Naval Helicopter Association Historical Society Helo on a Stick - Good Progress By CAPT Bill Personius, USN (Ret.) LTM-#46, R-16213 President
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n Tuesday 22 Februarry 2022, NHA Historical Society (NHAHS) sponsored a lunch at Nicky Rotten’s Bar & Burger Joint (that’s the name) in downtown Coronado on the corner of Orange and First Avenues where our guest speaker was Captain Newt “Bomb” McKissick, USN the NBC/NASNI Base Executive Officer. Bomb gave a great presentation to 27 attendees that anchored on Rotary Wing Aviation and our many accomplishments over the years to include activity in and around the NASNI Base. Several questions were asked about the NASNI Front Gate CDR Clyde E. Lassen, USN (Ret.) Memorial, Medal of Honor SH-60F “Helicopter on a Stick” Display Aircraft. Bomb has been leading an IPT (Integrated Project Team) consisting of several NASNI Base Department Heads to accomplish the task. NAVFAC or Public Works/ (PWC), Security, Legal, NHA, NHAHS, and USS Midway are the main players with contributions from various other activities when needed like the Wing Commodores, CNAP and CNRSW has even been involved concerning some aspects of the effort. We collectively are making good progress with the main tasker at the moment being a “Gifting Letter” that needs to be routed and approved by the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and the Environment (ASN EIE). This document will also need to be routed to CNRSW, CNIC, DNS, CNO and then the Assistant Secretary of the Navy Staff destined for the ASN EIE. The reason for the “Gifting Letter” is the dollar amount NHA/NHAHS and Midway are planning to give to the Navy and the fact that the stanchion and supporting materials are “real property,” so therefore the request needs to be routed and approved up the chain of command. To date we have raised over $35K and we are in the process of working to answer several RFIs for a construction and engineering firm so we can get a price quote to have the aircraft mounted on a stanchion that mirrors the one that supports the VADM James B. Stockdale, USN (Ret.) A-4 Skyhawk. We are currently planning the next aircraft wash job on base and that should happen by the time this article is published (sometime in April). The first event was a success with the Chief Petty Officers and Chief Selects taking on the task. This time we will rely on volunteers from the base to accomplish the work. However I have no doubt that the HSC Wing will come through as it is their turn to lead the effort. Midway should be starting the restoration process on the H-3 Sea King soon with the help of the Maritime Support Wing (MSW/Reserves) so the aircraft continue to look good at Flag Circle. The artesian volunteers at the Midway Restoration Hangar 805 out near the NASNI fuel storage area and hot refueling pits are going to assist the MSW to get the H-3 back into shape. We continue to make preparations to get ready to support the 2022 NHA Symposium in Norfolk. We have identified both the Mark Starr Pioneer and the Oldest Helix Award Recipients and have invited both to join us at the Symposium Awards Ceremony. We may be in luck as the Oldest Helix Award winner is local to the Norfolk area living in Virginia Beach and is in good health and is planning to join us as of the writing of this article. In an attempt to be more inclusive, the NHAHS Executive Committee has voted to create two new enlisted member awards this year…a Golden and a Silver Crew Chief Award! The Golden Crew Chief being the oldest Aircrewman on active duty and the Silver Crew Chief being the oldest living Crew Chief. We plan to invite and recognize both these individuals at the 2022 Symposium and hope to find these people in time so that they can join us at the awards ceremony. That’s it for this edition of the NHAH's update for Rotor Review and I hope that someone writes a story or two about our most important human advantage and support personnel…specifically our spouses…if not for them, most of us would not be able to give our all to what is a very demanding job…especially when separated by time and distance forward deployed. Hey…don’t forget to make a donation of a few dollars to the “Helicopter on a Stick Project" for the front gate at NASNI for what is the Master Helicopter Base. See the adjoining page for details. Fly safe and keep your turns up! Regards, CAPT P
Rotor Review #156 Spring '22
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