End of shift for the Vietnam Huey helicopter based in Santa Barbara
John Palminteri
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The very visible reminder of the Vietnam War in Santa Barbara, a Huey helicopter, is now gone after about 30 years.
The local Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Chapter 218 tried to find a permanent site for the helicopter, as is required to keep it, and not have it only on a trailer, but that was unsuccessful.
The group looked at the Santa Barbara Airport, the Santa Maria Airport, Vandenberg Space Force Base and Pt. Mugu as locations.
Now it is going to the Chico Air Museum in Northern California which has several military aircraft. Officially it is a Bell Helicopter UH-1, but it is called a Huey.
The Big Red Crane Company from Carpinteria assisted in moving the chopper from its old trailer to another one where it was secured and sent on its way Wednesday morning.
It had been stored at the Armory Yard near Santa Barbara High School.
The helicopter was well known in the area and when it was on display, the public could see it up close and even sit inside. It has been around since the 1990’s.
It is an Army helicopter and saw active duty in war zones.
Judy Roberson was on hand for the farewell ceremony. Her late husband Jerry made it happen to get the chopper here.
Roberson said, “it was really important for him to have as many people as possible recognize and have a feeling about what the guys went through.”
Peter Bie the Vietnam Veterans Chapter 218 President said, “it has allowed Vietnam Veterans to visit a very iconic piece of their war to sit on the side , sit in the drivers seat and reach up and touch it.”
It’s last public appearance was in May at an Armed Forces Appreciation Day in Santa Barbara.
Bie said it is, “something that is so representative of a war that happened 50 years ago.”
Roberson brought some of her husband’s ashes to sprinkle inside the chopper before the side door was officially closed for the transport trip to Chico.
Bie said it served the area well while it was here. “Folks probably saw it in the 4th of July or the typical Veteran’s Day parades. And then we were at car shows. We were invited to come up to Santa Barbara City College. It’s been up to the North County. I think we even took it down to Carpinteria a few times.”
Roberson also recalls it in parades, “up and down State Street.” It was a spectacular site with its size in the heart of the downtown business district which no longer has any parades on State Street.
On its journey at events, Roberson said, “there were a couple of guys that recognized they were able to determine they were actually on that (chopper.)”