sky soldiers - huey helicopter ride

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting many of the pilots,staff & crew of the "Army Aviation Heritage Foundation" during a "series special" filming of our National Motorcycle Series "American Spirit" at "The Trail Of Honor" Jackson, MS - Armed Forces Weekend. These men & women are truly America's Best! Honoring America's Finest! The U.S. Soldier & Veteran. I would encourage anyone to experience the "Sky Soldiers" at a local event near you. You will be moved, and take home memories for a Life Time! It is my pleasure to call them friends ;) and look forward at every opportunity to help the grow their organization to impact generations to come! Tim Alan E.P. Host "American Spirit" TV Series Pres./CEO Third Day Entertainment, Inc.

I'm a little prejudiced as I have many friends that are associated with this excellent organization. As a Viet Nam Veteran I have a great love and appreciation for the Huey Helicopter. These people really love what they do in keeping this helicopter in service.

I was in this area to attend the annual Viet Nam Dustoff Association (VDA) reunion with my husband in Marietta GA - a poignant, emotional eyeopening experience I'll never forget. The VDA members had flown in a type of helicopter called a "Huey" during the Viet Nam war. The choppers are huge, have removable doors and are war horses...very reliable and dependable. These veterans are somewhat emotional, even, about these Hueys...the actual Huey my husband flew in 40 years ago during the war is in Conyers GA, displayed as though it were still flying, up on stilts outside an American Legion post.During the reunion, I had listened to men who's lives have been forever changed, because of the time they spent fighting the North Vietnamese, tell their stories. And there were parts of Hueys on display in the room, available for purchase as fundraisers for the VDA.I had driven down to Conyers GA to see and photograph my husband's Huey.Then I learned, while enjoying cold beers in the hotel lounge with the vets, that the special "group outing" for the reunion attendees this year was to actually fly in a Huey with it's doors removed!!! OMG.The next morning we van-pooled to Hampton GA, checked in, signed releases, issued ear plugs and waited for the "ceiling to raise" (the cloud cover was very low) so the Hueys could take off. After receiving instructions (that made you feel as though you were an Army recruit) you felt seat-belt-trained and as ready as a soldier could be.We were marched over to the Huey, we climbed in (I chose to sit backwards behind the pilot, nearly where my husband had positioned himself as Crew Chief during the war), I secured my seat belt and grasped both sides of my chair tightly. My husband sat in the "hell hole" - a sideways seat situated behind the main cabin where your toes literally are over the edge of the chopper floor and you see the earth go by between your knees. The pilot started the rotors, we turned to the left, glided over the ground and ascended.Wow. Wow. We flew in a huge circle over the airfield, the motor speedway next door, forests, neighborhoods, small lakes, a freight train and highways. The pilot banked, swooped, banked, climbed, dropped, ascended even higher, sped up, slowed down...mouths flew open, eyes got really wide and hands flew up to mouths...but no one said a word.You've got to do this. But when you do, think of the Vets who rode in these open doored choppers as virtual targets. Back on the ground, this airfield has a Huey graveyard full of dead Hueys they use for parts - many with bullet holes.