A Vietnam War era helicopter that’s fully restored will be flying to more than a dozen Iowa locations this year as a memorial to those who lost their lives in the conflict.
Nick Turner, a retired Marine helicopter pilot from the Elliott area, flew the presidential helicopter, Marine One, from 2009 to 2013, serving President Obama and his staff. Turner says this helicopter will become a flying museum to tell the story of Vietnam veterans.
“The mission is underneath the care of the Ugly Angel Memorial Foundation, which is a 501(c)3 foundation,” Turner says. “We’re going to take this helicopter all over Iowa and the Midwest. We have 15 events planned this year.”
Turner’s father, Larry, was also a Marine helicopter pilot and served in Vietnam. He returned home to fly helicopters for crop-dusting and “heavy lift” jobs. The younger Turner says it’s a thrill to be at the controls of this rejuvenated antique.
“We’re planning to showcase this true Vietnam survivor that’s dedicated to the 33 pilots and crew chiefs and their memoriam that passed away in Vietnam,” he says. “There’s a brass plate on the side of the aircraft that commemorates their sacrifices and memorializes those true heroes from the Vietnam War.”
The helicopter will be on display in Council Bluffs on Saturday. Turner says he’ll be meeting there with 89-year-old Joseph Sales, a retired Marine Corps colonel who flew the same type of helicopter in Vietnam.
“His son reached out to me and I was just blown away. I was like, ‘We’ve got to do whatever we can to get the helicopter in front of this guy,’ because a lot of the Vietnam vets, when they came home, they didn’t get the warm reception that a lot of service members get nowadays when they come home,” Turner says. “There’s a lot of scars and healing that can take place.”
The helicopter will also make a stop on Saturday at the Atlantic Municipal Airport. Donations to help pay for the fuel, maintenance and upkeep can be made at yl-37.org.
(By Ric Hanson, KJAN, Atlantic)