Huey Helicopter Resides In Lititz

Mike Caimi has always looked up to Vietnam War helicopter pilots. "They were kinda my heroes," said Caimi, who admired the young American men for their ability to fly helicopters through the jungles of Southeast Asia.

As an adult, he became friends with Jim Haga, a Vietnam Huey pilot who served two tours during the war. "We were talking about restoring a helicopter and getting it out in front of Vietnam veterans," said Caimi, who worked with Haga and others to form the Liberty War Bird Association, which Caimi now serves as president. In 2015, the organization began to realize Caimi and Haga's dream when a helicopter, which was discovered in California, made the journey to a hangar in Lititz where it will be used as a "flying museum."

During the Rotary Club of Lancaster's Wheels and Wings Festival held at the Lancaster Airport in July, Caimi quickly recounted the history of the Huey before the chopper returned and its thundering sounds drowned out his words. "Our helicopter served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1970," said Caimi, noting that the bird logged 1,300 combat flight hours. The helicopter first served with C Company of the 101st Aviation Battalion before being involved in an accident that necessitated repairs. In late 1969, the Huey went to the 170th Assault Helicopter Company, where it primarily brought troops in and out of combat landing zones and did some cross- border flights into Cambodia. After being used in Vietnam, the Huey was flown to the Fort Rucker Army Flight School, where it served for five years to train future Army aviators. From there, it was transferred to the Oklahoma National Guard, where it was used from 1975 to 1994. It was then decommissioned and went to the Texas State Technical College as a training aircraft. In 2012, it was sold to an individual in the helicopter parts industry.

"(The new owner) had heard about our organization and how we were looking for a Huey," said Caimi, who noted that the owner reached out to Liberty thinking the helicopter was in good enough shape to be restored. In March 2015, Caimi went to California and, after a cursory inspection of the helicopter, made a deal. "We had enough money to put a deposit down," recalled Caimi, who added that a member who was connected to the VFW arranged for donated truck transportation for the helicopter from California to Lancaster.

"It took us three years to restore it," said Caimi, who noted that the work was completed in the Lititz hangar in August of 2018. "It took about 30,000 man hours and $600,000 of donations (to complete the restoration)," said Caimi. "It was a true labor of love."

"The mission of the Liberty War Birds is to get this helicopter in front of as many veterans as possible to show it off and reconnect them with their history," said Caimi, who added that the organization also wants to educate the public on what the Huey does and what it did in Vietnam.

More information about the organization may be found at http://www.libertywarbirds.com.