Hell of a war story

[727Sky]

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5 ชม. ·




‎Gregg Gibbons‎ ถึง The NAM
9 ชม. · [url=https://www.facebook.com/398643910257336/posts/2796852473769789?sfns=mo#]

Alan "Ace" Cozzalio served as an Army helicopter pilot in Vietnam.
As a member of the 5th Cavalry, attached to the 9th Infantry Division, Cozzalio enjoyed representing his unit's heritage by wearing the traditional 1860s cavalry uniform, complete with yellow scarf and saber, which he kept with him inside his chopper.

On January 25, 1969, Cozzalio received word of an infantry company pinned down and taking heavy casualties from a NVA machine gun bunker.

The soldiers on the ground were too close to the bunker for aircraft like Cozzalio's Cobra gunship to light it up with rockets or bombs. Cozzalio landed his Cobra and moved into a smaller, more maneuverable OH-6 "Loach."

He tore across the battlefield again, hovering a mere 10 feet off the ground.
His used the chopper's minigun to eat into the bunker as he approached through a hail of fire, then landed on top of the structure.

The Loach's gunner in back got out, dropped a grenade inside the bunker, then jumped back aboard. Cozzalio pulled away fast as the grenade detonated, killing those inside.

Cozzalio returned to his Cobra and raced back to the scene, providing more air support while the infantry overran the enemy positions. For his outstanding initiative and creative action, Cozzalio was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

Cozzalio served 3 tours in Vietnam, being shot down 6 times. During his time in combat, he earned the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars, 4 Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Soldier's Medal, 48 Air Medals, and 2 Purple Hearts.

He was medically retired in 1986 as a Lieutenant Colonel after contracting a rare virus affecting his heart. In April 1993, he underwent surgery for a heart transplant, which was tragically unsuccessful. Cozzalio died 2 days later.
He was 46 years old.

https://www.facebook.com/398643910257336...89?sfns=mo

[Mystic Wanderer]

A hero for sure.

He died way too young.  

[guohua]

A hero for sure.

He died way too young.  

Yes he was a Hero and Yes he did Die to Young.
But I Believe, he is in good Company now with many of the men he served with and other Heros.

[Ninurta]

Strikes close to the bone. My father in law was USAF (rather than Army Aviation) in RVN, and died about the same time, at about the same age, but of esophogeal cancer.

RIP Warriors - you are not forgotten, nor will you be so long as you yet live in a single memory.


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