Man with local ties helps restore Vietnam era helicopter

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — Bryan Stuckenschmidt of Omaha is one of the Aviation Maintenance students at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa who helped restore a Huey helicopter for the Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Memorial which is under construction in Papillion.

The Memorial Foundation located the Huey, in disrepair, on the East Coast and arranged to have it transported to the college which generously agreed to restore the chopper to allow their students the learning experience of doing the work.

Bryan is the grandson of Ron and Shirley Haase and the great grandson of the late Alberta Sutton of Laurel.

Even as a toddler, he was always patriotic, standing with his hand on his heart whenever he saw an American flag.

Bryan was only six years old when the remains of his great uncle, Donald Grella, MIA in Vietnam for nearly 44 years, were found and returned to Laurel for a burial ceremony. The event made state and national news.

In spite of his young age, that experience made a lasting impression on Bryan.

Donald Grella was the crew chief on Huey 63-8808 when it went missing in 1965. Bryan felt so proud and blessed to be part of the restoration process of the Huey that will be mounted at the memorial.

He was allowed to sign the interior of the chopper in remembrance of the crew of Huey 63-8808.

The restored Huey was recently moved from the college to the site of the memorial. The grand opening of the memorial, a $7.2 million project, is planned for June 6, 2024.

To read more about the Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Papillion, go to NVVMF.

org.