Carolinas Aviation Museum

“Blood, Sweat and Tears” Is Coming To The Carolinas Aviation Museum, April 2, 2005. 

Carolinas Aviation Museum
4108 Airport Drive
Charlotte/Douglas International Airport

North Carolina 28208 

March 28, 2005 

In January, 1970, US Marine Corps Pfc. Mike Clausen, Jr. earned The Medal of Honor, this country’s highest honor,  for his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in Vietnam at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.  Pfc. Clausen was a crew chief of a CH-46 helicopter named “Blood, Sweat and Tears.” While  participating in a helicopter rescue mission of a Marine platoon that had inadvertently entered a mine field while attacking enemy positions. Pfc Clausen skillfully guided the helicopter pilot to a landing area cleared by one of several mine explosions.

On the ground, 20 Marines were surrounded – 11 of them already wounded. Clausen repeatedly left the safety of the chopper to get them home alive. Despite the ever-present threat of further mine explosions, he continued his valiant efforts, leaving the comparatively safe area of the helicopter on 6 separate occasions to carry out his rescue efforts. Clausen was the only enlisted member of Marine Corps Aviation to win the Medal of Honor during Vietnam.

Now this historic helicopter is being rescued. The CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter named “Blood, Sweat and Tears” will arrive at the Carolinas Aviation Museum on April 2 between 10 a.m. and noon. This helicopter not only saw combat in Vietnam but in Iraq also. It received combat damage in Iraq and was considered uneconomical to repair. Because of the historic significance of this particular aircraft, the U.S. Marine Corps would not abandon it in Iraq. With the assistance of a US Air Force C-5A crew, it was taken apart and flown back to Cherry Point Marine Corps Base, North Carolina.

Carolinas Aviation Museum volunteers will bring the helicopter to the Museum from Cherry Point. It will be completely repaired, restored and put on permanent display in honor of the U. S. Marine Corps and Pfc. Clausen.  There are very few helicopters and aircraft that have been saved with as much history as this CH-46, Sea Knight. 

UPDATE: CH-46 Sea Knight Arrives at Museum

Thanks to the hard work of Creason Automotive, Dean Demmery, Brent Van Dervort & many others, the first shipment of helicopter parts has arrived at the Museum. We will bring the rest of the helicopter (the back 25%) back to the Museum with us when we return from the MCAS Cherry Point Air Show later in May.

For more information contact:
Floyd Wilson President
704.463.1411 E-Mail [email protected]