Retiring The Last Huey

For Copter-Six and my other fellow hover-lovers...I was fortunate to
fly the Huey for seven years in the Army, and what a great flying
machine it was.
-Brian

This is the speech given at Ft Rucker when they retired the last Huey:
CW4 Lawrence Castagneto, 17 May 2011

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 Vietnam veterans.

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
Vietnam, the Huey flew approximately 7,457,000 combat assault sorties;
3,952,000 attack or gunship sorties and 3,548,000 cargo supply sorties.
That comes to over 15 million sorties flown over the paddies and jungles
of Nam, not to include the millions of sorties flown all over the world
and other combat zones since then what a amazing journey I am
honored and humbled to have been a small part of that journey.

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 Vietnam combat pilot for she is
alive... has a life of her own, and has been a life long friend.

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 pilot's,
Blackhawk pilot's, etc., that have had a chance to fly her will tell you
there is no greater feeling, honor, or thrill then to be blessed with
the opportunity to ride her thru the sky... they may love there 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 Nam as a grunt, know that
noise was always a great comfort... Even today when I hear it, I
stop...catch my breath...and search the sky for a glimpse of the mighty
eagle.
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.