JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va –
The U.S. Army Transportation Museum received a retired piece of modern history to add to their full aviation pavilion at Fort Eustis, Virginia, March 10, 2015.
The museum welcomed a 30-year-old VH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, designed to transport VIPs throughout the Military District of Washington.
David Hanselman, U.S. Army Transportation Museum director, said this new aircraft is historical for many reasons.
"This helicopter represents a current aircraft in aviation inventory and students that work on this aircraft are at Fort Eustis," he said. "It also represents a unique mission for the U.S. Army - the executive flight detachment."
After the new addition is de-militarized, it will be placed next to a helicopter that flew a similar mission, a VH-34 Sikorsky, which was used to transport former President John F. Kennedy during his term in office.
The crew that conducted the aircraft's final flight was grateful to be a part of its history.
"I feel a sense of pride being the last person to pilot this aircraft," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Michael Beck, Charlie Company, 12th Aviation Battalion pilot. "I get to bring it back to Fort Eustis, where I started my career in aviation, and now I feel like a part of its history."
The museum hopes to one day enclose the outdoor pavilion, so those attending the museum will have the ability to go inside the aircraft as well as see a display of the pilots and crew chiefs uniforms.
For more information, contact the museum at 878-1548/1115.