Beginning today (Friday), Iowans will have an opportunity to experience a piece of American military history first hand with a ride on the iconic UH-1 helicopter, more commonly known as a Huey. The Friends of Army Aviation, in partnership with the Patriot Peak Foundation in Carroll, hosted the Huey in 2021 and invited the group back for a second tour. Tom Aretz, a Vietnam War veteran and crew member on the restored helicopter, explains the purpose behind the Friends of Army Aviation organization.
More than 16,000 Hueys were manufactured during the aircraft’s 20+ year production life, but only a few hundred remain operational today, many of them with foreign militaries. Aretz says the UH-1 has a vaunted U.S. service history, primarily during Vietnam.
Reading a textbook or watching archived footage paints a partial picture of history. Aretz says stepping into the cabin and taking the machine through its paces is another story.
The Huey is in Ames at the Ames Municipal Airport on Sept. 1, 3, 4, and 5. They will be in Boone at the Boone Municipal Airport on Sept. 2, 5, 7, 8, and 9. The crew is only in Carroll at the Arthur N. Neu Municipal Airport on Sunday, Sept. 10. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $85 each at www.friendsofarmyaviation.org. If time allows, tickets can also be purchased on the day of the flights at the respective airports. Links with more information are included with this story on our website.
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https://friendsofarmyaviation.org/
https://patriotpeakfoundation.org/
