THE HUEY
More Than a Helicopter.
For a generation of American service members, the sound of a Huey meant something.
Help was coming. A mission was beginning. The wounded were going home. Or someone wasn’t.
Now, one will stand in New Lenox so their stories are never forgotten.
AN ICON OF THE VIETNAM WAR
Why the Huey?
Few aircraft are as closely connected to the experience of the Vietnam War as the Bell UH-1 Iroquois — the “Huey.”
Hueys carried troops into combat and brought them back out. They transported supplies, moved the wounded, supported operations, and flew into places others were trying to escape.
For the men and women who served in Vietnam, the Huey was not simply something they saw overhead.
They knew its sound.
The unmistakable beat of its rotor blades could mean troops were arriving. It could mean ammunition or supplies were coming. It could mean a wounded service member was about to be evacuated.
And sometimes, it meant you were finally going home.
That is why the Huey was chosen as the centerpiece of the Flight Home Memorial.
ONE AIRCRAFT. THOUSANDS OF MEMORIES.
Everyone Sees Something Different.
To a Veteran
It may be the aircraft they flew in, worked on, watched overhead, or waited to hear approaching.
A sound and silhouette capable of bringing back memories more than half a century later.
To a Family
It may represent the aircraft that carried a loved one into battle, brought someone home, or became part of the story of someone who never returned.
To a New Generation
It is an opportunity to ask a question:
“What is that helicopter?”
And with that question comes an opportunity to tell the stories of those who served, those who became Prisoners of War, and those who remain Missing in Action.
The Huey makes people stop. The memorial will give them a reason to remember.
THE AIRCRAFT COMING HOME
UH-1 Iroquois
Tail Number 64-13745
After more than two decades of hoping to secure a military aircraft for New Lenox, the call finally came on July 3, 2026.
The U.S. Army TACOM program had a Huey available.
And we said yes.
The aircraft reserved for the Flight Home Memorial is a UH-1 Iroquois, tail number 64-13745, which will become the physical centerpiece of the permanent memorial at Thomas E. Hartung American Legion Post 1977.
The aircraft is being provided through the U.S. Army’s static display program and will remain military property on conditional loan for public display.
OUR HUEY
Aircraft: UH-1 Iroquois
Tail Number: 64-13745
Owner: United States Army
Display Location: Thomas E. Hartung American Legion Post 1977
New Home: New Lenox, Illinois
Purpose: Permanent static display honoring America’s POW/MIA service members
This is not the helicopter that carried The Five.
The Five were lost aboard UH-1H 66-16442 on February 2, 1968.
The Huey coming to New Lenox will instead serve as a symbol — connecting their story to the experiences of an entire generation and to the broader mission of remembering all American POW/MIAs.
FROM VIRGINIA TO NEW LENOX
Bringing the Huey Home
In September 2026, the Flight Home Memorial’s Huey will begin its journey from Arrington, Virginia, to New Lenox, Illinois.
It will travel hundreds of miles before making the final leg of its journey surrounded by Veterans, riders, first responders, supporters, and members of the community.
And fittingly, the Huey will arrive at its new home on Friday, September 18, 2026 — National POW/MIA Recognition Day.
For more than twenty years, the idea was to someday bring a military aircraft to New Lenox.
On September 18, someday becomes homecoming day.
THE CENTERPIECE OF SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER
The Huey Is Coming Home.
The Mission Is Just Beginning.
Securing the aircraft was one of the largest hurdles facing the Flight Home Memorial.
But the Huey is only the centerpiece.
There is still a memorial to build, stories to preserve, families to honor, and a community to bring together.
When the work is complete, this aircraft will stand above a place dedicated to one promise:
They will not be forgotten.