thedrifter
12-04-05, 11:20 AM
Vets repair bit of history
BY BART JONES
STAFF WRITER
December 4, 2005
It was as if a living piece of the Vietnam War had suddenly been transported to Jamesport.
On a blustery afternoon amid a sprawling sod farm, a dozen veterans from as far away as Massachusetts gathered yesterday to start up and briefly fly a Marine Corps UH-34 Delta helicopter that some of them had flown in during combat missions three decades ago.
For the past four years, the men have worked to rehabilitate the decaying aircraft and late last month, they finally got it into the air. Yesterday, they took their final short flight of the year before storing the chopper for the winter.
"I'm like a little kid today," said pilot and retired Marine Capt. Ben R. Cascio, 63, of Oakland, N.J. "It really doesn't get any better than this."
Cascio earned the Silver Star, flew 850 missions in Vietnam in 1967-68 and lost an eye on his last flight when his aircraft was attacked. He said he flew the same model UH-34 in Vietnam and that some of his original crew members were with him yesterday, too.
Veterans, most of whom were from Marine Helicopter Squadron 361, organized the rehabilitation project. They aimed not only to recapture moments from a war that marked them forever, but also to honor fallen veterans and inform the public about the soldiers and the conflict that killed 58,000 Americans.
They plan to turn the helicopter into a "flying museum" and a living piece of the Vietnam War that will be based near Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip. They also hope to bring it to air shows around the country, said Allen Weiss, 57, a Cutchogue resident who is spearheading the project.
Weiss found the helicopter's carcass four years ago in a graveyard for abandoned aircraft in the Arizona desert. He brought it to Long Island with a vague hope of restoring it.
Now, the veterans say it looks and runs at least as good as anything they flew in Vietnam.
They've raised about $300,000 in donated cash and parts to get the aircraft in shape, and are looking for more sponsors - including corporations - so they can bring it around the country to show to people.
The UH-34 was one of the most commonly used aircraft by the United States in the early days of the Vietnam War, for everything from supply transport to rescuing and evacuating wounded GIs. The helicopters got the name "Ugly Angel," because they are not attractive, but saved thousands of lives.
Cascio said pulling himself into the pilot's seat and lifting the Sikorsky helicopter off the ground yesterday brought back memories of a war in which - the controversy aside - he said American troops performed admirably and courageously.
"It was probably the premier experience of my life - the defining moment," said Cascio, who went on to graduate from Fordham Law School and now practices as an attorney.
Ellie
BY BART JONES
STAFF WRITER
December 4, 2005
It was as if a living piece of the Vietnam War had suddenly been transported to Jamesport.
On a blustery afternoon amid a sprawling sod farm, a dozen veterans from as far away as Massachusetts gathered yesterday to start up and briefly fly a Marine Corps UH-34 Delta helicopter that some of them had flown in during combat missions three decades ago.
For the past four years, the men have worked to rehabilitate the decaying aircraft and late last month, they finally got it into the air. Yesterday, they took their final short flight of the year before storing the chopper for the winter.
"I'm like a little kid today," said pilot and retired Marine Capt. Ben R. Cascio, 63, of Oakland, N.J. "It really doesn't get any better than this."
Cascio earned the Silver Star, flew 850 missions in Vietnam in 1967-68 and lost an eye on his last flight when his aircraft was attacked. He said he flew the same model UH-34 in Vietnam and that some of his original crew members were with him yesterday, too.
Veterans, most of whom were from Marine Helicopter Squadron 361, organized the rehabilitation project. They aimed not only to recapture moments from a war that marked them forever, but also to honor fallen veterans and inform the public about the soldiers and the conflict that killed 58,000 Americans.
They plan to turn the helicopter into a "flying museum" and a living piece of the Vietnam War that will be based near Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip. They also hope to bring it to air shows around the country, said Allen Weiss, 57, a Cutchogue resident who is spearheading the project.
Weiss found the helicopter's carcass four years ago in a graveyard for abandoned aircraft in the Arizona desert. He brought it to Long Island with a vague hope of restoring it.
Now, the veterans say it looks and runs at least as good as anything they flew in Vietnam.
They've raised about $300,000 in donated cash and parts to get the aircraft in shape, and are looking for more sponsors - including corporations - so they can bring it around the country to show to people.
The UH-34 was one of the most commonly used aircraft by the United States in the early days of the Vietnam War, for everything from supply transport to rescuing and evacuating wounded GIs. The helicopters got the name "Ugly Angel," because they are not attractive, but saved thousands of lives.
Cascio said pulling himself into the pilot's seat and lifting the Sikorsky helicopter off the ground yesterday brought back memories of a war in which - the controversy aside - he said American troops performed admirably and courageously.
"It was probably the premier experience of my life - the defining moment," said Cascio, who went on to graduate from Fordham Law School and now practices as an attorney.
Ellie