Inspired by the Wright brother’s first flight at age 14, Igor Sikorsky developed his first helicopter prototype at age 20, forever changing the aviation industry.
Flying as a medevac helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War, Jim Ihli endured heartache, danger and heroic rescues in service of their mission: “Dedicated Unhesitating Service to Our Fighting Forces.”
Enlisting in the Army in 1941, Braton was stationed at Fort Mills, Phillipines. Captured in May 1942, he suffered greatly as a POW laborer in Japan, eventually losing all of his toes from disease.