Louis Caldera

In April 2009, Director of the White House Military Office Louis Caldera approved a plan to allow a Boeing 747 to fly low over New York City for an official White House photo op. While officials were aware of the plan, many in New York did not and were frightened.

On May 8, 2009, President Obama accepted Caldera's resignation, a direct result of Caldera's authorization of the flight. The president has asked that the organizational structure of Caldera's office be examined to forestall such incidents in the future.Daily News: White House aide Louis Caldera loses job over Manhattan flyover fiasco involving Air Force One (May 8, 2009)

Caldera approved the plan for the photo op flight of a Boeing 747 low over the city of New York. Though the proper officials in both New York and New Jersey were notified, the public was not. Some New Yorkers were said to have panicked and run through the streets as the 747 flew low over the Statue of Liberty, fearing that what they were witnessing was a terror attack similar to 9-11. President Obama, who heard of the panic caused by the photo op, is said to have been "furious."CNN: White House apologizes for low-flying plane (April 27, 2009)

Caldera is a Mexican-American soldier, lawyer and law professor. Caldera served as United States Secretary of the Army under President Bill Clinton from 1998 to 2001. In 2009, Caldera joined the Obama administration as the Director of the White House Military Office.UNM: Caldera Bio