by being among the first entertainment groups to travel into the most forward location in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Qatar, and Kyrgyzstan. 

For more information about Tops in Blue, visit the team's website at www.airforcetopsinblue.com or call 226-4884.