Historic Marine Corps helicopter moves out of Miramar
IRVINE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — One of the last Marine Corps aircraft to leave Vietnam during the fall of Saigon is moving from its current home in Miramar to a new location in Irvine.
On Saturday, a CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter will leave Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar to a storage facility in the City of Irvine’s Great Park, the site of the former MCAS El Toro.
6 things to do in San Diego this weekend
The aircraft, nicknamed “Lady Ace 09,” was part of Operation Frequent Wind, the effort to evacuate the remaining Americans and at-risk Vietnamese from Saigon in 1975.
Lady Ace 09 was the helicopter that evacuated U.S. Ambassador Graham Martin and the American flag from the South Vietnamese Embassy, according to the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum.
“Lady Ace 09 is incredibly meaningful to Marines who served in Vietnam and frankly, all Marines,” said retired USMC Brigadier General Michael Aguilar, who serves as the museum’s president and CEO. “The Flying Leathernecks and the City of Irvine join with Marine Corps veterans and supporters across the country, that our rich history — Marine Corps aviation history — will be preserved, honored and educate future generations for years to come.”`
The CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter will join more than 40 rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, vehicles and other artifacts and equipment scheduled to move to the museum’s storage, restoration and conservation facility, Hangar 297, at Great Park over the next six months.
The Flying Leathernecks is building a 100,000 square foot facility near Hangar 297 which will feature historic Marine Corps aircraft, artifacts and exhibits.
Lady Ace 09 departs MCAS Miramar around 8-9 a.m. and is expected to arrive at Hangar 297 around 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
