17 May 2011
Speech given at Ft Rucker when they
retired the last Huey
by CW4
As a Vietnam
Veteran Army Aviator, I would like to thank
everyone for coming to this special occasion, on this to be honest...very
sad day, the end of a era. An era that has spanned over 50
years. The retirement of this grand old lady "OUR MOTHER"...
the Huey.
I would like to
thank, MG Crutchfield for allowing me to speak at this event and try to convey
in my own inadequate, meager way...what this aircraft means to me and so many
other
First a few
facts: It was 48 yrs ago this month that the first Huey arrived in Vietnam
with units that were to become part of the 145th and the 13th Combat
Aviation Battalions; both units assigned here at Ft Rucker today. While in
To those in the
crowd that have had the honor to fly, crew, or ride this magnificent
machine in combat, we are the chosen few, the lucky ones. They understand
what this aircraft means, and how hard it is for me to describe my feelings
about her as a
How do I break
down in a few minutes a 42 year love affair, she is as much a part of me, and
to so many others...as the blood that flows through our veins. Try to imagine
all those touched over the years ...by the shadow of her blades.
Other aircraft
can fly overhead and some will look up and some may not; or even recognize what
they see but, when a Huey flies over everyone looks up and everyone knows who
she is... young or old all over the world she connects with all.
To those that
rode her into combat... the sound of those blades causes our heart beat to
rise... and breaths to quicken... in anticipation of seeing that
beautiful machine fly overhead and the feeling of comfort she brings. No
other aircraft in the history of aviation evokes the emotional response the
Huey does... combat veteran's or not... she is recognized all around the
world by young and old, she is the ICON of the Vietnam war, U.S. Army Aviation,
and the U.S. Army. Over 5 decades of service she
carried Army Aviation on her back, from bird dogs and piston powered
helicopters with a secondary support mission, to the force multiplier
combat arm that Army Aviation is today.
Even the young
aviators of today, that are mainly Apache pilots, Blackhawk pilots, etc., that
have had a chance to fly her will tell you there is no greater feeling,
honor, or thrill than to be blessed with the opportunity to ride her thru
the sky... they may love their Apaches and
Blackhawks, but they will say there is no aircraft like flying the Huey
" it is special". There are two kinds of helicopter pilots: those
that have flown the Huey and those that wish they could have.
The intense
feelings generated for this aircraft are not just
from the flight crews but, also from those who rode in back ...into and
out of the "devils caldron". As paraphrased here from
"Gods own lunatics", Joe Galloway's
tribute to the Huey and her flight crews and other Infantry veterans
comments:
Is there anyone
here today who does not thrill to the sound of those Huey blades?? That
familiar whop-whop-whop is the soundtrack of our war...the lullaby of our
younger days it is burned in to our brains and our hearts. To those who
spent their time in
To the pilots
and crews of that wonderful machine ...we loved
you, we loved that machine.
No matter how
bad things were...if we called ... you came...
down through the hail of green tracers and other visible signs of a real
bad day off to a bad start. I can still hear the sound of those blades churning the fiery sky ....To us you seemed
beyond brave and fearless... Down you would come to us in the middle of battle
in those flimsy thin skin -chariots ...into the
storm of fire and hell,..
...we feared for
you, we were awed by you. We thought of you and that beautiful bird as " God's own lunatics"... and wondered ...who
are theses men and this machine and where do they come from ..... Have
to be "Gods Angels".
So with that I
say to her, that beautiful lady sitting out there, from me and all my lucky
brothers, that were given the honor to serve their country, and the
privilege of flying this great lady in skies of
Vietnam - Thank you for the memories...Thank you for always being
there...Thank you for always bringing us home regardless of how beat up
and shot up you were...Thank You!!!!.
You will never
be forgotten, we loved you then..... we love you
now... and will love you till our last breath ...
And as the sun
sets today, if you listen quietly and closely
you will hear that faint wop wop wop
of our mother speaking to all her children past and present who rode her
into history in a blaze of glory ..she will be saying
to them: I am here... I will always be here with you.
I am at peace
and so should you be ... and so should you be.