TONAWANDA, N.Y. - With events this week marking the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, there is now a particular new addition in the works for the memorial at Veterans Park in the city of Tonawanda.
Another combat veteran of that war arrived on Wednesday.
It's a helicopter, flown in the war, which can help symbolically salute the men and women who have served our country.
With an honor guard motorcycle escort, it was indeed a sight passing through downtown in the City of Tonawanda.
It was a convoy carrying a Cobra AH-1 attack helicopter under blue tarps. It will be placed proudly on display as part of the monument site at Veterans Park.
Paul Pietrowski of the Vietnam Veterans Chapter 77 says, "The Niagara Aerospace Museum heard about us trying to get a helicopter. They had one they had no place to display it. So they offered it to us on a permanent loan."
As history shows us, the Vietnam War was definitely a helicopter war. This Cobra chopper, like so many vets, carries it's own battle scars as Vice President Ed Bodine of the Vietnam Veterans Chapter 77 explains ,"This helicopter saw service in Vietnam. It was shot down in Vietnam. And they found it in a rice paddy upside down. So it's a veteran. It's got bullet holes in it and everything else."
The helicopter helped support and cover ground troops in the jungles of Vietnam was actually restored to serve again. It was actually flown by reservists in Rochester before it ended up with the museum.
As Tonawanda City Mayor Rick Davis, a Persian Gulf War veteran points out, "These people were treated rudely upon returning from Vietnam. So in a way it's saying welcome back. Thank You for everything that you have done."
Some merchants have chipped in with various donations for transport, paint and landscaping for the expanded memorial site.
Now they hope to raise raise $60,000 to complete the monument with a steel stand support for the helicopter, a wall and granite benches.
If you would like to help with the project there are various fundraisers.
They are holding a dance this Saturday, April 2 from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Stephen Sikora American Legion Post 1322 at 950 Payne Avenue.
They are also selling memorial bricks in the name of veterans and non-veterans. For more information on that go to http://vva77.org/helobrick.htm
There is also a GoFundMe account set up for the project at http://www.gofundme.com/2va2t4hg.