A restored Huey helicopter visited Hay last week.

Crewed by two veterans of the Vietnam War, the RAAF Huey 703 flew 1000 kilometres from Nowra to the Yorke Peninsula to mark the launch of a memorial walk.

The Vietnam War Memorial Walk at Edithburgh will open next Monday, on Vietnam Veterans Day, marking the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, 18 August 1966.

The Huey and its crew spent Thursday evening in Hay, and welcomed a group from Hay Public School, as they landed at Hay Airport.

The journey to have the Vietnam helicopter fully restored was a long one, and was thanks to the fundraising efforts of the Shoalhaven Vietnam Veterans Association.

Mr Clyde Poulton from the Association said the flight took some organising.

“Getting the flight organised wasn’t easy,” Mr Poulton said.

“There were a lot of moving parts—routes, refuelling, timing. But we’re all Vietnam Vets, and we wanted this to happen. Once the wheels started turning, it came together better than any of us imagined.

“That Huey sound will get ears perking up and eyes skyward across one third of Australia—and bring back a lot of memories, I’m sure.”

En route to Hay the Huey stopped in Wagga Wagga to refuel, before arriving at RAAF Edinburgh for a ceremony marking the relaunch of 9 Squadron, its former unit in South Vietnam.

9 Squadron has now reformed as a drone operation.

On Saturday, the chopper joined a fly-past over a downtown ceremony along Adelaide’s Torrens River. Before continuing to Edithburgh for the weekend and Monday’s official opening of the Vietnam War Memorial Walk.

The ceremony was led by former governor-general Sir Peter Cosgrove, himself a veteran of the Vietnam War.

With thanks for VP and Huey day

[The Riverine Grazier] Editor,

I would like, through your paper, to say a big thank you to all who participated and attended our VP Day service.

Our town was and always will be the town that went to war.

We celebrated a day early, through unfortunate times, but that got it done.

The other thank you goes to the crew that brought the helicopter to town and were generous and let everyone have a look with safety, and well-explained features about it.

The aircraft is a private one, owned by volunteers and cared for at their expense.

So thank you all and your paper for appreciating all that comes to town.

Paul ‘Frog’ Edwards
Hay RSL 

This article appeared in The Riverine Grazier, 20 August 2025.