On April 29, a tourist helicopter crashed in Kailua, killing three people. Two days later, despite widespread concerns about helicopter traffic, an Army Apache unit from Wheeler Airfield flew 19 attack helicopters around Oahu (“19 Army helicopters circle Oahu in rare flyover,” Star-Advertiser, May 2).

This stunt apparently had three justifications: a desire to “commemorate” the 6th Calvary Regiment’s activation in 1861 (some eight decades before the helicopter was even invented); the squadron was apparently “together” for the first time in a while (so let’s party); and the wish to say “farewell” to outgoing commander, Lt. Col. Ryan Kendall (coco puffs from Liliha Bakery would have been many thousands of dollars cheaper, and a lot quieter).

This puff piece is part of a deplorable pattern. About local military matters, this newspaper consistently takes positions that are servile, fatuous and facile.

David T. Johnson

Kailua

Click here to read more Letters to the Editor.