Greg “Gravy” Coker is a legend from the elite one hundred and sixtieth Evening Stalkers, the Army’s Particular Operations Aviation Regiment (aka SOAR). He’s a long-time Tier 1 Gun Pilot who flew AH-6 Little Birds, AH-64 Apaches, and AH-1 Cobras in a number of fight theaters, offering direct assist for 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta aka Delta Power, seventy fifth Ranger Regiment, and different Particular Operators.
Greg logged 7,400 hours in his profession, together with 1,500 hours of fight time throughout 11 deployments, and was within the first strike packages that went into Afghanistan and Iraq. Greg reached the head of the army aviation career by serving as each a Flight Lead and Teacher Pilot in essentially the most coveted and deadly rotary wing unit within the US army. He survived a fight shootdown whereas laying down cowl for Particular Operators in Iraq in the course of the first daylight operation for one hundred and sixtieth since Operation Gothic Serpent in 1993 (aka Blackhawk Down).
This interview will resonate with anybody who wonders why Delta, Rangers, SEALs, and the opposite Tier 1 parts love the Evening Stalkers a lot. This episode may even attraction to any fellow aviation nuts on the market as we focus on weapons hundreds, autorotations, the Three Ts, engagement and flight profiles, environmental elements, and extra.
Since leaving the army, Greg has written a memoir about these experiences and extra titled “Loss of life Waits within the Darkish” and has a youngsters’s e-book popping out together with his daughter referred to as “V is for Veterans.” Greg additionally owns Defend 91, he offers all facets of firearms coaching, management growth, govt staff constructing, and emergency response operations.
Greg’s e-book ‘Loss of life Waits within the Darkish’ could be discovered right here: https://www.amazon.com/Loss of life-Waits-Darkish-Weapons-Dont-ebook/dp/B08QBNZDFQ
[Ryan’s Note: Thank you to those who helped us reach 6K subscribers! If you decide to subscribe, be sure to turn on notifications so you don’t miss upcoming interviews with other Delta Operators, Special Ops leaders, Pilots, and more. Also, someone asked about the intro song. It’s Sport Rock, which I bought on Audio Jungle.]
#SpecialOperations #one hundred and sixtieth #Delta #Rangers #Pilot #Veteran #Army #Aviator
Present Notes
0:00 – Intro
1:00 – Greg’s bio and background.
1:52 – Interview with Greg begins.
4:32 Watching the “Helicopter Warfare” in Vietnam.
10:46 – A “very type decide” modified Greg’s life (this can be a story Greg’s by no means instructed publicly and nicely definitely worth the hear!).
15:19 Flight Faculty Class 89-15 and chosen weapons (Cobras after which AH-64 Apaches).
17:28 – First assigned to five/17 Cav in Korea flying Cobras after which moved to A Co, 1-One hundred and first Spectres.
22:40 Seeing “little black helicopters” flying round Fort Campbell.
23:12 – Comparability between flying Cobras, Apaches, and Little Birds.
25:10 – The “Customary” of being heading in the right direction plus or minus 30 seconds with a map, a compass, and a clock. That is an extremely troublesome customary in aviation phrases.
26:46 – This part is for the aviation nerds (like myself) evaluating velocity, maneuverability, and construct of various choppers.
28:58 – The choice course of for aviation’s Tier 1 component: one hundred and sixtieth.
38:08 – First fight expertise was 2001 in Afghanistan with the primary boots on the bottom and involved inside 4 minutes.
42:32 – Greg describes a traditional AH-6 Gun engagement and what “goal, torque, trim” means and why a grease pencil mark is necessary.
51:50 – The connection between one hundred and sixtieth pilots and Delta Operators and Rangers.
55:00 – Description of preventing at Haditha Dam in March 2003 supporting 3/75 Rangers. This concerned steady engagements for eight hours going by way of 11 a great deal of ammo.
1:07:09 – Methods to deal with the torque of a GAU-19 (three barrel .50 cal gatling gun) on an plane.
1:08:47 – Residing by way of a shootdown in broad daylight in Iraq overlaying Particular Operators.
1:27:10 – Coping with Imposter Syndrome regardless of being a legend in the neighborhood.
1:30:04 – How a long-time elite gun pilot also can have PTSD.
1:35:40 – What did Greg carry into fight for good luck (these are some good ones!).
1:37:15 – After all of the gun fights, crashes, PTSD, and time away from dwelling, would you do all of it once more?
1:37:55 – Greg and his daughter are engaged on a brand new e-book referred to as V for Veteran for teenagers utilizing army references to show the alphabet. Additionally, Loss of life Waits within the Darkish may even be accessible quickly on Audible (with Greg’s personal voice narrating it!).
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