Members of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 203 prepare to lift a UHI-B model helicoper owned by the chapter from its pedestal in Soddy-Daisy. The helicopter will be returned to its home of 12 years once it has been refurbished.Vietnam Veterans of America Chattanooga Chapter 203 is taking down the UHI-B model helicopter located in Soddy-Daisy's South Park to repaint and refurbish it to its original state when it was first placed in the park in 2001.
"When we got it from the federal government, they told us we had to keep it up to their standards," said Charlie Hobbs, president of VVA Chapter 203, the second-largest chapter in the nation, with 680 members.
The chapter has to send pictures of the helicopter to the government every year to prove that the helicopter is being maintained according to military standards, he said.
Board members arranged to have the helicopter taken to a warehouse in Chattanooga with the space for it to be pressure washed and repainted.
The helicopter will be returned to its home in Soddy-Daisy once it has been refurbished, and a rededication ceremony will be held, said Hobbs.