H-25A Mule
The Piasecki H-25A was one of the earliest helicopters utilized by the Army. A veteran of the Korean War, this utility craft was in service for 5 years from 1953-1958. By today's standards, the craft had very limited capabilities. It had a maximum speed of 105 mph, cruising at around 80 mph. It had a 2 man crew, and could transport an additional 3 to 6 passengers. Maximum range of the ship was 340 miles before refueling. However, it was a pioneer of the large helicopters of today.
This aircraft was developed for the US Navy as the HUP-2 for air and sea rescue during takeoff and landings aboard carriers. With minor modifications, it also met Army requirements for a substitute for the front line H-19s then serving in Korea. Seven H-25As were assigned to the 506th Transportation Company at Fort Benning, Georgia.
The Army purchased the first H-25As in 1953, reaching a peak of 63 mules in 1955. Army service lasted until 1958 when the Army gradually transferred the aircraft to the US Navy.
The Transportation Aviation Group at Fort Eustis trained students on H-25As like this one throughout the 1950s. This particular aircraft spent its operational career in the US Navy as a HUP-2 before being turned over to the U.S. Army Transportation Museum for display.
Erected by US
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, Korean. A significant historical year for this entry is 1953.
Location. 37° 9.843′ N, 76° 34.588′ W. Marker is in Newport News, Virginia. It is in Fort Eustis. It can be reached from Washington Boulevard just north of Jefferson Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 321 Washington Blvd, Fort Eustis VA 23604, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Virginias Peninsula, in Hampton Roads, in Coastal Virginia, and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Tidewater, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 28, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 332 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 28, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
