A Maine trucker is garnering nationwide attention for volunteering to haul a Vietnam-era fighter jet to help a group of veterans.
This is a photo of the A-7 Corsair. During the Vietnam War, it was used to support troops on the ground by bombing enemy forces at close range. @WGME @FOX23Maine pic.twitter.com/IbBRjdn792
— Brad Rogers WGME (@BradWGME) July 22, 2019
Eric Dashiell of Dashiell Transportation Inc. recently volunteered to make the lengthy round trip from his home state of Maine to Montana to pick up a Vietnam Era A7 Corsair and bring it back to Veterans Memorial Park in Lewiston, Maine, where it will remain on permanent display.
A group of veterans have been attempting to arrange transportation for the Corsair for about two years before Dashiell volunteered to help.
Local news station WGME reports that Dashiell was on the road for two weeks making the round trip but that it is took a bit longer than expected because “You got veterans coming up, looking at it, telling you stories, crying, little kids coming up with their grandparents.”
The plane finally reached Lewiston on Monday, July 22.
The plane now arriving at Veterans Memorial Park in Lewiston. @WGME @FOX23Maine pic.twitter.com/lbwzpkO1jD
— Brad Rogers WGME (@BradWGME) July 22, 2019
From Montana to Maine. A local trucker brings a piece of history from the Vietnam War to Veterans Memorial Park in Lewiston. New at 5:30, the importance of this A-7 fighter jet and why Vietnam vets get choked up seeing it. @WGME @FOX23Maine pic.twitter.com/VtP2r7Sshx
— Brad Rogers WGME (@BradWGME) July 22, 2019
Dashiell will need to make another trip to Montana to pick up the plane’s 38 foot wing.
You can see the video below for more.