OV-1D MOHAWK #926 IS NOW A PART OF THE OREGON MILITARY MUSEUM COLLECTION

THE MOHAWK #926 DISPLAY SITE IS LOCATED AT THE MAIN ENTRANCE OF THE
SALEM ARMY AVIATION SUPPORT FACILITY (AASF), 1921 TURNER RD SE, SALEM OREGON 97302

THE #926 DISPLAY WILL BE A LASTING CELEBRATION OF THE EXCEPTIONAL GRUMMAN OV-1 MOHAWK LEGACY IN OREGON & A SALUTE TO ALL OF THOSE THAT SHARE THAT LEGACY, AND ALSO A PLACE TO CELEBRATE THE LIVES OF ALL OF THOSE THAT WERE A PART OF THE U.S. ARMY OV-1 MOHAWK FAMILY. THAT FAMILY INCLUDES LTC ROBERT NOPP OF SALEM OREGON & SSG MARSHALL KAPINA OF CALUMET MICHIGAN, THE MOHAWK AIRCREW THAT WERE LOST ON OV-1 MISSION OVER LAOS DURING THE VIETNAM WAR, AND SFC KIMBERLY (ROBINSON) JARK OF SALEM OREGON WHO WAS THE FIRST FEMALE OV-1 TECHNICAL OBSERVER "T.O."
& SENSOR OPERATOR IN THE U.S. ARMY.

AERIAL VIEW OF MOHAWK #926 DISPLAY ON 4-30-2021, COURTESY OF JEFF LINSCOTT

THE MOHAWK #926 DISPLAY AS OF 8-11-2020

LTC Robert & Patti Nopp's granddaughter & two great-grandchildren visit the #926 Display
Nopp's great-granddaughter touches the panel sign honoring her great-grandfather LTC Robert Nopp, who was lost while flying an OV-1C Mohawk night mission over Laos on July 13, 1966 during the Vietnam War
September 2020: Oregon experienced a number of severe forest fires in which several of our #926 group living east of Salem, lost their homes to those fires. This apocalyptic photo of the #926 Display was taken mid-day on 9-30-2020 by the Grant Rush family at a time when smoke in Salem from the wildfires was especially intense.
Installed by Sea Reach Ltd on 6-19-2020, the 4th panel sign at the Display recognizes those that made financial contributions to the #926 Project

AT THE DIRECTION OF THE MOHAWK #926 PROJECT BOARD OF DIRECTORS, A DEED OF GIFT OF OV-1 MOHAWK #926 WAS PRESENTED TO THE OREGON MILITARY MUSEUM ON FEB 10,2020, AND FORMALLY ACCEPTED BY THE MUSEUM ON FEB 14, 2020.

THE DEDICATION OF THE MOHAWK #926 DISPLAY WAS HELD ON NOV 2, 2019

Click here to see photos in our "DEDICATION" section

The Mohawk #926 Project wishes to acknowledge the considerable support & assistance it received from the Oregon National Guard and MG Michael E. Stencel, Adjutant General; Roy D. Swafford, Director of Installations; Dennis Ruth, Support Branch Chief; Cole Miller, Project Manager, AGI Construction Branch; James Willeford, Construction Branch Chief; Ken Safe, CFMO/Structural Engineer; Chuck Taylor, GIS/GIS Administrator; and the Oregon National Guard Staff.

The Mohawk #926 Project also recognizes the exceptional coordination & support received from LTC Brian Houston, Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF) Commander; Col Mark Ulvin, SAAO, ORARNG; and General Daniel R. Hokanson, former Adjutant General, Oregon National Guard.

THE #926 DISPLAY IS READY FOR DEDICATION!

Davidson's Landscape Service of Salem Oregon completes its work on 11-01-2019.

Landscape work is nearly complete at the Display site!

  • Night Lighting has been installed.
  • Decorative Bollards were placed in a ring around the base of the mount.
  • Bollard chains were strung between bollards circling the base of the display, and course rock was added inside the chains around the mount.
  • Colorful pattern of paver-stones were laid to create a public viewing area & walkway.
  • A concrete bench for viewers was positioned at the edge of the viewing area.
  • A 20"dia x 18" high decorative boulder was set in the middle of the viewing area with the bronze Mohawk #926 Plaque.
  • The final step was to place finely crushed rock throughout the remainder of the display area.

Night lighting for the #926 Display

Evening photos on 10-27-2019, courtesy of Milon Whittier

Davidson Landscape of Salem prepares to install the decorative bollards around the Mount

THE "BIG LIFT" IS COMPLETED ON 10-23-2019!

To see the "BIG LIFT" on video, click HERE

Celebrating the successful completion of the "BIG LIFT"
L/R: Lauran Paine, Gary Clark, Grant Rush, Art Mauer, Floyd Jones, Jim Baranek, & Jim Brown

Jim Baranek & Jim Brown secure the nose gear doors

Gary Smith of Mike Adams Construction & Grant Rush secure the mounting bolts!

#926 is carefully lifted into position over the 3 interpretive panel signs installed on 10-22-2019 by Sea Reach Ltd of Sheridan Oregon

Carl Blish of Mike Adams Construction operates the crane as #926 is lifted & moved toward the Display mount, with its tail stabilized by Grant Rush & Jim Brown

#926 approaching the Display site at the AASF Main Entrance

#926 barely clears the airport perimeter fence on its way through the gate to AASF main entrance

#926 is on the airport service road from the hangar to the perimeter gate

THE "BIG LIFT" BEGINS!

Carl Blish of Mike Adams Construction & Steve Downer of Riverbrook Trucking arrive to load & transport #926 to the Display site at the AASF main entrance

In preparation for the "BIG LIFT," Mohawk #926 is towed from its hangar at 9am on 10-23-2019

Patti Nopp (Wife of LTC Robert Nopp) visits the Display site on 6-21-2019

INTERPRETIVE PANEL SIGNS FOR THE #926 DISPLAY

THESE FOUR PANEL SIGNS FABRICATED BY SEA REACH LTD OF SHERIDAN, OREGON

THE MOHAWK #926 DISPLAY "MOUNT" IS COMPLETED ON 5-10-2019

Special thanks to Cole Miller, Project Manager, AGI Construction Branch;
and to Ken Safe, CFMO/Structural Engineer for the "Mount" design

WORK ON THE #926 DISPLAY STARTS ON 3-1-2019!

Andy Metcalf Construction & Dynasty Fabrication of Salem begin their work on the concrete pad & steel pedestal mount

IN 2018, THE OREGON NATIONAL GUARD APPROVED AN AREA ADJACENT TO THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE SALEM ARMY AVIATION SUPPORT FACILITY (AASF) AT 1921 TURNER RD SE, SALEM OR 97302 FOR THE MOHAWK #926 DISPLAY. ENGINEER KEN SAFE OF THE OREGON GUARD CONSTRUCTION BRANCH BEGAN DESIGN WORK SOON AFTER ON THE DISPLAY PEDISTAL MOUNT. DETAILED DRAWINGS WERE COMPLETED LATER THAT YEAR AND ANDY METCALF CONSTRUCTION BEGAN ITS WORK CONSTRUCTING THE PEDISTAL MOUNT & CONCRETE PAD IN EARLY 2019 UNDER SUPERVISION OF OREGON GUARD PROJECT MGR COLE MILLER. AFTER #926 IS MOUNTED ON IT'S DISPLAY PEDISTAL, DAVIDSON'S LANDSCPE SERVICES OF SALEM WILL BEGIN
LANDSCAPING THE AREA AROUND THE DISPLAY.