Snake Pilot: Flying the Cobra Attack Helicopter in Vietnam FROM THE PUBLISHER
Based on audiotapes he recorded during the war and sent home to his family, Randy Zahnᄑs Snake Pilot recounts his experiences flying AH1 Cobra helicopters during the Vietnam War. Unlike the pilots who flew the fastmoving strike jets, Zahn experienced the war ᄑup close and personal,ᄑ witnessing the grisly effects of the Cobraᄑs firepower on enemy soldiers. He does not glorify killing but rather explains in sharp relief the kaleidoscope of emotions associated with combat and displays a sensitivity rarely found in memoirs written by battlehardened warriors.
Author Bio: RANDY R. ZAHN is chief pilot, Alaska Rotor Wing Division, for Era Helicopters. He lives Eagle River, Alaska.
SYNOPSIS
Zahn is currently a chief pilot for Era Helicopters in Anchorage, Alaska. He recounts his tour of duty in Vietnam, from 1970-71, as a pilot of an AH-1 Cobra ("Snake")the first helicopter designed for an attack role in combat. His parents having saved, and then presented to him in 1981, all the audio cassettes and letters he had sent them from basic combat training, flight school, and Vietnam, Zahn is able to create a detailed and sensitive memoir capturing the range of emotions present in combat situations. Distributed by Books International. Annotation ©2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR