American Cobra Pilot

A Marine Remembers a Dog and Pony Show

Think the Marine Corps is a war-fighting organization? Think again. A Marine Cobra helicopter pilot finds himself off the coast of Korea taking part in a political exercise known as Ssang Young. The goal is to conduct a Marine amphibious landing. However, Captain Groom soon learns amphibious assault in practice is a dog and pony show parade, the likes of which even the Westminster dog show would envy. The following tale covers one Marine pilots journey through the lead-up, execution, and aftermath of this epic tale in the pivot, uh, I mean shift, to the Pacific. Pivot means we turn our backs. It was replaced with shift.