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HMM-363
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Topic starter
. I wrote to you guys last summer about the restoration project of an old H-34. The USS Hornet Museum came up with a restorable helo which turns out to be one that was attached to the Princeton in July of 1966, and supported BLT 3/5. Over these last six months I’ve pretty well convinced myself that it’s one of the birds that flew me out of the mess on Hastings, which could very well be the case.
The problem....they’re getting ready to paint the helo. I’d pretty well convinced
them to use the Marine paint scheme of HMM-363 from the summer of ‘66, but now that the time has come to paint it there’s a Coast Guard (!) group that wants it painted in their motif. They’re starting a fund raising program to do just that.
Last summer I mentioned to all you guys that they needed funds for the
restoration. I know a few of you sent in checks, and the restoration went along at a rapid pace. I’m asking again. If we can show a little USMC support I’m certain they will paint it the way we want it. I’ve actually hollered at the restoration crew so they know how serious we take this. ( I don’t normally do a lot of hollering.)
The whole paint job will cost five thousand dollars. If any of you have somehow
become rich and affluent I hope you’ll cough up a chunk of change, but for the rest of us, any donation will be a display of solidarity. If you send a check be sure to put in the notation it’s for the “Marine H-34. Attention Rick Thom”. He’s the guy in charge of the restoration. The check should be made out to the “USS Hornet Museum ”. The address is P.O. Box 460, Alameda, California. 94501
I’m sending this request to everybody I have contact with from BLT 3/5 and the
Vietnam Helicopter Association. If any of you know where we can get any futher
support for this cause please forward this letter to them. It is totally unacceptable for our helo to be remembered as anything but “our helo”.
Semper Fidelis, Joe Holt
India 3/5, 1966
George T. Curtis (RIP. 9/17/2005)
Posted : 2004-01-13 20:00
Topic starter
All's well with our helo. The letter I sent to all you guys a week or so ago had its effect. Some of you sent in checks, but besides that, I received all sorts of E mail replies which agreed with my disgust at the possiblity of the Coast Guard paint job.
I copied the E mails and took them in to the restoration boss. If he had any doubts about our thoughts on the subject, he sure doesn't now.
Thanks so much for your support in this matter. The money you guys sent will go straight to the helo paint job. The Hornet Museum folks have seen the light. They'll wait for hell to freeze over before they consider any other paint scheme. It may take a while, but they'll have to live with that.
I don't know what the final tally will be for your donations, but each dollar was a display of our solidarity. If you were thinking about sending a check and were putting it off, we still need it. The sooner this bird is painted, the better.
This is another perfect example of why....
I remain Semper Fidelis, Joe Holt
India Company 3/5 '66
George T. Curtis (RIP. 9/17/2005)
Posted : 2004-01-17 14:46
