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Army Aviator’s Last Flight
On April 30, it was clear skies in the vicinity of Joint Base Balad, Iraq; perfect for flying. However, for one pilot, nostalgia provided an overcast accompanied by a dusting of reminiscing … for today was his last official flight as a U.S. Army Aviator.
Chief Warrant Officer (CW5) Dan Halley of Bravo Company, 834th Aviation Support Battalion is retiring from the Army after 38 years of service. His peers, co-workers and friends provided a special farewell for him as his aircraft landed; a shower provided by two Air Force fire trucks bid him adieu.
“The event served as an opportunity to publicly thank CW5 Halley for his 38 years of military service, including 28 years as an Army Aviator,” said MAJ Kevin Tullberg, B. Co., 834th Aviation Support Battalion Commander.
“I have closed one chapter in my life, but I really don’t like to think about it,” said CW5 Halley. “I’d like to think this was a flight like any other.”
Mr. Halley had a unique situation prior to deploying. With one tour in Southeast Asia and two tours in the Middle East, it was important to his commanders to get him on the upcoming deployment to Iraq because of his dedication, experience and expertise.
“As a retired Soldier over age 60, it took strong action at the company, battalion and brigade levels to get permission from National Guard Bureau to bring him back on duty for his second Operation Iraqi Freedom deployment,” said MAJ Tullberg. “It was an excellent payoff, because the operational tempo of the CH-47 Chinook helicopter fleet required increasingly frequent maintenance actions.”
“Mr. Halley was a daily fixture in the test flight process, sometimes flying two or three different Chinooks per day as he worked to get them mechanically ready for their nightly missions,” explained MAJ Tullberg, a native of Liberty, Missouri.
Mr. Halley provided a great deal of knowledge benefiting the upcoming generation of Army aviators. With five thousand Army rotor wing hours, including three thousand in UH-1 Huey, two thousand in CH-47 Chinook and 37 thousand civilian fixed wing hours, he was very knowledgeable about a wide variety of aircraft.
“They have an old saying, ‘don’t run out of air, altitude or ideas all at the same time,’” CW5 Halley joked with fellow aviators after he finished with his flight.
“Aviation is a dangerous business, but CW5 Halley got his missions or test flights done without taking unnecessary chances,” said MAJ Tullberg. “Soldiers used Mr. Halley as an example of how hard work and attention to detail can set the course for a long and happy career in aviation.”
Everyone will always remember that CW5 Halley was a dedicated Soldier.
“Any Soldier who ever worked with CW5 Halley thinks of him as a man dedicated to his task,” said MAJ Tullberg. “Mr. Halley is a technically competent pilot whose ability to solve complex or otherwise troubling aircraft maintenance issues is unmatched.”
“I have done a lot of missions, helped a lot of people, I think,” said CW5 Halley, “and when tasked to do something you do your best.”
CW5 Halley and all the Soldiers of 834th Aviation Support Battalion are expected to redeploy back home early this summer.
SSG Lynette Hoke, Task Force 34 Public Affairs Journalist
30 April, 2009
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