LZ: Alabama
"It's the welcome home we never had."
On October 2, 2002, three years of pre-production pulled pitch as UH-1 Huey helicopter “091” lifted off on a journey to document the reunion of an icon with people affected by the Vietnam War. Hearing the signature pop of the Huey helicopter's blades would “bring it all back” to her fellow warriors, but this time, the only thing shooting at them was cameras.
 The Vietnam War directly affected some 3.4 million Americans and their families over a ten-year period. The truth is--you could land a Huey just about anywhere in this country and someone would come out clutching a photo, wearing a Gold Star, or just waiting to see that wartime lifeline come WHOP WHOP WHOPPING in... to hear a sound many describe as "the sound of freedom."
We originally planned a journey around the nation, but when the dream met the budget, In The Shadow of The Blade’s mission covered some 10,000 miles over eight states. We lifted off from Fort Rucker, Alabama, where Army helicopter pilots trained before deployment to Vietnam, and made our way across the country to Angel Fire, New Mexico, where the  first Vietnam Veterans Memorial stands in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. From the ocean to the mountains, across farmfields and plains, over the Mississippi and beyond the desert, as the shadow of a Huey's blades crossed the country, we found America and its longest war represented--and a documentary that delivers a long overdue salute...
Three Huey helicopters appear in the film, but the primary aircraft, UH-1 "091" ("America's Huey") was repeatedly shot down and eventually crashed during her service in the Republic of Vietnam. We leased her from the Texas Air Command Museum for our historic flight--a flight which eventually resulted in 091's final rest in the Smithsonian Museum of American History's "Price of Freedom" exhibit.
She was flyable when we found her, but in preparation for the documentary mission, Dothan, Alabama's U.S. Helicopter’s mechanics overhauled 091, checking every wire and every bolt, and installing the cockpit cameras and avionics which would record pilots and passengers in flight.
 "The Robin Hoods ride again, folks..."
The day before liftoff, veterans of the 173rd Assault Helicopter Company, the Robin Hoods, gathered for an emotional reunion with 091, one of their in-country aircraft. Each took his turn painting the Robin Hoods’ signature yellow hat on her nose, including her Vietnam War crew chief, Ed Walsh, who said, "That was my mission in Vietnam- to bring veterans home. I hope this mission will bring a lot of veterans peace." Robin Hood Doug Ward predicted, "As this thing goes around the country, to see that bird come in and flare and land, I think it will bring a lot of good to a lot of people." Dan Binkley of the 173rd Assault Helicopter Company took a ride In The Shadow of The Blade and stated, "I'll never look at myself the same way again."
  
From the Guestbook:
"Had an experience awhile back. Got to meet some people whom I would call 'heroes', in my book. Also saw an air craft that I hadn't seen in 34 years. When we arrived at the little airport we were told that the A/C was being pulled back to the hangar from the flight line and we all ran around the side of the hangar to get our first peek. My hair was standing on end and I felt like a porkey pine. We were there to paint the Robinhood hat and we were cranked. We didn't see the full scope of what the documentary was all about and it turned out to be a life altering operation. We painted the hat and only then did I understand that I wasn't yesterday's 'Bink', but I was now visiting a place in my spirit that had been long forgotten. After all the cerimonys and meeting many of the truly great Americans, painting the nose art and final lift off I finally came to the realization that it was not all a dream those many years ago." -Dan Binkley, CE, 1st Plt 173 AHC 6-67 to 6-68, Arcanum, Ohio USA
In Memory of Ray Dussault
 "No greater honor I could have had than to serve with the great men of the 173rd AHC." -Ray Dussault
From the guestbook:
"I want to say thank you for coming to Georgia. On December 9, 2002 Ray Dussault passed away. His dream was to take one more flight on a Huey and he did that on October 7, 2002 thanks to you. Today, 12th, we will say goodbye to our brother. Thank you for making his dream come true." -Bobby Gaydon
"Before this mission is completed, literally thousands of veterans and their families will have a passed through this helicopter. Today we have a representative sample from each of the services who served in Vietnam: soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines..."
Fort Rucker’s liftoff ceremony honored the helicopter and the men and women who served in its shadow as veterans from each of the Armed Forces loaded for the first ride. Although the UH-1 was primarily used by the Army in Vietnam (represented by Doug Ward), it was also employed by the Marines (represented by Mark Austin Byrd), the U.S. Navy Hal 3 “Seawolves” (represented by C.J. Roberson) and the U.S. Air Force Green Hornets (represented by James Burs)...
  
Four Vietnam veterans volunteered on the film crew...
Bob Baird ("DUSTOFF 37") as Field Production and Mission Logistics Coordinator...
Gary Roush (RVN Chinook pilot) as Mission Historian...
Mike Venable (Huey gunship pilot) as Co-Pilot...
Bill McDonald (Huey crew chief) as Mission Chaplain...
Rose Baird and Cindy Venable went along to sell t-shirts in order to raise money for crew hotel rooms...
 
And Ray Asgar flew a Jet Ranger outfitted with a Tyler Nose Mount and camera to get aerials...
So with our film crew we took off from Fort Rucker, Alabama...
 
From the Guestbook:
Long-awaited news from the mission's Pilot-In-Command, Bruce LeMoine, who in real life is an American Airlines pilot but flew as aircraft commander--and Instructor Pilot--in the right seat during the ITSOTB mission:
 "Cleared for Take-off! This is Bruce LeMoine, the Shadow in the Blade, Aircraft Commander, and We will launch this morning from Fort Rucker! Just let me say a few words before I go. It is my privilege to be a part of this honorable project of such importance. I want to thank all those who have contributed their time, service, contributions or touched this project in any way. I promise to make you proud to be a veteran, but most of all an AMERICAN! Before I go I want to thank ALL Vietnam Veterans for their service and to say "Welcome Home"!!!!!! See you in the LZ, Keep your Rotor in the Green!"
-Bruce LeMoine, Colleyville, TX USA
Escorted by younger, new aircraft! More than 50 Vietnam helicopter pilots took the left seat for ITSOTB flights. At liftoff, Medal of Honor recipient Mike Novosel pulled pitch.
 
Combat journalist Joe Galloway, We Were Soldiers Once… And Young co-author, delivered the liftoff keynote, foretelling the upcoming experience for thousands… “The whop whop whop was the soundtrack to our youth. When I hear one fly overhead, I stop and pause, and unbidden, my thoughts go back to 100 battlefields. Like a magic carpet, that sound takes me back to another time and place...”
We left Rucker and headed for Florida, but were back in Alabama a few weeks later at the invitation of Madison's mayor. This spontaneous Landing Zone would--like many others--be quite fortuitous. It brought us musician Tony Grigsby ("Hello Darkness"), a veteran whose wife just wanted to see what a Huey looked like.
"This medic was leaning over me and he--his face was covered in
blood--and he kept saying to me, 'Hang on, buddy. You're going to make it. Hang on...'"
 It was ITSOTB's still photographer Sarah Beal who spotted Fred Castleberry at the Madison LZ. By this point--roughly halfway through the mission--all the crew had learned to look for the guys who were hanging back, the ones who kept their distance, the ones who weren't quite sure what they were doing there. We'd learned that a guy like that was probably a guy with a story.
Sarah was right on with this one.
 Fred Castleberry came to the Landing Zone because his wife, Kathy, wanted to see a Huey. Fred had a quick answer when cinematographer John Larsen asked him what the Huey meant to him. "It saved my life," the former 'tunnel rat' answered.
On his 21st birthday, Castleberry got a present from the North Vietnamese--a direct hit by an RPG. He lost a leg and an arm but not his life. Through the rain of bullets--much to Castleberry's surprise--that "big green angel" wearing the Red Cross came whop-whopping in to get him. "I never thought they'd make it in. And I  didn't think there was any way we'd get out once they go me on board," Fred says. "I promised God, if you get me out, I'll never fly again."
He kept that promise for 34 years.
 Postscript: The day Fred Castleberry met the In The Shadow of The Blade crew was the beginning of a whole new mission for him. When we learned that DUSTOFF pilots were testifying before a Senate committee on behalf of their medics, we told them we knew a guy they needed to take with them. Fred was the star witness for the Combat Medic Badge testimony. Fred's ITSOTB film interview will be part of the national history museum exhibit, and he was present the day 091 took her last flight. Not too long ago, ITSOTB historian Gary Roush located the D Company 3/4 Cav medevac pilot and co-pilot who put their lives on the line to get Fred Castleberry out of hell on his 21st birthday--and who knows where that will lead.
It's been quite a journey for a guy who just thought he was taking his wife to see a Huey come to town.
Next ITSOTB Stop: Florida. |
