Historic Marine Corps helicopter strikes out of Miramar

IRVINE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — One of many final Marine Corps plane to depart Vietnam in the course of the fall of Saigon is transferring from its present residence in Miramar to a brand new location in Irvine.

On Saturday, a CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter will depart Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar to a storage facility within the Metropolis of Irvine’s Nice Park, the positioning of the previous MCAS El Toro.

The plane, nicknamed “Woman Ace 09,” was a part of Operation Frequent Wind, the trouble to evacuate the remaining People and at-risk Vietnamese from Saigon in 1975.

Woman Ace 09 was the helicopter that evacuated U.S. Ambassador Graham Martin and the American flag from the South Vietnamese Embassy, in accordance with the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum.

“Woman Ace 09 is extremely significant to Marines who served in Vietnam and albeit, all Marines,” stated retired USMC Brigadier Common Michael Aguilar, who serves because the museum’s president and CEO. “The Flying Leathernecks and the Metropolis of Irvine be a part of with Marine Corps veterans and supporters throughout the nation, that our wealthy historical past — Marine Corps aviation historical past — can be preserved, honored and educate future generations for years to return.”`

The CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter will be a part of greater than 40 rotary and fixed-wing plane, automobiles and different artifacts and tools scheduled to maneuver to the museum’s storage, restoration and conservation facility, Hangar 297, at Nice Park over the following six months.

The Flying Leathernecks is constructing a 100,000 sq. foot facility close to Hangar 297 which is able to function historic Marine Corps plane, artifacts and displays.

Woman Ace 09 departs MCAS Miramar round 8-9 a.m. and is predicted to reach at Hangar 297 round 10:30 a.m. Saturday.