COLO, Iowa — This year’s July 4 celebration has a different setting to celebrate the day. The guest of honor was the Flying Memorial Vietnam helicopter, based in nearby State Center.
The YL-37 landed was greeted by a celebration of food trucks and bouncy houses, and families. The YL-37 was flown over Vietnam by pilot Nick Turner’s Dad, Larry, who flew this aircraft over Vietnam 11 times.
Now the aircraft is flying to honor 33 of the “Ugly Angels” who gave their lives in the line of duty in helicopters.
“Its history is pretty emotional,” said Turner, the pilot and caretaker of the Flying Memorial. “It’s pretty neat to fly this combat veteran 250th birthday in America to do it in a country that’s free and that’s why we’re doing it.”…