Photo By Spc. Andrew Slovensky | Navy Lt. Joseph Fitzgerald, a pilot with the 2515th Naval Air Ambulance Detachment,...... read more read more
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BASRA, Iraq– “When the crew tried to catch the chicken, it resisted,” said Navy Lt. Joseph Fitzgerald. “It wanted to stay in the bird.”
That was the scene in late 2005 when a chicken had escaped its coop and sought refuge inside of a Navy Knighthawk helicopter during a medical evacuation mission in Iraq.
In honor of this fowl, the 2515th Naval Air Ambulance Detachment has a unique way to mark an important milestone for its pilots and crewmen. After they complete their first MEDEVAC mission, they don a fuzzy, yellow chicken suit.
They try to prove that some chickens can fly; at least the ones that pilot helicopters.
The 2515th NAAD is currently deployed to Contingency Operating Base Basra with U.S. Division- South. In late 2005 the unit supported the U.S. Army medical mission from Kuwait.
The costume carries with it a tradition, and sweat stains, that date back to when the 2515th first flew missions over the border from Kuwait into Iraq.
Fitzgerald, a pilot with the 2515th, is no stranger to wearing the noticeable costume. He had the honor to wear it around COB Basra, June 21, with a sign attached that proudly read “1st MEDEVAC”.
“It was gratifying,” he said. “Wearing that suit means you've at least contributed something to the good fight, so there's no embarrassment involved.”
Fitzgerald retold the story of the 2005 MEDEVAC mission that started it all.
He said that on this mission, two Knighthawk helicopters landed in a village in southern Iraq. Nearby there was a local man’s hut, and in his back yard was his chicken coop.
The dust and wind from the helicopters landing created chaos enough to disturb the chicken’s home. A single one got loose from the coop, ran underneath the helicopter’s rotors, and boarded the aircraft, said Fitzgerald.
The fowl that sought refuge in the helicopter took up position in the rear with the medical equipment. The chicken had embraced its freedom. When the crew tried to catch and remove the chicken, it fought back.
Due to its relentless effort to stay free and hitch a ride to Kuwait, the chicken, which later died of natural causes, became the unofficial symbol for the 2515th.
Pilots wear patches that depict the poultry, a rubber chicken hangs in their office, and the chicken costume has gathered some use since it was acquired from an unknown source.
“It has six years of use under its belt and growing,” said Fitzgerald. “One size fits all.”
| Date Taken: | 06.21.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 07.05.2011 11:03 |
| Story ID: | 73245 |
| Location: | BASRA, IQ |
| Web Views: | 240 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Fowl way to spend the day: A unit’s odd tradition for marking a milestone, by SPC Andrew Slovensky, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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