We knew better,” he recalled. Hamilton is part of fewer than 2% of black military combat helicopter pilots who served in Vietnam. “The Tuskegee Airmen, there were approximately 1,000 pilots.

The plaque says that Lassen, the pilot and aircraft commander of a UH-2A Seasprite helicopter, risked his life “above and beyond the call of duty” during a rescue mission during the Vietnam War.

Haga was a Huey pilot in Vietnam in 1967-68 with the 155th Assault Helicopter Company. "I haven't flown a Huey since I was in Vietnam," said Haga, who works as chief instructor pilot at Dutch ...