Vietnam Vets Want To Place A Huey Chopper At Lesko Park

A group of vets are working with members of Congress to get a military helicopter permanently displayed at Aurora's riverfront park.

UH-1Ds airlift members of the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment from the Filhol Rubber Plantation area to a staging area in 1966. Local veterans want to get one of the choppers displayed at Aurora's Lesko Park. Photo by James K. F. Dung, SFC, Photographer, National Archives.

(Aurora, Ind.) - Eleven members of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 71 met with the Regional Director for United States Senator Mike Braun at the local Bob Evans Restaurant on Tuesday, April 2.  

John Moton is a Batesville resident based in Indianapolis and agreed to meet with the Vietnam Veterans as they try to acquire a Huey helicopter.  The Huey is a symbol that all those who served in Vietnam are well aware of.  

Plans are to put it on a pedestal at Aurora’s Lesko Park.

The veterans recently met with Ryan Jarmula, Deputy Chief of Staff for Congressman Greg Pence.  State Representative Randy Frye got the ball rolling when he met with P.G. Gentrup, Jerry Bondurant and Ron Spurlock and forwarded their letter to Senator Braun and Congressman Pence.  

Now the plan is for these offices to work together to coordinate with the Army officials in Washington, D.C. to make it happen. Ryan Jarmula was in Washington last week and met with some of the officials from the Army Donation Program and should have some news soon.

Celeste Calvitto met with the Vietnam Veterans at Bob Evans, too, as she was representing State Rep. Randy Frye. Celeste is very active with the veterans and is the campaign coordinator for Frye.

It was a very productive meeting with John Moton and they all enjoyed the conversation with John and his explaining what some of the plans are to get the proper paperwork for the Huey.

This is a “pet project” for the Vietnam Veterans and would be a dream come true.  This would be a huge drawing point along the Ohio River where all veterans could meet.  It would also be a great place to teach the youth of America about the Vietnam War and they could meet and greet many of them.

The Vietnam Veterans would like to thank the employees at Bob Evans for their hospitality.

Front row (left to right): Fred Lester, P.G. Gentrup, K.C. Snyder, Jerry Bondurant and Mike LaFollette. Second row: Ron Spurlock, Nick Ullrich, Alonzo Caswell, Terry Taylor, Marty Sizemore, Bob Palmer and John Moton, Regional Director for Senator Mike Braun.