174th Assault
Helicopter Company
DOLPHINS & SHARKS
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The Aftermath of Typhoon Hester
The three pictures below are of the 174th aircraft hangars the morning after Typhoon Hester came through Chu Lai. The typhoon completely leveled the 174th hangar with a dozen or so Dolphin Hueys inside. In the top photo, looking across the front of the hangar towards the maintenance office, hangar roof beams are laying across several Dolphins. In the second photo, the hangar roof is completely gone as viewed from the maintenance office, with beams laying across the Hueys. In the third photo, Mel Lutgring is inside a damaged Dolphin with part of the hangar cement sidewall collapsed across the pilot's side of the aircraft. In the forth photo are several destroyed Dolphins outside the demolished main hangar. (Photos property of Mel Lutgring, Chu Lai, Oct 1971)
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