Vietnam Veterans Illawarra Commemoration
Article by Nate Newman
Images by Lachy McKay
Last weekend, Corrimal Oval was drowned in the sound of Vietnam-era helicopters to celebrate the final parade of the Vietnam Veterans Illawarra as a single organisation.
To salute this occasion, the Historical Aviation Restoration Society put on a show with their two Huey aircraft, in distinct Navy and Army schemes. The two aircraft used were 703 and 898 respectively.
Festivities were lively as the day began with the two Huey’s arriving just after 10am. The event was fully sponsored and funded by the Vietnam Veterans Illawarra, and the price of admission was free. Locals and aviation enthusiasts alike showed up in droves to see these classic pieces of machinery in action. The day featured full celebrations of the historical organisation, with local Cadet units from the Army, Navy, and Air Force all conducting parade with the veterans. Vintage cars from the era also lined the oval, and the aircraft were open to the public to go sit in and have a look at the cockpit.
The two aircraft are operated by the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society, and based at the RAN Base, HMAS Albatross, in Nowra. They are run by the “Huey Project”, a project to get three Huey’s flying out of HMAS Albatross.
Aircraft 703 was an ex US Army bird, bought by the Royal Australian Air Force to replace one of their aircraft that crashed in Vietnam. It served as a helicopter gunship (known as a “Bushranger”) for a year in Vietnam before 9SQN was withdrawn in 1971 and it was returned to a normal role in the RAAF. Serving for another 36 years, the aircraft then was placed at RAAF Museum Point Cook, before its donation to HARS in 2023 where it was then returned to airworthy condition.
Aircraft 898 was a RAN Training Aircraft, serving with 723SQN out of Nowra. It served for 24 years, from 1965 to 1989 before it was withdrawn from service and placed in the RAN Historic Flight. It was kept in an airworthy condition along with aircraft 893, and would fly as a museum piece with the Historic Flight until 2016 when the flight was disbanded and 898 and 893 were donated to HARS. 893 remains unairworthy, however the Huey Project is working to bring it back to its former airworthy glory.
The two hueys departed just after 1pm together for their final time with the Illawarra Vietnam Veterans, marking the end of over 40 years of charity to the local community and veterans. The organisation will still run, but will be a part of the Corrimal RSL from here on.
