Military Heritage Museum board member and Vietnam veteran Sam Harris chats with Judi Harris and museum guide and Vietnam veteran James Brendle about the Huey helicopter and its effect on the Vietnam war.
Military Heritage Museum Executive Director Gary Butler welcomed the guests to the Huey helicopter ribbon cutting, sponsored by the Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce.
Museum Board of Directors member C.J. Metcalfe; Huey donors Pat Hawkins and Gus Hawkins; Military Heritage Museum Executive Director Gary Butler; Military Heritage Museum President Lynne Matthews and museum camp attendee and intern Anthony Mattingly
Huey donor Gus Hawkins stands with Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Helicopter Team members Jon Bautista, Shane Engelauf, Joseph Mills and Nathan Huck. The CCSO Helicopter Team was responsible for the rotor head installation when the Huey helicopter was placed at the Military Heritage Museum.
Military Heritage Museum board member and Vietnam veteran Sam Harris chats with Judi Harris and museum guide and Vietnam veteran James Brendle about the Huey helicopter and its effect on the Vietnam war.
SUN PHOTOS BY STEVE LINEBERRY
Donated by Gus and Pat Hawkins, the Huey helicopter is an icon of the Vietnam War.
SUN PHOTOS BY STEVE LINEBERRY
Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce staff and members celebrate the Huey’s ribbon cutting.
SUN PHOTOS BY STEVE LINEBERRY
Military Heritage Museum Executive Director Gary Butler welcomed the guests to the Huey helicopter ribbon cutting, sponsored by the Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce.
SUN PHOTOS BY STEVE LINEBERRY
More than 100 guests attended the Huey ribbon cutting at the Military Heritage Museum.
SUN PHOTOS BY STEVE LINEBERRY
Museum Board of Directors member C.J. Metcalfe; Huey donors Pat Hawkins and Gus Hawkins; Military Heritage Museum Executive Director Gary Butler; Military Heritage Museum President Lynne Matthews and museum camp attendee and intern Anthony Mattingly
SUN PHOTOS BY STEVE LINEBERRY
Huey donor Gus Hawkins stands with Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Helicopter Team members Jon Bautista, Shane Engelauf, Joseph Mills and Nathan Huck. The CCSO Helicopter Team was responsible for the rotor head installation when the Huey helicopter was placed at the Military Heritage Museum.
More than 100 guests celebrated the ribbon cutting for the Bell UH-1 Iroquois — known by its military nickname “Huey” — at the Military Heritage Museum in Punta Gorda on Thursday.
The Huey was donated to the museum by Gus and Pat Hawkins.
While it wasn’t the couple’s first choice, Gus Hawkins told The Daily Sun in December he’s glad the helicopter has a permanent home.
Gus Hawkins, an engineer, attorney and pilot who purchased the helicopter from a seller in Texas, had originally envisioned it as a companion to the Vietnam Memorial Wall of Southwest Florida at Laishley Park.
The Huey was widely used in combat during the Vietnam War and is one of the most iconic images associated with the conflict.
But Hawkins’ vision ran into a political quagmire when the Punta Gorda City Council balked at having the Huey occupy city property. Council members cited liability issues, maintenance costs and the possibility of vandalism.
While its future was up in the air, the Huey was temporarily relocated in 2021 and housed at the Military Heritage Museum, where it became a big hit as part of an outside display. The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office’s aviation unit assisted in assembling the chopper.
In December, it became official: the Huey’s permanent home would be the museum.
“The contribution from Gus and Pat will still enable the story of the Huey Helicopter, especially its impact during the Vietnam War, to be passed on from generations to come,” museum executive director Gary Butler said in December.
Hawkins said the museum is only a short distance — about 2 miles — from its original intended home at the memorial wall.
“We will find impactful ways to ensure the Huey helicopter’s legacy and those military deeply affected by it never be forgotten,” Gus Hawkins said in December.
While at the museum, thousands of visitors have been introduced to the Huey legacy through self-guided tours and cockpit tours led by Vietnam veterans who served on Hueys during the war, as well as Hawkins himself.
The museum will continue to keep the Huey accessible to visitors.
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