Late-night military training session damages downtown Port Huron building

Times Herald photo

Two U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters engaged in a military training exercise swooped down on downtown Port Huron earlier this morning and damaged the façade of a historic department store.
According to The (Port Huron) Times Herald, the strong wind created by the helicopters' rotors caused a brick parapet to collapse and fall onto a store awning below, which partially collapsed. The accident occurred while soldiers participating in the training were being lowered onto the roof of the Sperry’s store, which is vacant.

No injuries were reported and the Army said it will pay for all damages.

The training exercise in Port Huron was part of a larger U.S. Army program, run out of the Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township, which is taking place across Michigan and will continue through June 12.

Randee Farrell, a U.S. Army spokeswoman, told The Times Herald that the helicopters dropped soldiers off at vacant buildings that had training scenarios set up inside. Sperry's was one of the buildings used for training.
The training is aimed at providing soldiers with urban combat experience in advance of deployment overseas.

Earlier, at around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday night, two Black Hawk helicopters landed at an old Port Huron school administration. The soldiers ran from the helicopter into the building where a training scenario was set up. The helicopters vacated the area once the soldiers were inside and returned an hour later after the training mission was complete to retrieve the soldiers.

Simulated, nonlethal ammunition sounded and lights in each room of the building went on and off as soldiers progressed through the building, the newspaper reported. The helicopters were not equipped with any weapons.
In addition, a third military exercise took place in St. Clair County beyond the city limits. A similar night of training was completed last week in Flint, Farrell said, though she declined to say what other cities are the site of Army training in the coming days.

Larry Jones, president of operations for Sperry's Landmark, Inc., which owns the 122-year-old damaged building, told The Times Herald that he had been notified in advance by authorities that his building was chosen as an ideal site for the training mission.

"Our police force and fire department and military risk their lives for us every day … and in order for them to do the great job that they do they have to do training," Jones said.