THE SLOVAK Technical Museum (STM)-Aviation Museum in Košice has received an interesting gift from the US National Guard - a type of helicopter used in the Vietnam War.
The UH1-M Huey military helicopter was presented to the Slovaks at Košice airport by National Guard Major-General Martin Umbarger, who said the gift was an expression of long and deepening friendship between the US state of Indiana and Slovakia.
The helicopter will become part of the museum's Presidential Gallery, which it is developing from gifts received from heads of states and monarchs.
According to STM director Eugen Labanic, the gallery currently contains 16 exhibits and should be open in June of this year.
Initiating the idea to establish such a museum was Slovakia's ex-President Rudolf Schuster, thanks to whom exhibits from various countries have come to Košice.
The ex-president was present at the handing-over ceremony and said that although they could have had older helicopters, this type was particularly interesting because of its role in Vietnam.
"We know from movies that the helicopter played a very important role in Vietnam. That's why I wanted the one that was used there and I managed to get it," Schuster said.
The UH-1 Huey helicopter is regarded as the most popular helicopter in the world.
More than 5,000 of these versatile flying machines were scudding through the sky in Southeast Asia and people often associate it with the Vietnam War (1961-75).
Compiled by Spectator staff
from TASR report
