U.S. Army CW2 Ryan Hitchings must have really enjoyed the food at Gaylord’s Restaurant during a recent vacation. After walking around the grounds of the Puhi restaurant after dinner a few weeks ago, Hitchings noticed the spacious former polo grounds
U.S. Army CW2 Ryan Hitchings must have really enjoyed the food at Gaylord’s Restaurant during a recent vacation.
After walking around the grounds of the Puhi restaurant after dinner a few weeks ago, Hitchings noticed the spacious former polo grounds lawn fronting the former plantation home and hatched a plan.
“On vacation last month, I was pretty impressed,” said Hitchings, a member of the Charley Troop Crazy Horse 3-4 Calvary unit based at Wheeler Army Air Field in central O‘ahu. “I was standing here, thinking, I bet we can fit all seven here.”
Seven helicopters, that is.
He figured the lawn was more than big enough to fit his squadron’s Kaiwa Warrior OH-58 D(R) helicopters, and since they are all being sent to Afghanistan on May 10, it might be nice for a little lunch and sightseeing trip before heading into hostile territory.
With a little help from his squadron commander, Lt. C. Michael McMahon, and Kilohana manager Russ Talvi, six of the Charley Company’s two-seater helicopters landed gently on the grass field fronting the restaurant at 10:35 a.m. yesterday, to the surprise of many a restaurant patron.
“We’re here as kind of a going-away present for us,” said Cpt. David Barber. “This is our last week of flying (before being deployed), so we said, ‘Hey, let’s go to Kaua‘i.'”
Wallace and Talvi said they were more than happy to oblige.
“For them to come over is a fun deal,” said Kilohana owner Roberta Wallace, adding that a number of private groups have landed helicopters on the lawn, but not this many at one time.
“I had to come in” to work to see it, she said.
One restaurant patron was incredibly surprised. Pierce Bevin, 2 1/2, of Kalaheo, apparently an avid helicopter enthusiast, was peppering the soldiers with questions about their vehicles. Without any help, he was discussing terminology most of the adult civilians didn’t know.
He even got to climb in the cockpit, and was rewarded with a miniature model of a similar chopper by some of the squadron members.
The dozen soldiers were all smiles, and that was before the meal.
Staked to a private dining area in the living room, the soldiers were served a buffet of pupus before sitting down to lunch.
Even the tab was picked up to their surprise, as Wallace said it was the least the restaurant could do for those who protect America overseas.
The six helicopters, along with one that did not make the trip due to mechanical problems, are light attack and defense specialists, primarily used for scouting missions and pinpointing targets for the larger helicopter gunships.
“We’re the eyes and the ears,” said Barber, showing off his vehicle to the public.
They will be deployed to Kandahar in southern Afghanistan, and will spend a year in the country liberated from the Taliban regime last year. From there they will be traveling through the war-torn to wherever they are needed.
The dozen soldiers at lunch were: Barber, Hitchings, CW2 Travis Grogan, CW2 Tim Lawson, CW2 Chris Brown, CW2 Chris Fedor, 1Lt. Angela Zugay, 1Lt. Kevin Anderson, 1Lt. Mike Jones, CW3 Scot Cowie, CW2 Randy Jaynes, and McMahon.
Staff writer Tom Finnegan can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 226)
