Snake Pilot: Flying the Cobra Attack Helicopter in Vietnam

After 23 years working on helicopters, the last thing I want to do is read about them when I get off work. However, something about this book attracted my attention when Amazon recommended it to me, so I bought it on a whim. I'm so glad I did! I typically only read when I'm waiting for something or traveling. However I found myself creating opportunities to read this book. Having worked with many Nam vets early in my career, I appreciated gaining a better understanding about how their career's started. Zahn does an excellent job leading the reader through his journey of flight school and his tour in Vietnam. Having recently returned from a trip to Vietnam myself, I could visualize the landscape, the smells and the feeling of the humid heat and sweat of the jungle. If you're a helicopter person, and/or someone interested in military history, then this is an excellent read you won't regret.

Excellent book about a Cobra pilot who was in the middle of the Vietnam conflict.

This story is a personal history of the authors experiences from a teenager in California to an Army aircraft commander in the AH-1 Cobra Gunship. It is well written and shows great attention to detail which has been provided by letters and audio tapes that were saved by his parents during his tour in Vietnam. As a pilot who has flown an OH-6A, but not in the military, I was fascinated by the descriptions of flying the LOH and Cobra as a "pink team". My helicopter check ride was given by a former LOH pilot who was shot down and wounded flying the "pink team" missions. Zahn's tehnical explanations are free of the mistakes often made in other books that employed ghost writers who were not pilots. I have heard of the 1st Cav a lot, but this is the first book about it I have read that gives a complete look at the missions, conditions and tactics used by them. Overall a great book, I recommend it to anyone interested in combat flying, the Vietnam war, or just helicopters.

I was not in Viet Nam, Randy who is my age, was and his story definitely inlighted me of what those boys went through and I couldn’t respect them more.

Excellent book by Mr. Zahn giving the reader a true life picture as to what the daily life of an attack helo pilots day was like while flying in S. Vietnam- “kudos” to each and every one of them who returned home safely and nothing but “heartbreak” to those families who son made the ultimate sacrifice for his country! I am a former Navy jet attack pilot who made 2 Westpac cruises during the Vietnam war. I too lost many good pilot friends who also made that ultimate sacrifice. God Bless to all of those men(Army, Navy, Airforce and Marines) whose names are now inscribed on the Vietnam wall!!!! Lt. Bill Tyrie, USN

I am sorry to read the negative and derogatory reviews of Mr. Zahn's book. As far as his "insubordination" goes, many of the finest soldiers (pilots) I served with in Vietnam made courageous decisions not to follow direct orders, even in the face of a possible court marshall. I witnessed a few "senior officers" making decisions that cost people's lives because they did not have first hand information about the situation at hand. I was personally involved in a situation like this, and because the ground mission commander called the shots, our air mission commander was overruled, and the results were tragic. This still keeps me up at night. I was with the 101st Airborne Division ( 158th Assault Helicopter Battalion) and we had guys flying Cobras, OH6-A scout helicopters, Hueys, and Chinooks. Each of these aircraft had their pluses and minuses, but all of the pilots were genuine heroes in my opinion. As I read this book, I was transported back in time to the year I spent in Quang Tri province and I found his description accurate and informative. So, if you are looking for a book that accurately portrays the experience of a Cobra pilot in Vietnam, this book is all you need. Thank you Mr. Zahn for your courageous service and for writing this book.

The is an excellent story told from the first person perspective of a helicopter gunship pilot providing first hand accounts of the flying and wartime experience. Highly recommended to anyone interested in the Vietnam War, helicopters and aviation combat. He provides a refreshing “tell it like it is” insight that only someone who was there could reveal. I would like to have heard more about the training phase of the pilot's experience as it seems to have been watered down by the editors for some unknown reason. I give the story 5 stars. Took off an Amazon rating star for the lack of Nook availability. If you buy the physical hard copy you should be able to get the electronic addition as a backup without having to purchase another book. Other than that this is a great book and highly recommended.

Good book

Ich habe mir dieses Buch als Ergänzung zum eher technisch-lastigen Titel von Motorbuch geholt, da hier die Technik im Hintergrund steht. Es geht hauptsächlich um die Erfahrungen von Randy Zahn mit dem AH-1G im Vietnamkonflikt. Es beginnt mit einigen Episoden aus seiner Kindheit/ Jugend und wie er letzten Endes zur Army kam. Es folgt ein ausgezeichneter Teil über die Pilotenausbildung bei de Army bis es dann nach Vietnam geht. Dort beschreibt er nicht nur detailliert einzelne Einsätze, sondern erzählt auch vom Leben im Camp, dem Beschuss durch nordvietnamesische Artillery, Streitigkeiten mit Vorgesetzten, der Kameradschaft und von Verlusten von gefallenen Freunden. Die Einsätze sind zum Teil sehr detailliert beschrieben, auch mit Funksprüchen. Enthalten sind auch originale Auszüge von seinen Auszeichnungen, sowie der Briefe die er nach Hause geschickt und von seinen Eltern/ Freunden bekommen hat. Das Buch reist einen sehr mit - egal ob durch Witz in einigen Episoden, bei adrenalingeladenen Missionen oder von sein bester Kumpel abstürzt. Auf der anderen Seite ist es manchmal erschreckend, wie kalt er vom Abschießen von Menschen redet, manchmal wird das herumfliegen von Körperteilen oder der Stolz auf noch 2-3 Kills gar verherrlicht. Ob dies dem Krieg an sich geschuldet ist, oder ob es sich beim Author doch um den typischen "schieß-geilem Ammi" handelt, erfährt man nicht. Wer mit letzerem klar kommt (Patriotismus ist eher die Seltenheit) und sich für die Cobra interessiert, für den ist dieses Buch ein Muss. Für mich jedenfalls ist es eines der besten Bücher dieser Art im Regal.

This book covers all the usual, life before, training, life after but what is the standout is the operational aspect in Vietnam. Such an interesting read with many conflicting interests from the author but ultimately a fascinating insight to an unpopular conflict fought by a generation of heroes. Professional military, they don’t pick the wars they fight, they just do their very best to survive them!

I really liked this book - it is also very sobering when you realise the author was 18-19 years old when he went through the crucible of Vietnam. Very pleased to have read that time has healed a lot of the scar tissue - and I hope it continues.

fine written, gripping. get an insight on how the cavalry gets it's job done, not just unleashing hell on the enemy but also see how they have to coordinate blue, red and pink teams, get arty- or jet-airstrikes nailed on the right place and get in trouble with questionable majors and captains. friends dying, family at home, whatever war names, you will feel it reading this book. nice!

Randy Zahn wasnt conscripted against his will to fight for the US in the Vietnam conflict, nor was he some starry-eyed idealist volunteer with dreams of bringing freedom to the oppressed people of South East Asia. No, Randy Zahn just wanted to fly, and he got his chance in 1970 as an attack helecopter pilot in the seat of the world very first specialist gunship, the Bell AH-1 'Cobra'. The Cobra became the backbone of the United States Armys attack helecopter fleet for decades, and whilst it would eventually be replaced it was a piece of equipment so effective that it is still used by the US and other nations around the world to this day. In Vietnam however it was bleeding edge technology, and became a symbol of a new era of air war - and despite not being old enough to buy a drink or hire a car in the US, Zahn was entrusted with $12 million (in adjusted dollars) worth of helecopter, wrapped up in a sleek, aerodynamic package, capable of exceeding 170mph, and of carrying more than 4000lbs of ordinance that included twin 7.62mm mini-guns, a grenade launcher, 20mm vulcan cannons, and 2.75" rocket pods, all capable of utterly destroying its targets - the grisly effects of which were witnessed by Zahn first hand from tree top level. Zahn arrived in Vietnam at a crucial point in the conflict. US forces had recently been authorised to conduct operations in neighbouring Cambodia which - despite apparantly being neutral - had been providing the NVA and Viet Cong shelter throughout the conflict, and the success of these operations (in which Zahn participated), where hundreds of enemy combatants were killed, and thousands of tons of enemy equipment and supplies destroyed and seized, created an air of optimisim amongst those that participated that the war could be won by America and its allies. Unfortunately the optimisim was not to last as new President Richard Nixon later introduced his policy of 'Vietnamisation', which involved greatly reducing Americas presence in a theatre which had become increasingly controversial and unpopular back home, and handing more and more responsibility for the conflict back to a South Vietnam that appeared to be incapible of bearing it. Zahns twelve months in-country provides a fascinating reflection of the changing feelings and attitudes of those who participated in the vietnam conflict, and wouldnt have been possible at all if not for the many, many letters and cassette tapes that he had sent home to his parents detailing his experiences and feelings, and which his parents handed back to him years later to become the basis for this book. Its a deeply personal account of someone who was no more than a boy when he first joined the military. It details the full spectrum of human emotions felt by those who served in Vietnam - from the exhillaration of piloting one of the most advanced aircraft of the era, to the camaraderie and tight bonds formed by serving with others like yourself in a combat zone, to the intense fear generated by incoming enemy fire or a call over the radio of 'bird down!' (the code used to indicate a helecopter grounded by enemy fire, crash, or malfunction), the fury that results from being lead by officers not even trained to do the job that they were required to direct others to do, and the cost of the decisions they make, and the anger generated when even your own loved ones cant understand that which you experience. Its one of the best, most detailed, most personal and ultimately heart-rending accounts of the Vietnam conflict I've ever read, and I cant recommend it enough!