ELLINWOOD — The American Legion Post in Ellinwood has acquired a helicopter that was used in the Vietnam War. The veterans plan to restore this helicopter and display it on the Legion property on the southeast corner of the intersection at Main Street and Santa Fe Boulevard. The Legion will be seeking donations to pay for the acquisition and restoration of this helicopter. Anyone donating to the helicopter project will receive a tax-deductible letter of donation.
The helicopter, an OH-58A KIOWA which the Army started using in 1967, was part of a hunter killer team. The OH-58A KIOWA, an unarmed single pilot scout helicopter, teamed with a Cobra, a gunship helicopter. The scout helicopter would fly lower than the Cobra and snoop around, intentionally drawing gunfire. The Cobra’s mission was to eliminate the target. Due to the nature of their mission, the Army unfortunately lost many of the pilots that flew in these helicopters.
Ken Lebbin, an Ellinwood veteran who served in the Army as an air traffic controller in Long Than North 1st and later in Cu Chi South Vietnam, enlisted in the Army in 1968 with only a semester to complete at Emporia State University, as he was burned out with his college classes and had a desire to fly. He had been looking for several years for a helicopter to bring back to Ellinwood’s American Legion Post. Bruce Bitter, of B & B Metal Arts in Hoisington, knew that Ken was searching for a helicopter and alerted him of one for sale. The helicopter had been owned by Bob Blehm, Russell, who bought it from a salvage yard and had planned to mount it on top of his liquor store.
By purchasing this retired unit from a salvage yard rather than a government agency, there are fewer regulations regarding it. John Roth and Lebbin took a trip to Dorrance, where the helicopter was stored, to check it out. Lloyd Kurtz, present commander of the Legion, called a special meeting to discuss the helicopter with the officers at the Legion. They approved its purchase and it was secured by the Legion Post in September.
The helicopter is currently stored in Lebbin’s hangar at Ellinwood’s airport. The helicopter will be restored to original Army appearance and placed on an elevated mount west of the American Legion Depot on the corner of the lot.
Anyone having questions may talk with Kurtz, Frank Koelsch, Lebbin or Dale Kraus. The Legion has started to accept donations to renovate and mount the unit, anticipating the costs to run between $15,000 and $20,000.
Anyone wishing to donate may write checks to: American Legion Helicopter Project and mail them to Dale Kraus, Legion Post Adjutant, 108 E. 11th Street, Ellinwood, KS 67526.
All donors will receive a tax-deductible letter of donation.
The nation observed Veterans Day on Friday. Lebbin’s son, David Lebbin of Ellinwood, has had six deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and logged over 4,000 hours in a Black Hawk helicopter.
