(Atlantic, IA) – A Vietnam era helicopter will make a stop in Atlantic, late Saturday morning. The YL-37 is a 1961 Sikorsky UH-34D helicopter that served in the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1968 with the Marine squadron HMM-362, the “Ugly Angels.” It is the only Marine UH-34D with documented combat history to survive the war. It was manufactured in 1961 in Bridgeport, CT.
An Oklahoma businessman found broken-down hulk riddled with bullet holes, and restored it. When the gentleman died, his widow talked to Nick Turner, an experienced Marine helicopter pilot – and Griswold High School graduate and a native of the Elliott area – about taking this aircraft into a flying museum and used to tell the story of Vietnam veterans.
Turner flew the Presidential Helicopter “Marine 1” from 2009 to 2013, serving President Biden and his staff. He said flying is in his blood.
The helicopter he’s bringing to Atlantic during a refueling stop at the Atlantic Municipal Airport Saturday, on his way to Council Bluffs. It’s the same aircraft that was flown 11 times by his father Larry, during the Vietnam War.
The workhorse chopper will be in Griswold in July. You can see details about that visit and others on the website yl-37.org.
While in Council Bluffs, Turner said he will meet with an 89-year-old Col. Joseph R. Sales (USMC Retired), a Marine Corps Veteran from Omaha with health issues, who was one of the original pilots who flew this type of helicopter in Vietnam in 1962 under “Operation Shufly,” off of the USS Princeton.
Nick Turner says the stopover in Atlantic should take place between 10:45- and 11-a.m., Saturday. The chopper has a very distinct sound, and won’t be hard to miss.
Turner says they plan to keep the aircraft airworthy and flyable as long as possible. Donations to help pay for the fuel, maintenance and upkeep, can be made at yl-37.org.
