SATURDAY JANUARY 18 at 1 PM at the Palm Springs Air Museum the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation and the Houston Family Foundation present Army Aviation: Helicopter Warfare from Vietnam to Today presented by veteran pilot Lew Jennings. Both Army Aviation and the helicopter came of age during the conflict in Southeast Asia. From the arrival in Vietnam of the first Army helicopter units in December 1961 until the completion of the disengagement in 1973, it was America’s “Helicopter War.” In the years that followed Army Aviation’s role of providing the indispensable vertical dimension to the modern battlefield has come to be universally recognized. For example, during operations in Grenada, Panama, and the Persian Gulf region, Army Aviation played major and decisive roles. Veteran Helicopter pilot Lew Jennings, will take the participants on a historical journey from his days as a Huey Cobra pilot in Vietnam to the present state of modern helicopter deployment on the battlefields of Iraq. Flight exhibition by a UH-1 Huey Gunship from Wings & Rotors Air Museum.
The museum’s UH-1B, U.S. Army serial number 62-2084, civilian registration N832M, has been restored to its original combat configuration and is painted to represent the 118th Assault Helicopter Company “Thunderbirds,” Third Platoon “bandits,” Bien Hoa, Vietnam, 1965.Prior to coming to the museum this helicopter flew with the Lee County Mosquito Abatement, Lee County, Florida, spraying insecticide. This aircraft flew with the U.S. Army from 1963-1984. In 1964, it deployed to Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division from Ft. Campbell, Ky. 14 bullet hole patches were discovered during the restoration in 2003. This Huey sat dormant for 8 years in Florida before coming to California and being restored in 2003 (source Wings & Rotors Air Museum).
For upcoming program descriptions, visit the Plam Springs Air Museum’s website.
Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.
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