It almost didn't happen. The dream of Pat Fries to produce a documentary about the Huey began in 2000. The behind-the-scenes story is a documentary unto itself. All the events that happened, or didn’t happen, would have made the best of us run and hide. But Pat never gave up. In October of 2002, 091 lifted off from Fort Rucker and made her 10,000-mile journey through seven states for the filming of In The Shadow Of The Blade. Our little piece of land on the river in Georgia was one of her stops (we now live in Maryland).

The day had promised rain, but as 091 appeared, the clouds begin to break apart (the rain came after she pulled pitched the next morning). The advance team arrived about two hours ahead of 091. It was determined that, though we had 6 acres, there was no room for a Huey to land. It was too dangerous; too many trees. But Pat (the producer), and Bruce LeMoine, Captain of 091 from Fort Rucker to the Smithsonian, were not to be deterred. After all, Pat had overcome more obstacles in two years than a few trees and Bruce LeMoine was an experienced Huey pilot (he can build a Huey from the ground up) and an American Airlines Captain.

It took many passes and about 20 minutes of maneuvering, for Bruce to gently set the Huey down. It was the finest air show I have ever seen!

Not only is the documentary a wonderful teaching and learning tool, it also puts a different kind of face on the Vietnam War. It is a unique, moving, thought-provoking, sometimes amusing story about honor,healings, and heroes. And to those of us who know the story behind the story, it is about not giving up.

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