As part of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the war’s end, he conceived Take Me Home Huey® to thank and say ‘welcome-home’ to Vietnam veterans. His artistic goal was encouraging a healing dialog that bridges the gap between soldiers risking their lives for their country and society back home. Steve transformed a 47-foot Huey Helicopter that had been shot down on a medevac mission in Vietnam into a color work of art. The sculpture traveled the United States for nearly three years and was later documented in an Emmy-award winning film and supported by a powerful song. Veterans who encountered the Huey felt an immediate connection to the aircraft and reached out to touch it. They recognized their squadron names incorporated into the artwork and responded to the symbolic imagery woven into the piece. This prompted many to open up and share their personal stories. The story of artist Steve Maloney’s project is now manifested in a new book: Take Me Home Huey: Honoring American Heroes Through Art.
Drawing on a lifetime of creativity, in-depth conversations with survivors of the doomed Huey, others who served in the helicopter war, therapists, and historians, Maloney has crafted a stirring tribute to the unsung heroes of one of the nation’s most controversial conflicts. The 216-page hardcover book with 180 stunning photos was released on March 29th, in honor of National Vietnam War Veterans Day. The sculpture became a catalyst for conversation and encouraging veterans to share their stories of war as part of their healing process from PTSD. Steve’s legacy lives on in his sculpture, now on permanent display at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Always striving to give back, Steve decided to donate all proceeds from book sales to organizations that offer art therapy programs to veterans. For more information about the Take Me Home Huey project or to purchase the book, visit: www.takemehomehuey.org
WWW.SanDiegoVeteransMagazine.com / APRIL 2021
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