Speaking of "Mike"--

How is he doing?

Tom Knowles
VMO-2

Mike Clausen

Speaking of Mike... Does anyone know how he's doing
these days?

Do the Marines overseas in that airframe have any idea about Mike and his MOH? I was just wondering if they knew their phrog was the one Mike was on during that mission. Do they even know of Mike Clausen? How much history is taught to the crewchiefs about their airplanes? Any active duty crewchiefs out there that know the answer?

Know of Clausen

My guess would be no. Since HMM-773 didn't know about the Gerry Berry bird that brought the ambassador from the roof of the embassy (while in HMM-165 in RVN in 1975) was in their unit until research began to find it for the ceremony and subsequently the reunion, I can't figure how they would know about it.

Semper Fi
Joe

BUNO 153389

I was a Huey crewchief at Al Taqqadum airbase with HMLA-775 serving along side 161. Being a former Phrog guy at heart I'm familiar with Mike Clausen's feat. The bird in question suffered a hard landing when the crew browned out and dumped the collective from 25-50 feet. It was severely wrinkled about the 410 section. During ground transport to Al Asad Airbase for return to CONUS and Depot, the aft pylon struck a bridge overpass and broke the camel's back.

Some squadron members I talked to were familiar with Mike Clausen and knew it was his bird. As to history lessons for crewchiefs I've never heard of it. Most crewchiefs today are not homegrown and enlist into the Marine Corps with a crewchief guarantee without even knowing what a crewchief is.

We have the Aircraft parked along the back fence at NADep Cherry Point. It is in very bad shape and about to be stricken.

It has been her about two weeks. I wish I could send you a picture of it.

K.D.

Mike Clausen

https://www.popasmoke.com/notam2/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4436

Association involment

J.D.,
We need to "move" whatever mountains are necessary to get this aircraft to a museum of some type. There aren't any CH-46's in any aviation museums that I'm aware of, probably because they're still flying them!! This one, however, we must have! Slick is doing what he can already, if the BOD can help, the wheels need to start turning!!
Ready APP!!!!!!!
Semper Fi
Joe

It is going to the Marine Corps Museum Historical Branch for preservation and display

CH-46E BuNo 153389 is the Aircraft crewed by Raymond “MIKE” Clausen while earning the Medal of Honor. will be sent to the Marine Corps Museum Historical Branch for preservation and display."

Fortitudine Magazine Vol XXX No2, 2003

Maybe, maybe not

Since it was flight damaged in Iraq and further damaged on a bridge, apparently enroute back to the air station on a truck, maybe plans have changed?? I understand the aircraft is now in Cherry Point awaiting disposition, after recent arrival in a C-5. The recent damage, near station 410, is rather severe I'm told.
Sure hope nobody does anything dumb with it...........
Semper Fi
Joe

No Changes, that I know of

The article I quoted from Fortitudine Magazines Vol XXX No2, 2003, clearly states that it is going the Marine Corps Museum Historical Branch for preservation and display, once it is struck.

I do not believe the aircraft has been struck yet.

Did I mention that this aircraft was damaged in Iraq due to a hard landing and was put on a low boy for transport to the rear when it's aft pylon struck an overpass. It was C-5'd to NADep Pensacola. I asked what it's status was and was informed that it was to be rebuilt cosmetically and sent to a museum. It is in extreemly damaged condition.

Semper fi K.D.

ACFT was officially stricken 30 Nov. Remarks section of msg is quoted below.

ACFT BUNO 153389 STRICKEN FROM THE NAVAL INVENTORY PER EMAIL FROM PMA-226 AND COMNAVAIRFOR. LOCAL TIME OF STRIKE IS 0800. RECOMMEND CUSTODY OF THE AIRCRAFT BE TRANSFERRED TO THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NAVAL AVIATION DUE TO HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS AIRCRAFT

From previous posts I'm not sure what

Marine Corps Museum Historical Branch

is, but the National Museum of Naval Aviation is the official name of the P-Cola museum.

Pensacola bound

Great News, Slick!
Thanks for the detective work and letting us know what you found out. 'Bout time they got a Phrog in Pensacola!
Semper Fi
Joe

New Home

"Blood, Sweat & Tears" , CH-46E BuNo 153389, will have a new home at the Carolinas Aviation Museum in Charlotte, NC where she'll be restored.

I'll help ensure that Mike's history stays with it.

BS&T

Ed,

Any chance of getting digital pictures posted of the aircraft in it's pre-restoration condition.

Semper Fi

Tom

Blood, Sweat and Tears

Ed,
Glad to have you on the job up there to ensure the right things are done! Appreciate the "heads up" on the location. We've seen/heard of several sites mentioned with this aircraft, glad to know for "sure".
Semper Fi, Fast Eddie!
Joe

Restoration Pix

Wilco. ETA is April 2 at the Carolinas Aviation Museum, Charlotte/Douglas Airport, Charlotte, NC.

I plan to be involved in doing "grunt work" on her - I have no "practical skills".

SF,
Ed

"Practical Skills"

😀 Ed,
Your practical skills are legendary in most arenas 😉 . Knowing you'll be there is a comfort to all that know you and to many that you haven't met, yet. You'll have "aircrew" wings before you know it!
Semper Fi
Joe

Progress

Ed,

Hope the move went well, any luck with pictures?

SF,

Tom

Cpl. Clausen

Military Trader magazine reported that Cpl. Clausen died 5/30/04. I didn't
note the cause.

Mike Clausen's Helicopter 153389 Status May 2005

I am the Acquisitions Chairman of the Carolinas Aviation Museum in Charlotte, NC. In February 2005, Michael Starn, Aircraft Curator of the USMC Air and Ground Museum at Quantico called me and asked if we could do a job for him.
He told us that there was a CH-46 at Cherry Point that had suffered a hard landing in Iraq, but then had been seriously damaged during the recovery, having struck a low bridge while being trucked to the repair depot. It was estimated that it would take $4.5 million dollars to restore it to flying condition. He told me that this was a very historically important helicopter,
and that the Marine Corps wanted it saved, repaired, and properly displayed.
Since we are an all volunteer, nonprofit organization, we needed to take the expense of recovering this helicopter from Cherry Point, the transportation back to our Museum in Charlotte (310 miles) as well as the actual costs of repairing it into consideration. He provided us with a number of closeup photos of the damage that had been taken in Iraq, but they were such closeup we ready couldn't gage the overall condition of this bird. So I asked for time to be able to go over to NADEP at Cherry Point and examine the extent of the damage, and take along our metal fabricating expert for his opinion. Michael agreed to give us two weeks to reach a decision on weither
to take accept this project. We traveled over and closely examined all the damage. Our expert deemed it a do able project, so we have agreed to take on this task. During the week of March 27, our recovery crew removed the winglets, and took the fuselage apart at the production break at station 410.
Part of our agreement to repair this helicopter was that NADEP would allow us to secure needed parts off any other CH-46s that were available in their
"bone yards". It was apparent from the start that the whole rear fuselage was too badly damaged to consider repairing. NADEP offered us a CH-46E that had been damaged in a hard landing in Afganistan, then futher damaged by numberous fork lift punctures. However the tail on this helicopter was too badley damaged as well. So this only left us with a Navy CH-46D model which
was structually in pretty good condition. NADEP assured us that a D & E aft
section were interchandable and agreed with our plan to just swap the aft sections to over come the most heavly damaged area. Since we were going to use a D aft section, we pretty much decided from the start that we would
just go ahead and convert this helicopter back into a D model since these were going to be the only parts that would be available.
The damage on 153389 included a large vertical tear which ran from the centerline on top of the fuselage to almost four feet down the starboard
side of the fuselage forward of station 410. On the port side the major damage was aft of 410. All of our repairs are being done to keep the overall structures in as near flight worthly appearances as possible. All the damaged skin is being drilled out and new replacement portions are being fabricated and rivieted back in place. We have the torn section repairs about 85% completed, and the replacement tail has been bolted on.
Stay tuned for further updates. Since I'm new to your organization I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have and share the many photos that I have if you can tell me how to go about posting them. We would welcome any assistance anyone would care to give. It can be in the form of warm bodies to help buck all these rivets, or donations to help cover the expenses. We are located at: Carolinas Aviation Museum
4108 Airport Drive
Charlotte,NC 28208
Semper Fi

Ed Egan wrote: Wilco. ETA is April 2 at the Carolinas Aviation Museum, Charlotte/Douglas Airport, Charlotte, NC.

I plan to be involved in doing "grunt work" on her - I have no "practical skills".

SF,
Ed

We're still waiting for you to drop by.

Stopped by on 11th to give there tin man a hand, I hope, to fix the bird up. She has lots of work to go to make her look right. Planning on helping again on the 18th also got two Phrog fixers looking to help out in a few weeks.
Glad that they let me help out. Thanks Dean (aka Tarheel53). Took a few pic's and need to send them off, will post if Dean doesn't mind.

Semper Fi,
Ryan