Rocky Mountain Chapter – VHPA

JUNE MEETING NOTICE

ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHAPTER

VIETNAM HELICOPTER PILOTS ASSOCIATION

The meeting will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, June 16th, at American Legion Post Number 1, I-25 and Yale Ave.  This is an important meeting for several reasons, including the chapter elections.

The agenda, among other things, will include:

–Chapter elections for President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer;

–Information about the memorial service for Ed Fickes (if available);

–A discussion about replacing Ed as Helicopter War Museum (HWM) Operations Officer, Honor Flight Reception coordinator, etc. (there are a lot of etc.s);

–An update on the oral history project

–Displaying the HWM in Golden during the 4th of July Celebration;

–Setting a date for the new president’s meeting with past presidents; and

–Compiling a collection of chapter event photos and archiving them on the chapter website.

50 plus Vietnam helicopter pilots, spouses and guests enjoy the day last
Saturday at the Doubletree Hotel in Denver. They came together the recognize
one of the first celebrations of the start of the Vietnam War. Throughout
the day members enjoyed a special visit to Buckley Airbase, a ladies tea at
the Brown Palace Hotel, visiting and swapping stories in the hospitality
room.
The Chapters Helicopter War Museum was available for viewing by members
and approximately 100 “civilians” enjoyed the displays.
Events culminated in an evening banquet and speaker program featuring
Kai-uwe Glodowske, Iraq veteran helicopter pilot, who spoke on the return of
tactic developed in Vietnam that have become once again used by gunships
today. Keynote speaker, retired BG Bob Stewart spoke on his early experiences
as a B-Model Huey Gunship pilot and how those experiences were applicable
later when he entered the NASA astronaut program. Stewart was invaluable in
developing the return guidance systems for the space shuttle programs.
Ed Fickes

Below is a special link for our chapter to post on our web site of David Palermo’s 360 Huey Tour…and the authorization for us to use his work.

Have you forgotten all the details of the interior of a UH-1H?  Click on the following URL for a great view.

http://www.davidpalermo.com/hueyvhpa.  Cut & paste this if necessary

The chapter meeting will be held on Saturday, March 19th at 10:00 am at the Buffalo Rose in Golden , 1119 Washington Ave.

Please Note: Our meeting time is before the facility opens.  You must enter from the alley on the east side of the restaurant.  Go past the waste bins, thru the kitchen entrance, turn right and into the main event room.  There is plenty of parking in the parking structure east of the Rose.  Enter the structure from Jackson Street, one block east of Washington Ave.  Following meeting, we will have lunch at the Rose and then adjourn to the Museum trailer at 1300 8^th Street (in the back) to work on Museum improvements in preparation for the Prairie View High School event on April 8.

Chapter Meeting this Saturday

We will hold the February chapter meeting this Saturday, February 19th, at 10:00 am at American Legion Post No. 1, I-25 and Yale.  Among other things, we will be discussing upcoming events, of which there are several.

Also, if you haven’t already paid them, Jim McNamee will be happy to collect your $20 annual chapter dues.  If you wish to pay by check, please make it out to RMCVHPA.  If you are unable to attend the meeting, you can mail the check to:

Jim McNamee

5 Summit Cedar Dr

Littleton, CO 80127

Chapter Meeting this Saturday We will hold the January meeting this Saturday, January 15, at 10:00 am at American Legion Post No. 1, I-25 and Yale.  Topics will include:

–discussing the application for a Helicopter War Museum grant in conjunction with the upcoming 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War;

–talking about upcoming museum venues, including the Prairie View High School Tribute to Vietnam Veterans on April 7th and 8th and a possible trip to Hays, Kansas on a yet to be determined date;

–discussing museum work that has to be done to prepare it for display at Prairie View; and

–planning for hosting another Honor Flight reception in April.

Also, Jim McNamee will be collecting the $20 annual chapter dues.  If you wish to pay by check, please make it out to RMCVHPA.

If you are unable to attend the meeting, you can mail the check to:

Jim McNamee

5 Summit Cedar Dr

Littleton, CO 80127

One of the featured events during the San Diego Reunion was a visit to the Classic Rotors Museum in Ramona, California.  The Classic Rotors agenda included a guided tour through their Museum, 12 minute rides in a Super Huey, flight demonstration of a beautifully restored H-21 Shawnee and a display of radio controlled helicopters by VHPA member Al Doucette.  Al served as a H-21C crew chief with the 81^st Transportation Company at Fort Lewis in 1962-1963.  After going through Flight School, Al served in Vietnam with both the 81st TC and the  176^th AHC.  The H-21 Al is holding in the attached picture is made from scratch and not from a kit.

Getting there and getting around

Reunion hotel: The San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina, 333 West Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101 619-234-1500. By agreement between the hotel and the VHPA, we are using the Passkey System to make, modify and cancel hotel reservations. It is important to know that calls directly to the hotel or any of Marriott’s regular toll free reservations numbers result in the caller being asked to use the Passkey toll free number. There are two ways to use Passkey: Continue Reading »

After Action Report – RMCVHPA Helicopter War Museum

CPT Jon Swanson

Medal of Honor Recognition

Mullen High School, Denver, CO

October 8, 9, 10, 2009

The Rocky Mountain Chapter of Vietnam Helicopter Pilots (RMC) brought their Helicopter War® Museum to Mullen High School on 10/8/2009 for setup for display to the students of Jon Swanson’s High School. CPT Swanson graduated Mullen in 1960. A special program hosted for Jon’s widow Sandee was held in the HS gymnasium the following day– ½ of the 840 students, and faculty, attended in the morning and the balance at a second afternoon program in the afternoon. The presentation included the background and actions leading up to CPT Swanson’s award as well as why it took over 30 years to be presented; and also information about the discovery of Jon and his crew member’s remains in Cambodia and their subsequent burial at Arlington National Cemetery in 2004.

Sandy Swanson brought the CMOH for students to view, and fellow B 1/9 pilot and friend of Jon’s detailed the events of the fateful day in 1971. Four RMC members gave short bio’s of their tours and all answered questions from the 100’s of students in attendance. Students not in the assembly program came through the War Museum in class size units through-out the day. The RMC assembled a shadowbox display honoring CPT Swanson, which will be part of the permanent Museum display. Several hundred additional guests visited the Museum prior to the start of the football game that evening.

A special recognition and appreciation of all veterans’ was made at half-time of Mullen’s home football game Friday evening – which ended in the snow with a victory for Mullen. Member’s came back Saturday morning to pack up the Museum for its transport to the new yard in Golden. While wintering in Golden the RMC hopes to install a mockup Huey cockpit and improved storage and display items.

Ed Fickes, Operations Officer

RMC Helicopter War Museum

Members participating in this event were: Phil Lanphier, Mike Law, Hal Bergdahl, Tom Landis, John Grauff, Gary Hurelle, Doug Neil, Fred Lyssy and Ed Fickes

Flight for Life pilot Pat Mahany will become the newest inductee into the Longs Peak Rescue Awards Hall of Fame, the Longs Peak Summit Club announced.  Pat and his paramedic Kevin Kelble were the helicopter crew members in August 2006 that flew through lightning, hail and high winds to perform a harrowing rescue mission on Longs Peak.  The induction banquet will take place at the Aspen Lodge in Estes Park on August 29, 2009.  Information for tickets can be obtained by calling 970-586-8133.