Vietnam Vet; Larry Taylor: " The Cobra was an excellent ship"

[@isidrotrevino4681]

I served in Vietnam in 1972-1973 as a Med Evac UH-1H helicopter crew chief, I was assigned to the 57th Medical Detachment helicopter ambulance (Dust Off) U.S Army Vietnam. Med Evac helicopters in Vietnam were unarmed, unlike all other Huey helicopters which had two mounted M60 machine guns, one on each side. Dust Off Helicopters flew their missions with two pilots, a medic and a crew chief. We each carried an M16 rifle, or some other rifle of choice, like an AK-47, we each also carried a Colt 38 revolver holstered on our waist. In most of our Med Evac missions we flew alone to evacuate the wounded from the field, however there were some very risky combat missions when we needed gunships to provide us with fire support as we descended to make our landing and take out the wounded and KIA. On 12 October 1972 in Long Binh we got a radio call, a convoy with Royal Cambodian Army soldiers along with U.S. Army Regular Special Forces were ambushed in Binh Hoa Province, several killed and wounded. The area was hot with enemy soldiers, Viet Cong or NVA, maybe both, for this mission we needed gunship support. Our pilots got the location coordinates, we quickly grabbed our rifles and ran to the helicopter and took off. From some other base in Vietnam two AH-1G Cobra attack helicopters, I believe from the F-Troop 4th US Cavalry, were designated for this mission. We were to rendezvous somewhere on our way to our destination. However we arrived to the designated area before the Cobras, although our Dust Off pilots had radio communication with the Cobra pilots, they were still too far away to see them visually. We were flying at about 800 feet circling the area -- rice paddies and palm tree hedges below us. I could hear on the headphones in my helmet an American radio operator on the ground saying, "You guys need to come down, people are dying doing here". Our Aircraft Commander said, "We are going down to get these people, we can't wait for the Cobras." None of us hesitated for a second, we all said "Lets go". As we begun our decent, the Cobra pilots spotted us, I could seed both Cobras at a distance flying close together , they quickly reached us, one Cobra flanked the left side of our helicopter and the other one the right side, my side. Together we started our decent. It was awe-inspiring to see that fierce looking killing machine so close to me, flying at our same air speed, I could clearly see the pilot's heads in tandem . As we were approaching closer to the LZ, the Cobras begun shooting their 2.75 in Aerial Rockets, followed by their chin-mounted turret, shooting thousands of bullets and tracers that looked like a red laser. Our Huey had the cargo doors removed, so I could stick my head outside and with my eyes I followed the rockets moving until they hit their targets on the ground and exploded. It was time to brake formation, the Cobra on my side banked to the right and dropped down, the other Cobra banked to the left and dropped to make its runs. We spiral down and leveled off right above tree top level, trees below me were moving fast under my feet, I was holding my M16 on my lap with my finger on the trigger. We approached the LZ and landed, soldiers were running towards us, there was an Army truck a few yards away with a mounted 50 caliber machine gun manned by a Cambodian soldier, the truck was riddled with bullet holes. There was confusion on the ground and the loud main rotor spinning its blades and blowing red dust all over the place made thing even more difficult. There were several dead soldiers on the ground, other soldiers quickly brough the wounded to my side of the helicopter. The Cobras continued to give us fire support holding back the enemy, I was too busy with the medic pulling in the wounded to think about anything else. We placed some of the badly wounded soldiers on three layer stretchers, and the others just had to find a place to sit on the floor. There was very little space left when they brought the last soldier, a dead American, he was shot on the head above his left eye and through his abdomen, I pulled him in, the only area we could place him was in front of me and the medic, we had to practically kneel on him to treat the wounded. We clear the pilots, they pulled the collective followed by the cyclic forward and we took off like a bat out of hell. The U.S. military used 11,827 helicopters in Vietnam, 5086 were destroyed, 2,202 helicopter pilots and 2704 helicopter crew chiefs, medics and door gunners were killed in Vietnam. The Cobra helicopter pilots, saved my and my crewmember's lives more than once as they did for many others, not to mention those grunts they saved on the ground pinned by the enemy. I thank Larry Taylor for sharing his Cobra Pilot experience in Vietnam.

[@backinnam1975]

That was really well written and interesting. I will tell Larry about this later today and have him read this. Thanks for posting this.

[@bwana-ma-coo-bah425]

yet you failed to tell us how many Vietnamese you killed.

[@isidrotrevino4681]

@@backinnam1975 Thank you, I sure would like that.

[@isidrotrevino4681]

@@bwana-ma-coo-bah425 None

[@danielcarlson800]

Thank You for your service, Isidro. 🇺🇸

[@bobclary2121]

My nephew was a Cobra Pilot/Warrant Officer / In Vietnam/Then taught Cobra Flight School in Germany/Ron Clary/Chief Warrant Officer

[@johnknorr1140]

July 4 and the morning of July 5 we were surrounded by enemy around fire base ripcord in 1970 cobra gunships stayed with us all night and basically saved our lives. We were going to be overrun. There was no question about that but because of their action I survived Thank you for all you have done for us. I was with 101st airborne division 2 battalion 501st infantry Charley Company.🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🎖

[@backinnam1975]

My time with Larry Taylor telling me about them taught me that the cobra was really a force to be reckoned with. I walked away from his house with a new found respect and appreciation for them. They truly were amazing little helicopters

[@bwana-ma-coo-bah425]

who was the enemy?

[@willb5240]

Shot down 5 times in a helicopter and lived through all of them? Surviving 5 helicopter crashes has to be a world record.

[@ibubezi7685]

Look up Loach/OH-6 pilots - I think I recently saw a YT-video of a guy that crashed 7 times... (not to outdo Larry Taylor here - he did a great job saving that team).

[@goforbroke4428]

@@ibubezi7685my dad flew with a nam vet who got his leg shot off on his first mission in an OH 6. It was medically re-attached and he went to the national guard.

[@hrdknox2000]

I'd like to say, "Thank you for your service in Vietnam and welcome home!" My dad's best friend was killed in a mid-air collision between two Cobras. I am going to share this video with his old unit's Facebook page. God Bless!

[@bwana-ma-coo-bah425]

why did you say thank you for their service? was the US under attack?

[@melgillham462]

Cobra was my brothers favorite to watch when they called in a mission. He was 173rd 67-69 in country. They were co. B 2nd Bat, 503rd infantry. 173rd (seperate) camp Zinn. Bravo Bulls. Welcome Home Sir. And all who made it home. Thank you. For my brother, Dennis Gillham nicknamed elephant grass.

[@JimmyNorth-lw8vv]

I totally enjoyed watching the video. I was in Vietnam as a commo sgt in an Engineer Company. I talked to chopper pilots many times. I loved watching the Cobras work out on FSB Bastogne. Cobra was the chopper I would have loved to flown. Thank you for your service.

[@backinnam1975]

Thank you so much for leaving a comment, if you liked this make sure to check out the playlist I made about this cobra pilot. He goes into a lot of detail. He gave me a real appreciation for the cobra after doing this interview with him.

[@Defender78]

LOL Larry Taylor is this elderly guy but he's rockin' an And1 sports fleece

[@sandrawooten5709]

I am sorry for the nasty remarks made here. These men helped save a country through their dedication for their own country to give them a freedom they would have not had without them. They were heroes all. BTW my husband was KIA on Friday 13th of June 1969 being one of them. He left behind me, 3 children, and parents siblings family and friends. Don't make them out to be bad guys. I bet everything you have is because of what they did. You could have been on the other side but by the grace of God you weren't. believe

[@backinnam1975]

Thanks for leaving the comment, telling his story helps keep him alive in one way. Maybe if you would ever be open to it I might be able to do an interview with you about your husband and your experience at home raising the kids while he was off fighting the communists. I appreciate his sacrifice.

[@ibubezi7685]

Sorry for your loss, Sandra. Ignore the commies here - and in Congress (although obviously, they are the same party as Johnson back then...).

[@bwana-ma-coo-bah425]

Whilst I am sorry for your loss, blame your government or to be more specific, LBJ!. They sent him there to kill people he had never met people who had done nothing to him and vice versa. The US WAS NOT! under attack, and you had no business being there. The US went there for financial gain and left when they knew they could NOT! defeat the enemy just like in Iraq and Afghanistan. I know what I am talking about I did 2 years from 69-71 and not from the MERICA!

[@totalstranger8412]

The real thing. Salute

[@johnscott5662]

Amazing! I flew UH-1Hs but never left the States. It was over by the time I was rated. I always respected the Cobra pilots. You have to be sharp to not kill our own people. To bad that you didn’t stay in the Guard. Great people and great flying plus you got paid.

[@chrismair8161]

Friendly fire happens. That would be why my head is on a swivel. My Helmet is around $275 Grand. Intel is perfect after Iraq.. Yeah. The Fog of WAR will always exist. Three sides to a coin toss.

[@jaywalker3087]

Playing Top Trumps in the 70's I loved having the Cobra in my hand. The fastest in the pack!

[@danielcarlson800]

Bell AH-1G. Bitchin' Machine!!!!!! Put the enemy in it's place.

[@ypaulbrown]

well done, thank you for making this video, Paul in Florida

[@bruceschulze7487]

Thanks for your service .

[@havu-oj4qh]

Coward baby killer do not deserve to thank for nothing

[@wallacejeffery5786]

I worked for Army aviation command in Saint Louis. Contracts for all the AS-1G/J .

[@airbrushken5339]

Those Cobra's were a game changer for those of us Screaming Eagles on the ground. We would try to recover down birds and pilots, sadly I was the point man, I found the bird was in a crater and when I check inside and both were dead. The Engineers flew out with a "Sky Hook" and picked it up. We and a team of Rangers protected it. I once saw a wounded NVA chained to a small caliber machine gun shooting at one of the spotter louches ... they opened up on them as they were also setting up a mortar... they were out of our rifle range. When that mini gun fired it sounded like a chain saw. I saw a bird with a spot light outside "Fire Base Bastone" light up the AO and then the gun ships could open up on the NVA...No villages were in the area...

[@havu-oj4qh]

Stupid fabrication doesn't make failure any less humiliating.Shame on you. You lost to the will and courage of the Vietnamese people, you were the herd of coward baby killers, raping women ,you evil bastards !

[@shaneward6689]

​@@havu-oj4qhaww boo hoo

[@budgibson185]

Love his chopped down m-2’s

[@backinnam1975]

Man his whole house is an arsenal, there were no less than 2 guns in every room in his house and he built a castle style watchtower filled with more guns than most museums have. This guy is a real badass. If anyone broke into his house while he was there they would really regret it. He did not f around.

[@budgibson185]

@@backinnam1975 my kinda man!!! I interview SF, mostly MACVSOG recon men and scone sir asserts. Been at the past few years now and you are doing great stuff here!!! These men deserved so much more!! And now we are loosing them daily

[@dtrapbai9030]

I wonder Sir.. When damaged. And going in. Could the Cobra auto rotate to landing(all be it hard?

[@BernardBouchard-qq9kq]

Transition school Vuang Tau also

[@kennethhoppe2259]

Sir did you know Master Sargent Curtis Roy.

[@geek211]

golden bb

[@chrismair8161]

Listen to me one time. War makes money and brave people try hard. Ever fired a 20mm anti tank gun. Ever jumped out a perfectly working airplane with a Gun and 150lbs of gear? Ever pulled the trigger on a 120mm main gun?

[@i.r.wayright1457]

Picture this; You are flying an AH-1G and Charlie shoots at you, scoring a hit on the front windscreen and the bullet exits the pilots side window. On return to Vinh Long we get a piece of string and put it through both holes. HOW did that bullet miss both the heads of the front and back seaters? Imagine you were the shooter. You would throw down that piece of junk AK, thinking it couldn't shoot straight. Of course you probably didn't get to think about it very long as the Cobra wasted you a second or two later.

[@chrismair8161]

A 20mm gunship. The 30mm is way more fun! Apache all the way. Look and the guns track my eyes.

[@arnenelson4495]

Sounds like the brass was the enemy.

[@havu-oj4qh]

In 800 helicopters that the US left behind in South Vietnam, many South Vietnamese aircraft and pilots actively participated in the war against the Khmer Rouge to a quick victory. That's why the NVA must thank the US army for "helping" Vietnam, even though it was not voluntary .hahaha.