NEW YORK, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Jets from the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels and U.S. Air Force's Thunderbirds roared over New York City on Tuesday in a tribute to the frontline workers having been fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left 1 million confirmed cases across the country.

The demonstration lasted about 40 minutes as an airborne display of respect and salute for the first responders and health care workers. The jet teams took to the skies above Manhattan, Long Island and New Jersey.

"The jets first zoomed over the George Washington Bridge around noon, then veered west over Newark, before flying east over Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. After that, they buzzed out over the Long Island Sound, looping around Westchester County before heading south toward Pennsylvania for the next leg of the tour," the New York Post reported.

Dubbed "Operation American Strong," the 12-jet precision-flying crew will put on shows all the way to Texas, said the Air Force Magazine.

The Thunderbirds squadron was established in 1953, and the Blue Angels in 1946, in the wake of World War II.