The Vietnam War was highly controversial but for the military members who served in the conflict they deserve to be honored and remembered by a grateful nation for their sacrifices. Helicopters played a major role in Vietnam and now Congress has approved a monument to be displayed at Arlington National Cemetery to honor all who served in the “helicopter war”.
It’s been three years in the making, but helicopter crews who flew during the Vietnam War will have their own monument at Arlington National Cemetery.
The Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association and Congress came together for the Vietnam Helicopter Crew Monument Act, directing the secretary of the Army to place a 2 1/2-foot by 2 1/2-foot monument at the cemetery in Virginia. It will be placed in Section 35 along Memorial Drive, not far from the Tomb of the Unknowns.
“We discovered that the greatest concentration of combat casualties who operated helicopters in the Vietnam War are in Arlington,” retired Air Force Lt. Col. Bob Hesselbein, who flew AH-1 Cobra gunships in Vietnam told Military Times on Thursday. – Military Times
The Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA) will donate this monument to Arlington National Cemetery. Photo by Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association
This monument honoring the sacrifices of helicopter crews in Vietnam is long overdue and much deserved.
It is estimated that about 40,000 served as helicopter pilots during the Vietnam War. The Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association has a membership of over 15,700. To learn more about the VHPA you can read more at their website https://www.vhpa.org/ or call them directly at 800-505-VHPA (8472).
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