(11 NOV 97) "Easy Money" ACH-47A 64-13149 - FOUND at Fort Eustis, VA.



I started wondering if EASY MONEY was still around. The VHPA database recorded EM's movement from April'68 to April'72 as a maintenance trainer. The units reporting her during this period were the 765th Trans Bn, the 20th Trans Co, the 765 Trans Bn (again), the 20th TC DS, and 765 T Bn HHC. She returned to CONUS April'72. From August'72, EM was reported at The New Cumberland Army Depot until the VHPA records ended in June'74.

What happened to Easy Money since then? I checked the Army's Readiness Integrated Database
(DA 1352 reporting) in hopes of picking up its trail. However, ARID reporting also dead-ended in June'74. What to do now? George Miller emailed that someone reported it at Fort Eustis. Hmmm...

I finally checked with a contact I knew at Boeing to see what (if any) records they had.
Jack Satterfield (Boeing Rotocraft) emailed me this morning. This was a great day to find a
combat vet: VETERANS DAY 1997 ! - Here is Jack's report:

"This aircraft went from New Cumberland to Savanna Army Depot, where Boeing evaluated it for possible upgrade to replace B-8, the aircraft that became the D-model modernization prototype. Unfortunately, the airframe was too corroded for this purpose, so it was given to Ft. Eustis, where it served as a sheet metal trainer. Folks at Ft. Eustis are trying to restore it as an Armed Chinook for the museum there, But no ACH-47A equipment is available, I'm told. All other Armed Chinooks were battle casualties in Vietnam. Hope that brings you up to date."

Vung Tau - New Cumberland Army Depot - Savanna Army Depot - Fort Eustis
The old girl has really been getting around for a fat old lady that don't fly anymore!!

Another interesting tid-bit found out from the June'76 Army Aviation Digest article! The Savanna Army Depot was home of the Army Development and Readiness Command's Ammunition Center. The word I heard was that she was used in the design of ammunition shipping containers. Hmmm... I guess they wanted to make sure everything would go up the ramp and into the cabin of a hook.

Here is her artwork as it appeared after being unmasked by Harold Jones at Fort Eustis. Several coats of paint covered it for almost 30 years. She was sent to Fort Eustis in 1995 as a trainer for the Sheetmetal Course at the Transportation School. Harold quickly identified her and remembered that she was the only survivor of Guns-A-Go-Go. He also aquired all her aircraft historical records.

"Easy Money" at Ft. Eustis in this Dec'97 photo by Hank Thomas...

Here she is in Dec'97. EASY MONEY as she was at Fort Eustis, thirty (30) years after Vietnam.

"Easy Money" not a pretty sight in this Dec'97 photo by Hank Thomas...

Here is her left side. Transportation School instructors and students attempted much of the
major metal work she needed but were unable to complete the restoration. Fort Eustis was undecided about what to do with her and parked her in a "bone-yard." As you can see from the photos, she will need lots of components and man/hours to be ready for display in a museum.

"Easy Money" December, 1997 photo at Ft. Eustis from Hank Thomas...

What to do now? EASY MONEY is the sole survivor of a unique type gunship. Boeing/Vertol only built four (4). She flew over 700 hours in combat support of most every unit in Vietnam during 1966/67 and Tet '68 (as evidenced by the combat unit patches painted on her right side). She really is a disabled combat veteran and deserves to be preserved in a museum for all to see her.

 
If you have additional information and/or pictures of Easy Money that you
  would like to share with this web site, please email: Jim Ketcham.