Local veterans are relieved to say the windows broken out of the helicopter at the All Veterans Memorial have been fixed.
Justin Klumpe, who painted the helicopter in 2008, handled the repairs Saturday, over two months after a large potato-sized rock was used to break out at least one of the windows in early July. Veteran Frank Lowery thanked the community for “coming through in a big, big way.”
3:30 pm Saturday: Replacement of All Veterans Memorial helicopter windows underway
Repairs to two windows in the All Veterans Memorial’s helicopter are nearing an end.
Repairs started around mid-morning Saturday, according to local veteran Frank Lowery. They come about after vandals broke a window on the pilot side of the chopper and one of the front windows.
Justin Klumpe, who painted the helicopter in 2008, is handling the repairs.
The windows were broken out in early July, with the damage noticed on July 4. Initially, damage estimates were around $850 for the side window, but estimated repair costs jumped to around $5,000 after local veterans discovered more damage and determined the nature of repairs, which have to meet federal guidelines since the helicopter is on loan from the Iowa National Guard. Lowery says current repair estimates are in the $6,000 range. The community donated around $7,000, and local veterans have said any extra funds would be funneled into maintenance and upkeep at the memorial.
No information has been released about possible suspects.
Photos by Chuck Samples/KVOE News
{gallery}Helicopter Work 091419{/gallery}
