Death Waits in the Dark: Six Guns Don't Miss is a thrilling story about a Night Stalker at war...an attack helicopter pilot who flew with the renowned 160th Special Operations Regiment (Airborne), and the incredible friendships Greg Coker and his fellow compatriots forged in the heat of combat. The Night Stalkers, officially known as the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, are the best helicopter pilots and crews in the world. These are the crews who fly America’s top special operations units to combat. They can reach any target, plus or minus 30 seconds, as they take pride in saying. The Battle of Mogadishu, the Osama bin Laden mission, and the Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi raid are just some of their exploits that have made it through to the public. When you hear about special operations troops doing something incredible on the ground, it's almost always because 160th SOAR pilots like Gregory "Gravy" Coker flew them in, provided air support, and whisked them back out - all under cover of darkness.
The Second Edition is available now, presale starts today. The hardback in full color will start printing November 2024 and ready to ship mid January 2025. Get your copy now, only 300 being printed.
Alternatively, the book is always available on Kindle here, or on Audible (read by yours truly) here.
CW4 Greg Coker
In Iraq in front of his AH-6 Little Bird
"There is no such thing as a normal day, as there is always training for different scenarios and 'customers,'" Coker said. "We support special-operations forces with precision close air support (CAS). As an AH-6 light attack helicopter pilot, your primary duty is to learn the AH-6 helicopter and learn how to conduct surgical engagements with mini-guns and rockets. You may go to the aerial range and shoot three times a week if you are on base."
"Having helped assess Greg into the 160th SOAR(A) long ago and served with him through several wars, conflicts and Presidential/NCA directed Special Operations Missions, I shared many of our triumphs and defeats. His book is a must-read for all Warriors, Veterans, families of Service Members, and ALL AMERICAN PATRIOTS who long to heal their Hearts and Souls ... given the tragic remnants of War! NSDQ!”
- Retired U.S. Army LTC Tony R. Franklin, Ph.D., (“Night Stalker Shrink”)
"Sandboxx" by Stavros Atlamazoglou on 22 Sep 2020
However, despite their esteemed combat record and contribution to the American military history, there are very few books on the Night Stalkers. Consequently, the forthcoming publication of “Death Waits in the Dark,” by Chief Warrant Officer 4 (Retired) Greg Coker is indeed a rare opportunity to get a glimpse behind the scenes.
CW4 Greg Coker
Conducting fast-rope training in Iraq
“I have been thinking about writing a book for 15 years. God put me in so many places and as a storyteller, many of my buddies recommended writing a book. However, as the Quiet Professional, I did not want to be “that guy.”
Meet the Army's 'Night Stalkers,' the special-operations pilots who can fly anything anywhere in the world
"Business Insider" by Stavros Atlamazoglou on 7 Oct 2020
The 160th SOAR is the world's premier rotary-wing unit and specializes in transport, attack, and reconnaissance missions, with special-operations units being their main customers. These are the pilots and stealthy helicopters that flew SEAL Team 6 operators to the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. "Everyone learned valuable lessons from the battle of the Black Sea in Mogadishu," retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 Greg Coker, a distinguished AH-6 Little Bird pilot, told Insider. "Something good always comes out of something bad. One of the biggest was the weapon we carried at the time in our aircraft, the MP-5 sub-machine gun. The weapon was not suitable for our needs, and the 160th went to the M-4 carbine, a much better weapon for our use on the ground or engaging targets from the helo."
- Retired U.S. Army CW4 Gregory Scott Coker
Attack Helicopter Pilot
Greg flew AH-6 “Little Bird” attack helicopters with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) as a senior lead instructor pilot. Coker logged over 7,000 hours of accident-free flying, more than 6,000 hours flying under Night Vision Goggles, and a staggering 1,500 hours of combat time spanning a 30-year military career and eleven combat tours from 2001 to 2007. Greg Coker lives in Texas with his beautiful wife, Miss Edie, and he enjoys investing his time and talents to mentor and encourage other warriors.
Episode 15: Greg Coker and George Hand
In this episode, Mac and C.J. are joined by two elite veterans: Greg “Gravy” Coker, attack helicopter pilot of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne, aka “Nightstalkers”) and once again by George Hand, IV of the Unit. Greg and George collaborated on a new book by Greg on his own stories from combat as an elite attack helicopter pilot: "Death Waits in the Dark: Six Guns Don’t Miss!" The Story of a Special Operations Attack Helicopter Pilot.
From "Business Insider" by Stavros Atlamazoglou, on 18 Nov 2020
On October 19, 2001, only a few weeks after the September 11 terrorist attacks, American commandos struck back in Afghanistan. A task force composed of Delta Force operators, Rangers, and Night Stalkers conducted two simultaneous raids deep inside the territory of the Taliban, which had hosted Al Qaeda, the terrorist group behind the attacks. "It was just another difficult mission for us, a historic one for sure," Coker told Insider. "We were extremely proud of doing the impossible and getting everyone out. The Night Stalkers train hard and do things that would curl your toes. It was a was long one for sure; 18 hours in the saddle is a long time."
How We Got Here...
Greg Coker met George Hand in 2015. Greg related his incredible story of being shot down in an AH-6 "Little Bird" over the skies of Iraq by a surface-to-air missile. And yet, this was merely a single day in Greg's life. At that moment, George intuitively knew convincing Greg to share this story was paramount. Though initially reluctant, Greg has embraced the challenges inherent in reliving his incredible life experiences to bestow an enduring legacy for the next generation of warriors.
