Camp Holloway Discussion Forum Archive 03 - 03/01/01 to 12/31/03

Saturday's activity.

On saturday we dedicated a restored helicopter to army aviation at the former Carswell AFB in Ft Worth. It is now a joint reserve base with 4000 active duty troops. I was the invited speaker.
because I had been the project guy on the restoration. here is the text of my speech. What I actually said.
11-08-03
Captain Paine, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.
First I’d like to thank Captain Paine, for inviting us to participate in this dedication. Id like to thank Commander Moody, Lt Cdr Mike Kingston and the Petty Officers , naval and marine personnel for the hard work they’ve done in making this happen.

Last year at our last quarterly meeting, the members of the Fort Wolters chapter of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilot Association commented on the condition of a couple of Army helicopters and asked that I check with the post to see if anything could be done to repaint them. By chance, Brig. General Vale (US Army retired) and Captain Paine had discussed the same issue at the Veterans day parade last year in Ft Worth. At the time I was the Junior Member at Large of the FWchapter and you know what Jr members of anything get. I became the stuckee.

In addition I am on the board of directors of the National Vietnam War Museum and was able to enlist the support of that museum in assisting in our efforts. The chairman of that board, Mr Edd Luttenberger is with us today and I’d like to thank him for coming here to be a part of this dedication.

So as you can see, it was a KARMA of sorts that laid the ground work that brought The VHPA, The National Vietnam War Museum and the US Navy and the 187th together on this project. Since the 187th had prescheduled their annual reunion for Ft Worth, it was like it was destined to happen.

Captain Paine and his staff were ready to re work the helicopter and requested our collective input to get it done.

The first question was what colors to paint the aircraft.
I researched it’s history through the VHPA archives and discovered it had served in Vietnam, Thailand, Korea, The USA and Desert storm. It wore different colors in each of those roles. The deep dark glossy olive drab of the early 1966 period. The later lighter dull olive drab of the late 60s. then the chunky anti radiation CARC paint of the 1970s and finally the camouflage of the desert storm period. We decided to recommend it be painted it in the colors that it enlisted with. The one you see today. The colors it first wore , however briefly, into it’s first combat. The dark glossy olive drab. I looked on the net and discovered a web site for it’s first unit, the 187th Assault Helicopter Company. For you navy types an AHC was sort of like the landing assault boat drivers of WW2 except we hit 3 or 4 different beaches a day on many occasions. And some were very hot.
As a result of the web contacts I began communication with John Quesenberry, an old warrior from the 187th. Thru his efforts I got the markings and learned that the unit was to hold it’s national reunion here in ft Worth.
From that beginning we created a briefing and it was a matter of meeting with the navy personnel about the aircraft and letting Bob Icard of the 187th worry about the reunion.
Bob was also very helpful in making this project happen. His efforts with Cdr Kingston and his rapid response to inquires, if truth be known, did make this event happen today. Thanks Bob.

Now we are gathered here to dedicate this aircraft to the memory of absent friends, both of the 187th and Army Aviation in general. But while we mourn or lost friends we also celebrate survival. Both Our own and the old war horse sitting there that escaped not only the enemy in several conflicts, but the melting furnace of peace. It will not end up as a cook pot or motor block or crew wings. It will continue to exist with all of it’s scars and it will serve to remind our young citizens of a time, and place when men were learning to fly and fight in a new , radically different way. And a new chapter of warfare was being written in blood.
It will serve to remind future warriors of a time when men went to war in converted ambulances because of service rivalries and emerged with the designs for future combat vehicles that today astound America’s enemies around the globe.

It also serves to show the cooperation that has been achieved by the US military Branches since that earlier war. And the dedication all of us have to achieving victory for our nation. Sitting here today we have the services of the United States represented in a common dedication to our Veterans and our future,

A couple of Admin notes here and I’ll be done, there is a marble plaque here dedicating the helicopter to the 187th. In process of manufacture is two more plaques made of Melted helicopter aluminum. One insures the aircraft remains a memorial to deceased members of the Texas Army national Guard Aviation as it was originally placed here to do. (The Texas Army national guard is the last unit the aircraft served with) The other plaque dedicates the aircraft to all Aviation Soldiers of the US army. These plaques will be provided to the US navy courtesy of the National Vietnam war museum sometime later this year for installation with the aircraft.

Now I’d like to salute you all and call to the podium Mr. John Quesenberry of the 187th.
Thank you all for helping make this a truly a project worth doing.

John, this is what we’ve worked for my friend. Welcome to ft Worth.