Posted on Sep 3, 2015
The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. 45 years of service and heading straight to the shredder.
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Some of the 'cost-saving' decisions for our military include retiring multiple airframes to include the Air Force's A-10 and the Army's only dedicated aerial scout platform, the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. For the last year, I have seen at least 3 Squadrons head into the boneyard at Davis-Monthan AFB. It is painful to watch, when you have spent your career in the field with these helicopters and know first hand what they bring to the fight. The OH-58 (A & C series) platform has been serving our country for over 45 years. The armed version, the OH-58D, was rushed into service for operations in Desert Shield/Storm. Over the decades, the DoD has been hell bent on replacing her and has spent billions researching other options and creating the short lived replacement, the Commanche. No matter what they came up with, there was never found to be a suitable replacement. If you ever got desert dust on your boots, you saw them fly overhead providing security. If you ever left the wire, you felt relieved seeing them overhead. But if you were ever in contact and called in the birds, you knew the enemy was about to get their butt handed to them. Rain or shine, day or night, the Kiowas were inbound.
Yesterday, the latest group of OH-58D's flew in from Fort Drum. But they are no longer heading into the boneyard. These aircraft are heading for the shredders. No museum displays, no veteran organizations, not to be transferred to the police/forestry services/BLM for $1 like they did for UH-1and AH-1, just straight to the shredders. This is no way for such an iconic part of Army aviation history to end. Please spread the word to your Congressmen, veteran's groups, air museums, PAO's, and let them know what is happening. These aircraft weren't brought here on the backs of low boy trailers. They were flown in from across the country. Let's find them a more suitable ending to their careers.
Yesterday, the latest group of OH-58D's flew in from Fort Drum. But they are no longer heading into the boneyard. These aircraft are heading for the shredders. No museum displays, no veteran organizations, not to be transferred to the police/forestry services/BLM for $1 like they did for UH-1and AH-1, just straight to the shredders. This is no way for such an iconic part of Army aviation history to end. Please spread the word to your Congressmen, veteran's groups, air museums, PAO's, and let them know what is happening. These aircraft weren't brought here on the backs of low boy trailers. They were flown in from across the country. Let's find them a more suitable ending to their careers.
Posted in these groups: 
15S: OH-58D/ARH Helicopter Repairer
15S: OH-58D/ARH Helicopter Repairer
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 15
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SFC Mark Merino
They improved on the design and made a OH-58F model that was sent to Iraq. They tried getting me to go there for big $$ and I laughed my butt off. 6 months later Mosul fell. My self-preservation spidey senses paid off again.
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Capt Seid Waddell
SFC Mark Merino, I hear that. I was offered big $$ to be a Weapons Controller for a civilian outfit and decided not to go. Six months later about 20 American civilian controllers were captured in Africa and shot by firing squads. Spidey senses pay off.
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SFC Mark Merino
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL You said it, brother. I felt like I got punched and spit in my face.
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Well since they are also doing away with the MRAP I guess our ass will be hanging in the breeze. I felt really good knowing that the birds were over head While we were on convoy's
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SFC Mark Merino
Apaches are 100% badass, but they can't do what the scouts did. No more having M-4's out the door or throwing smoke, etc. Good luck getting clearance for fires using a 30mm on a crowded street.
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SGT Bryon Sergent
SFC Mark Merino - Oh I full agree. I was stationed at Ft Campbell during Desert Storm, but we never got Apaches while in Iraq on Convoys.(during Iraqi Freedom)
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It is sad. I told my wife as I retired this year that it was only fitting as they were retiring my aircraft! I need one for my mancave, er I mean museum! lol I wonder if they would sell me one? I remember we sold off our Hueys for $500 to law enforcement. I tried to find a small town to name me sheriff!
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SFC Jeffrey Couch
Lol you know their not going to sell someone with(PTSD) a battle proven horse when we are called limp
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SFC Mark Merino It is a terrible thought to think that they are heading to the shredder. I'm surprised they are not being picked up for display by one of our military museums. There are so many, that I'm sure somewhere a historical curator must want one.
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CPT (Join to see)
SFC Mark Merino - What about the UDT museum in Ft. Pierce? They have large enough grounds to support one. Just an idea.
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SFC Mark Merino
I've even seen Hueys outside of VFW posts. I'll hopefully get more intel from the museum guy and then I'm going to start a save the Kiowa operation and find them all a home. I could always use one for my backyard....lol
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SGT Michael Glenn
I flew in one of these once...worst ride I have ever had!!! its so small it picks up all kinds of turbulence!!! May have been I was being medivaced out and not feeling too well but all the same.... never again !!!
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SFC Jeffrey Couch
It's like jumping from a C130 it's sucks at first then you fall asleep 5 min before DZ
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Suspended Profile
Your absolutely right ,i regret to see the unit i was apart of 6-17 Cav Out of Fort Wainwright, Alaska dismantled and people i had a pleasure working with sent on their merry ways, the 0H-58 played an intrugal part in the dominance in U.S. forces overseas. They are easy to maintain,parts were cheap,don't really understand the Army position on replacing/retiring 58s,really sad to see this iconic bird laid to rest and am saying this with a heavy heart, am just glad i was apart history, maintaining and preparing these bird on their glorious flight everyday...farewell old bird....#Outfront.
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Mark,
That is so sad to hear. I rode in one just once, I think it came in from Osan AFB in S.Korea to K-16 ( Camp Howard, now a ROK compound ) This was in the Spring of 1978. I had to get to the DMZ with a critical tracker component and the drive would have been over 3 hours. I will call both of my senators (Rand Paul & Mitch McConnell) and my SVC OFC. This is tragic. The Comanche was certainly not an equivalent! I had no idea, appreciate the news flash!
Rick
That is so sad to hear. I rode in one just once, I think it came in from Osan AFB in S.Korea to K-16 ( Camp Howard, now a ROK compound ) This was in the Spring of 1978. I had to get to the DMZ with a critical tracker component and the drive would have been over 3 hours. I will call both of my senators (Rand Paul & Mitch McConnell) and my SVC OFC. This is tragic. The Comanche was certainly not an equivalent! I had no idea, appreciate the news flash!
Rick
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SFC Mark Merino, CW3 James E. McCall was the pilot of an OH-58 when it exploded in flight during a training (ferrying) mission and crashed into the woods near the town of Eschenbach in der Oberpfalz, in the district of Neustadt, Bavaria, Germany on 25AUG78. Two other service members also died in this crash. The subsequent investigation revealed that it was not pilot error that caused the crash.
Jim and I were in the same high school graduating class and we ran track together. The photo is from our senior high school class year book.
Requiescat in pace.
Jim and I were in the same high school graduating class and we ran track together. The photo is from our senior high school class year book.
Requiescat in pace.
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8 more just flew overhead 30 minutes ago. Either it started to drizzle or the pilots were in tears.
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