Cobra Pilot
 

Some of you may remember a story that Tom Breau and I were telling about a Cobra pilot that landed at Charlie Med with his leg shot off. We recalled it as being a one seater and have been told many times that there was no such thing. Well, there wasn't. They way we know this is today I got a call from the pilot. His name is Bob Hunter and he told me he was the one in the front seat. The guy in the back seat had gone inside to get help. Listen, I am so awed by getting a call from this guy please excuse me if this post is a little disjointed. I wasn't in the treatment bunker when the Cobra landed and so I missed the other pilot. I was off duty and just came over to see why a cobra had landed at the Medevac helipad. What I remember is this guy in this Cobra grinning and waving at me to come over. When I got there he had his right leg practically amputated by a 51 cal AA gun. Tom came out of the bunker with the guys on duty at the time, including one of our surgeons. Bob told them he needed blood now but the surgeon finished amputating the leg in the chopper. It was just a bit of skin holding it on. Bob said he got ten units of blood when we got him inside and so he must have been about out. I told him yea but that was not too unusual for us. I can remember giving twenty units trying to keep up with the blood loss. Tom had Bob put his arm around his neck and lifted him out of the seat and onto a litter. The doc told Bob the leg couldn't be saved and Bob said he didn't care, just give him some morphine. We did. We had lots. He thanked Tom and me for saving his life. He had went on and was an airline pilot and actually flew out of my local airport for a while. Later he went back to college and got a degree in electrical engineering and worked for Honeywell. He lives in Keith's home town, Willison Washington. I don't know if I spelled it right. He told me he was going to try to call you, Keith. I kid you not, my hair stood on end the whole time I was talking to him. I have been so blessed to make contact with so many people that have always meant so much to me all these years. I have now made contact with five guys from my company, including my closest friend over there. God has been so good to me.

JAYSUS, DOC
 

What a GREAT story! Glad things went on to turn out so well for this guy. Alot of those Cobra pilots flew "Balls To The Walls". Had our bacon pulled out of the fire several times by these guys showing up and kicking Chuck's ass.

I'm really glad for you that you got to see the results and rewards of yours and Tom's work and commitment. As with most of us, it was just a revolving door of guys passing through my time there. The dead, the wounded, the guys rotating home. It's SO COOL that you got to find out "What Ever Happened To That Guy?". You're a good man, Fred, and we're blessed to have you amongst us.

I left out a lot of the story but that is the gist of it. My emotion right now is one: awe. I was awed by him at the time and even more so now. It really was the best of our generation that went to Vietnam, wasn't it?

THE BEST OF OUR GENERATION
 

That's a true story, Doc. Saw evidence of it on a regular basis. Still seein' it. Our fathers and uncles may have been "The Greatest Generation", but we were no slouches and definately someone to contend with. I sometimes look back, in awe, at my past and give myself a big "Atta Boy". I think we should all do this once in awhile, and be proud of ourselves for just showing up. It's healthy and we deserve it. If we don't like ourselves, or are proud of ourselves, why should anyone else?

I know you are right, Tom. But for myself it seemed that it was too much of a struggle to do the right thing and often I felt I failed. To me the best thing is to have witnessed the greatness of others. I saw many a guy as great as this Cobra pilot. I feel as if I was blessed to be a humble witness to such guys as this. It is such a shame that this country never knew what they had produced even in this, the war we lost. Our history has been written by those hostile to us. I honestly believe it will not always be so, that time will put enough perspective on those terrible years of pain and when it is all accounted, our generation will too be among the greatest.

Fred
 

Great post. You got my hair standing on edge. Welcome home to all of us !

Emotions are running high for me also. Fred and I are indebted to Johnny Grice for getting in touch with Russell Warriner ( Blue Max Association President ) about Bob. We had ask Russell to help us contact our one seater pilot.
Welcome new members. I have not been in for a while. Hello to the family who knows me. God bless you all.
God bless our men of courage.

Doc,
I am just flabbergasted by this post.
How fortunate you are to have heard from Bob, a hero in your mind but now you know, positively, that you are the hero in his mind.
Yes we were the background of the Americans at that time. The ones that could be hidden in the background, ignored, and neglected. In many respects, we still are. But here at the Patriot Files we know what we did, what we were willing to do for the other troops around us. Who here was not willing to spill blood to protect those around us? I know of no troops that would not stand up and cover my ass. You and every other Vietnam veteran are brothers, sisters, and heroes in my mind.

Bob and Johnny were on a CS mission, Bob was with The Smiling Tigers and Johnny was with Blue Max. The VC were not marksmans by any degree, but when the Cobras went in they were met by a hail of enemy fire. They had stands in the trees and filled the air with tracers. Bob was covering Johnny at the time and was the only pilot hit in the mission. His control stick was clipped and his radio knocked out, so he had to yell at the rear pilot that he was hit. They broke away and headed for 15th Med. When Johnny was able to break off he headed for 15 Med also. By then Bob was on his way to the hospital.
The stories these pilots tell leaves me humbled and in awe.
Tom B

Jeezzze
 

What a great story Doc. You two guys should be very proud of yourselves, but I know you worked with all the casualties with the same care and compassion. Thanks so much for being who you guys are, and yes......we were the best of our generation, Andy and Frisco Kid excluded.

Packo