JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
The Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter served the U.S. Army as eyes on the ground for 45 years, beginning at the height of the Vietnam War. Its primary mission was intelligence gathering, aerial security and air-to-ground integration for the ground force commander.
Due to the Army Restructure Initiative, however, the U.S. Army will be removing the helicopter from operations and new maintainers for the airframe will no longer be required. To pay tribute to its service, the final graduating Kiowa Warrior maintainer class presented a scaled model of the helicopter that was used as a training aid in the school house to the U.S. Army Transportation Museum director at Fort Eustis, Virginia, August 13.
"Its small size and agility have enabled it to be operated in close proximity of enemy combatants, remain undetected and relay valuable intelligence information," said U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jonathan Bibbee, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 210th Aviation Regiment training chief. "The Kiowa Warrior holds a special place in the hearts of the Soldiers on the ground, knowing that when called, the Kiowa Warrior would be there to assist."
The U.S. Army Transportation Museum is home to many historical artifacts used to help tell the Army story. With the new model, the museum will have the ability to tell the story of the Kiowa Warrior, said David Hanselman, U.S. Army Transportation Museum director.
"The model represents an end of an era--an era of an aircraft that has been in [the Army's] inventory longer than aviation has been a branch in the Army," said Hanselman. "The museum hopes to soon acquire a real Kiowa Warrior, ."
This aircraft has been in every armed-conflict since the Vietnam War, with its final operating battleground in Afghanistan.
The model will be on display in the Transportation Museum to continue to share the history of the Kiowa Warrior, as an aircraft that defined the Army's scout operations as a vital asset for Soldiers on the battlefield.