TUKWILA, Wash. — On Monday, a Vietnam War-era B-52 bomber was moved to what will be its permanent home at the Museum of Flight.
A number of veterans were on hand, including those behind Project Welcome Home.
The group pushed to have the iconic military aircraft restored and be the centerpiece of the new Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park.
“This is beyond a dream come true,” said former U.S. Air Force pilot Jim Farmer.
Farmer was flying a B-52 when he was shot down over Hanoi in 1972. He was among the soldiers who were rescued from enemy territory.
“Of the six crew members, five were rescued. One was never found,” Farmer said.
On Monday, KIRO 7 was there as crews slowly moved the iconic aircraft to its permanent exhibition space, an area that will eventually be home to the new Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park.
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The park will also feature a sculpture and a tribute wall representing all branches of the military involved in the Vietnam War.
Retired US Navy pilot Dave Cable is on the Project Welcome Home committee.
He served in Vietnam in the late '60s and helped spearhead the project that included the restoration of the B-52 that sat empty for decades at Paine Field.
Last summer, the 200,000-pound aircraft was taken apart and transported to the museum, piece by the piece.
Construction for the park is now underway, and it's set to open on Memorial Day weekend.
The park will be open to the public and free of charge.
Cox Media Group
