Australian War Memorial welcomes “chook” home to roost

The Australian War Memorial today welcomed a CH-47D Chinook helicopter into the National Collection.

Chinook A15-202 was one of the first Australian aircraft deployed to the war in Afghanistan. It operated over four separate rotations, a total of 513 days, carrying Australian and coalition forces into combat environments and undertaking artillery emplacement and battlefield re-supply.

The D-Model Chinook is the Memorial’s latest large-technology acquisition. Director Dr Brendan Nelson said the aircraft have become synonymous with the service of Australian men and women in Afghanistan and on peacekeeping and humanitarian operations in the twenty-first century.

“The Chinook or ‘chook’ has proved an invaluable part of the Australian Defence Force’s equipment and service to the nation,” said Dr Nelson.

“Chinooks have seen active service in Afghanistan for more than a decade, and in that time two have been on almost continuous deployment there.

“The Chinook’s capacity to carry large amounts of freight has also seen it used in various humanitarian and disaster relief operations in Australia, supplying fodder to starving stock in flood areas and assisting with fire-fighting operations.

“A15-202 is an important artefact of the Australian experience of war in Afghanistan and I am delighted to welcome it to the National Collection.”

The newly acquired aircraft was damaged by enemy fire during a troop insertion in Afghanistan in 2009, and its pilot, Captain Michael Whitney, was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his leadership and composure during the incident.

A15-202 was commissioned in 2000 and withdrawn from service in 2015. In addition to its physical preservation curators at the Australian War Memorial are undertaking an oral history project to record the stories and experiences of those who saw active service with the Chinook.

“To fully capture this story and others from our current generation of serving military personnel it is vital we collect and preserve important relics like A15-202,” said Dr Nelson.

“The Memorial is grateful for the support and assistance of the Australian Army and the Department of Defence in facilitating the transfer of A15-202 and this important oral history project.

“The inclusion of the Chinook in the National Collection will allow the Memorial to continue to tell the stories and experiences of our troops for future generations.”

The CH-47D Chinook helicopter will be towed to the Memorial’s Treloar Technology Centre in Mitchell on Thursday. Options for its future display at the Australian War Memorial will then be considered.