Helicopter Featured In "The Price of Freedom" Exhibition

A Vietnam- era Huey helicopter took off from the main plant of Bell Helicopter on Feb. 10 on a journey to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.

The helicopter, slated to be the central artifact of the Vietnam War section of the museum's new exhibition, "The Price of Freedom," will travel to more than 20 sites across the U.S. before arriving at the museum for a March 19 donation ceremony.

"The Huey, for the many Americans who served in Vietnam, is the symbol of their service," said museum director Brent D. Glass.  "Now that symbol will bring the experience of the Vietnam War to life for millions of visitors, allowing them to have a personal encounter with history."

The Huey 65-10091 was manufactured by Bell Helicopter in 1965 for the U.S. Army and deployed to Vietnam in 1966. It served with the 173rd Assault Helicopter Company, known as "The Robin Hoods," and was shot down on January 7, 1967. After being repaired in the United States, it returned to service until 1995 when it was acquired by the Texas Air Command Museum in Fort Worth for use in educational programming. The helicopter was leased for use in a documentary film project in 2002.

The 10 a.m. departure ceremony at the Bell Helicopter main plant at 600 East Hurst Blvd., Hurst, Texas, included a reunion between Silver Star and Purple Heart recipient, Fred Castleberry, and Dan Chavre, a medic who attended him after his rescue and airlift on a Huey.

"When we began planning for 'The Price of Freedom' exhibition, we knew we wanted to tell the whole story of America's military history," said Dik Daso, exhibition curator and curator of modern military aircraft at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, "and this helicopter not only helps tell the story of America's involvement in the Vietnam War, it shows it."

After the Texas Air Command Museum agreed to donate the Huey 091 to the National Museum of American History, a group of Vietnam veterans and other volunteers, formed the 091 Committee to facilitate the helicopter's transfer. The helicopter's month-long, cross-country delivery, billed as the Huey's "Final Journey Home," is an educational endeavor of the Committee.
 
Through the support of DynCorp, AMR/American Airlines, U.S. Helicopter, Novogratz Family Foundation, Bell Helicopter and the Allied Pilots Association, the 091 Committee raised the necessary funds to take the Huey 091 on a national tour that will end with its landing at the museum.

"This journey pays tribute to those who paid the ultimate price in defense of freedom and honors our country's Vietnam veterans for their valor, courage and selfless sacrifice," said retired Maj. Gen. Dick Stephenson, chairman of the 091 Committee. "On behalf of all veterans, we are proud to be able to deliver the Huey 091 to the National Museum of American History for the education of future generations," he added.

FMI:  http://americanhistory.si.edu