Marine Helicopters to Land at Eisenhower Park on May 24, As Part of "Fleet Week 2008"

The Marines helicopter landing will take place in the vicinity of the Veterans Memorial in Eisenhower Park, shown here in an aerial view.

Eisenhower Park’s Kite Field will serve as the landing area for a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter squadron on Saturday, May 24, as part of “Fleet Week 2008” activities in New York City, announced Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi.

The event, billed “Raid New York,” begins at 10 a.m. and will involve the AH-1W Cobra, the UH-1N or the CH-46E Sea Knight performing an area sweep of the landing zone.

Once the helicopters have performed the sweep, Marines will slide down ropes from the aircraft (fast roping) and secure the landing zone. “Fast-roping,” officially known as the Fast Rope Insertion/Extraction System (FRIES), is a technique used by Marines to deploy from a helicopter in places where the helicopter itself is unable to land. The helicopters will then land on Kite Field and be available for public display, along with the weapons typically used by a Marine Corps rifle platoon.  

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In addition, a restored UH-34D Seahorse helicopter provided by Marine Helicopter Squadron 361 Veterans Association, Inc., will be displayed. The UH-34D is the same type of aircraft used for combat rescue in Vietnam and during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Marines supporting the event are part of a Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force from the 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The marines and the equipment have recently returned from duty in Iraq.

The demonstration, which is free, will take place just south of the Veterans Memorial in Eisenhower Park, by parking at fields 6 and 6A. Camouflage face-painting for youngsters will also be featured. The event is presented in cooperation with the Nassau County Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums.  

Eisenhower Park, at 930 acres the largest park in Nassau County, is centrally located in East Meadow with entrances at Hempstead Turnpike at East Meadow Avenue and Merrick Avenue at Stewart Avenue. For more information about this event, call 516-572-0396 or visit the New York City Marines Website at www.nycmarines.org.