YL-37 has a new crew, and they run the show from rural Iowa. Doober is back on So There I Was, and this time he brought his wife, Kim. Her call sign is Whiskey-6. Actually, she’s the brains of the outfit, and nobody on the call argued.
YL-37 is a Sikorsky UH-34D built May 31, 1961. She just turned 65 and wears 54 bullet-hole patches. Then she flew in Vietnam from 1965 to 1968. After one engine failure, a CH-53 hauled her out of the zone like a sack of groceries.
How YL-37 Found Her Way to Iowa
After Vietnam, she spent 15 years baking in the Davis-Monthan boneyard. Then Oklahoma businessman Gerald Hail bought her in 1985. Eventually, he restored her and flew her again in 1999. Also, Doober’s late father donated parts, including the dampers she still flies with.
Furthermore, Doober found data cards in her logbooks signed by his dad. Moreover, the A&P who certified the hours was his late brother. Chills, delivered by paperwork.
Gerald passed in 2015. Finally, in 2025, his widow asked Doober to take over the watch. Whiskey-6 summed up the decision in three words: “We can’t say no.”
Five months in, the numbers are wild. Twenty events. Forty-five flight hours. Roughly $60,000 in fuel. However, the real payoff is the veterans who walk up to her.
Gunnery Sergeant Joe Barrow, 82, climbed into the door gunner seat and pulled the M60 close. After all, he has 800 hours in that seat. In fact, he still knew the carburetor cable tension cold: 13 pounds. On top of that, he explained how an enemy crossbow took down an H-34. Yes, a crossbow.
The crew raised money with a reverse raffle and sold all 200 tickets. Additionally, they honor the 33 Ugly Angels Marines killed in Vietnam at every event. They also flew 16 unclaimed veterans to the Iowa Veterans Cemetery with The Final Salute. Consequently, Fig admitted he teared up.
Meanwhile, YL-37 needs a new rotor head this winter. However, the price tag is about $200,000. So, deep pockets who love veterans, this is your moment.
Times-Republican: A patriotic time capsule – See this wonderful Flying Memorial near you!
Stay Connected
Keep YL-37 flying at yl-37.org. Donate on Venmo at @UAMF362 (Ugly Angel Memorial Foundation, tax-deductible). You can also grab the YL-37 children’s book for $10 at yl-37.org/shop.
In addition, see the AMAZING YL-37 website Whiskey-6 has compiled!
Support So There I Was at sothereiwas.us/donate. Leave us five stars wherever you listen. And visit dcartworks.net, where code STIW gets you 20% off precision steel aviation art.
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#SoThereIWas #YL37 #UH34 #Sikorsky #MarineCorps #UglyAngels #HMM362 #VietnamVeterans #FlyingMemorial #MarineAviation #Helicopter #AviationPodcast #FinalSalute #Iowa #VeteransStories
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