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Marine Corps Museum '14
(Narrative by National Museum of the Marine Corps) This is the heavily damaged tail boom from a USMC Bell AH-1T Cobra helicopter gunship (ship EM-32) which was shot down by enemy anti-aircraft fire on 25 October 1983 during Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada.
Cobra pilot, Capt. Timothy B. Howard made a successful crash landing on a soccer field despite suffering a broken leg and a shattered right arm. Co-pilot/gunner Capt Jeb F. Seagle dragged Howard from the wreckage of the helicopter to a safe position and was subsequently killed by enemy forces.
While Seagle was extracting the wounded Howard, Capt. John Giguere, flying overhead in a second AH-1T Cobra (EM-30) made multiple attack runs against enemy anti-aircraft positions and encroaching enemy troops. An HMM-261 CH-46 transport helicopter braved heavy enemy fire to collect the wounded Howard. Just as the CH-46 had cleared the area with Howard aboard, Capt. John Giguere's Cobra was hit by enemy fire. The Cobra fell into the nearby harbor, instantly killing both Capt. Giguere and his co-pilot/gunner, 1stLt Jeff Scharver.
Semper Fidelis Marines.
The Cobra Tail Boom is currently on display in the exit hallway of Legacy Walk. It will be included in our Final Phase exhibit on Grenada that opens in 2019-20.
Marine Corps Museum '14
(Narrative by National Museum of the Marine Corps) This is the heavily damaged tail boom from a USMC Bell AH-1T Cobra helicopter gunship (ship EM-32) which was shot down by enemy anti-aircraft fire on 25 October 1983 during Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada.
Cobra pilot, Capt. Timothy B. Howard made a successful crash landing on a soccer field despite suffering a broken leg and a shattered right arm. Co-pilot/gunner Capt Jeb F. Seagle dragged Howard from the wreckage of the helicopter to a safe position and was subsequently killed by enemy forces.
While Seagle was extracting the wounded Howard, Capt. John Giguere, flying overhead in a second AH-1T Cobra (EM-30) made multiple attack runs against enemy anti-aircraft positions and encroaching enemy troops. An HMM-261 CH-46 transport helicopter braved heavy enemy fire to collect the wounded Howard. Just as the CH-46 had cleared the area with Howard aboard, Capt. John Giguere's Cobra was hit by enemy fire. The Cobra fell into the nearby harbor, instantly killing both Capt. Giguere and his co-pilot/gunner, 1stLt Jeff Scharver.
Semper Fidelis Marines.
The Cobra Tail Boom is currently on display in the exit hallway of Legacy Walk. It will be included in our Final Phase exhibit on Grenada that opens in 2019-20.