KALAMAZOO, MI — When Kalamazoo native Steve Maloney set out to write the final chapter of his decade-long “Take Me Home Huey” multimedia project, he expected to be around to celebrate its March 29 release.
Maloney’s sudden death on Feb. 23 — less than five weeks prior to release of a 215-page book chronicling the story of a helicopter shot down Feb. 14, 1969, during the Vietnam War — prevented that from happening.
Maloney’s publicist, Carole Claps, said she did not know the cause of his death, only that it was sudden.
The Kalamazoo native’s co-author on the book, Clare Nolan, told MLive the two had delayed the initial November 2020 release due to COVID-19 as they hoped Maloney, 78, could do in-person appearances to promote the book.
They chose to time the release for Monday, March 29, to coincide with National Vietnam War Veterans Day, she said.
“He did see the finished version and he heard some of the reception, as we sent it out to get opinions and it was all very positive,” Nolan said. “So that was good, that he got to see that.”
The book, years in the making, chronicles the story of a 1967 UH-1H Huey shot down in Vietnam, its scrapyard resurrection beginning in 2012 by Maloney and ultimate transformation into a traveling sculpture/memorial.
Filled with colorful photos dating back to the 1960s, Maloney and Nolan share the stories of some of the veterans who were survivors of the helicopter being shot down, along with others who fought alongside them.
Through his work with the veterans, historians and therapists interviewed for the book, Maloney draws attention to the issue of PTSD many faced when coming home.
All proceeds of the book, dedicated to the 2,709,918 Americans who served in Vietnam, are being donated by Maloney’s estate to groups that work with a federal program called Creative Forces, Nolan said.
The program is sponsored by the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, along with state and local arts agencies, and seeks to use art therapy to help improve the health, wellness and quality of life for military and veteran populations exposed to trauma, as well as their families and caregivers.
Maloney, who served in the Army National Guard from 1963-69 but was never called overseas, said in the book’s introduction, that he was fueled by “vivid memories of the TV reports about protesters harassing returning troops.”
“He really felt Vietnam veterans had not gotten the reception they deserved and he wanted to be a part of changing that; hence the title, ‘Take Me Home Huey,’” Nolan said. “He knew instinctively he could play a role and art could play a role, and he was right.”
Nolan previously worked on a documentary, “Hugging the Deck,” which told the story of Medal of Honor recipient James B. Stockdale and the late U.S. Sen. John S. McCain being shot down over North Vietnam and spending years as prisoners of war.
She said over the course of the “Take Me Home Huey” project, and through Maloney’s work on a previously released documentary on it, she witnessed and heard stories of veterans moved by Maloney’s sculpture, who opened up and shared stories they hadn’t spoken about in nearly 50 years.
Once the sculpture was complete, Maloney hit the road in 2015, touring with the “Healing Huey,” connecting with veterans and talking with crowds about the effects of PTSD and importance of providing social support for combat veterans returning home.
Related: Medical helicopter shot down in Vietnam arrives to inspire visitors to Air Zoo
Among many of the tour’s stops, Maloney returned home to the Kalamazoo area in 2016, and brought the helicopter with him to the Air Zoo Aerospace & Science Museum in Portage.
“This artwork has been quite a journey for me, as well as the realization of my dream to raise the profile of military veterans who sacrificed so much and never received a proper welcome home, and to bring awareness to the devastating effects of post-traumatic stress syndrome,” Maloney said during the visit.
“I realized we are losing veterans every day, at least 22, 23 veterans a day, many taking their own lives. A lot of them never even got a welcome home and this project will do that. It will honor them, and engage them in conversation.”
After Maloney’s death, the traveling exhibit — which visited 29 venues in 11 states between 2015 and 2017 — now has a permanent home at the Palm Springs Art Museum where people will be able to come visit anytime, Nolan said.
Maloney served as chairman of the board of trustees for the Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Springs, California, prior to his death.
“I think that the genius of Steve is that he realized that as an artist with that love of life that he had that he could be of service to the veterans and I think he knew that art could be his catalyst for healing,” Nolan said. “He learned more, definitely, as he saw the reception of the project and that led to him doing more research and more interviews with experts.
“To me it was really eye-opening to see that an artist whose sensibility is very contemporary could play a role in that way. It’s a lesson that all of us have something to bring to the table.”
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