SH-60F Update

By CAPT Bill Personius, USN (Ret.), President, NHAHS LTM #46 / RW#1621

The good news is the artisans who are going to do the work are very excited about the opportunity to showcase their talents, honored to be involved with the project, and anxious to get started with the actual hands-on effort that is required. This project is something that is different for FRCSW as an opportunity like this doesn’t come along very often to be able to work on a Medal of Honor Memorial static display.

The bad news is that this meeting of the minds to discuss the fabrication process generated yet another engineering design change that will need to be approved by both Cherry Point and Navy Region Southwest Engineers and this process effectively sends us “back to the drawing board” with regards to the review and approval process. This means it will take more time to start the stanchion construction. February 3, 2024 is the 3-year anniversary that I have been working on this project. It took a year to generate the request and the gifting letter. Then, it took a year for the letter to be approved by the Under Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment (ASNEIE). The planning of the engineering design has been the long pole in the tent as we continue to make minor adjustments to it and run the gauntlet of the approval process to receive authorization to start the construction. Procuring the aircraft, moving it to NASNI, and actually doing the restoration work has been the easy part as that has taken eight months and that included taking one month off to dedicate to the 2023 NHA Symposium.

The manufacturing team is confident given an approved new design, that they can complete the work in time to support a Dedication Ceremony in June. However, the changes to the timeline are once again up to the engineering team and those involved with the review process. FRCSW also needs to determine the pricing for the work and a way for NHAHS to be able to pay for their services.

We are going to get this project completed and more good news: we have the support of PMA 299, the H-60 Program Office being on our side. We have over 450 donors with 325 bricks on order so far. Please consider placing a brick order and donating to the project as we need your $upport to reach our goal of $130K between now and the dedication ceremony. Do you know a potential big donor that could help…please introduce me.

The centerfold of this month’s magazine is a tribute to our volunteers. Many Sailors and civilians on the base have contributed to the restoration effort by volunteering and dedicating their time and talent to help with any number of tasks to get the aircraft restoration completed. Thank you to all those personnel who have worked on the aircraft and for those who will continue to assist with the project to make the Medal of Honor Memorial a reality.

I want to thank the NBC/NASNI Base CO, CAPT "Bomb" McKissick for his support of the project, and wish him luck at his next assignment. Bomb is a helicopter pilot and was a major supporter of the project along with CAPT Monte Montero who has fleeted-up to be the new base CO on 26 January. I’d like to welcome CAPT Loren “Wookie” Jacobi as the new base XO, who is also a helicopter pilot to the team as we look forward to working with you to get the project across the finish line.

The beat goes on…and we are looking forward to finalizing the mounting hardware design and receiving the go ahead for construction once again. The plan is to focus on a June 19 Dedication ceremony and push to have the project completed on that day as that is the 55-year anniversary of Clyde and his crew performing the rescue. That is the goal right now, however, that date has not been confirmed or approved. I hope by the time that you read this article that is the case and I can formally announce the 19th of June as the official Ceremony Dedication date. Don’t mark your calendars or make travel plans just yet until we confirm the date. By the end of February, we should know something definite by then.

For now…we are placing the finishing touches on the aircraft and waiting for the all-important paperwork to be completed so we can move forward. Who knew it would be more difficult to formulate a plan on paper than it would be to restore an aircraft and weld together a supporting structure to mount it? Keep the faith! Please help support the project with a donation or purchase a brick to honor a friend, family member or recognize yourself, thank you.

Naval Helicopter Association Historical Society (NHAHS)

https://www.nhahistoricalsociety.org/