AN A-7 AIRPLANE FROM THE VIETNAM WAR ERA WAS DELIVERED BY HELICOPTER TUESDAY FROM THE 185TH AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE TO ITS NEW PERMANENT HOME AT SOUTH SIOUX CITY’S FREEDOM PARK.
BACK IN MAY THE PLANE WAS MOVED BY HELICOPTERS TO THE 185TH’S BASE FOR REFURBISHING FROM SOUTH SIOUX CITY’S OLD MARTIN’S AIRFIELD.
MARTY HOGAN OF SIOUXLAND FREEDOM PARK’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS SAYS IT’S BEEN A FOUR MONTH PROCESS TO GET THE VINTAGE PLANE READY FOR DISPLAY AT THE PARK HONORING OUR MILITARY VETERANS:
A7D OC……PERMANENT HOME. :19
THE A-7 HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY DISPLAYED AT MARTIN’S AIRFIELD FOR 22 YEARS AND WAS UNDER CONTROL OF THE LOCAL AMERICAN LEGION:
A7E OC…READY TO GO. :24
THIS PARTICULAR PLANE NEVER SAW COMBAT OVERSEAS BUT WAS USED FOR TRAINING BY THE 185TH AND OTHER MILITARY COMBAT PILOTS.
HOGAN, WHO IS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE 185TH AIR NATIONAL GUARD, SAYS IT WAS QUITE A SIGHT WATCHING THE ARMY HELICOPTER BRING THE PLANE OVER THE TREES INTO THE PARK:
A7F OC……..VERY COOL. :09
NOW THAT THE PLANE HAS BEEN DELIVERED, THE NEXT STEP IS TO RAISE IT ONTO ITS PERMANENT DISPLAY, NEAR THE VIETNAM MEMORIAL WALL REPLICA AND THE KOREAN WAR MEMORIAL AT FREEDOM PARK:
A7G OC…UNDERNEATH IT. :22
HOGAN SAYS A RIBBON CUTTING FOR THE PLANE EXHIBIT WILL BE SCHEDULED SOMETIME IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
Photos by George Lindblade for KSCJ News
