Camp Shelby in Forrest County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)
AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicopter
Photographed by James Hulse, January 3, 2026
1. AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicopter Marker
Inscription.
AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicopter. . The AH-1 was created from the need for a dedicated attack helicopter. Prior to its introduction, the Army used UH-1's that had been modified to fill the role of Arial Rocket Artillery (ARA). The AH-1 changed Close Air Support (CAS) for the foreseeable future. Carrying as many as four different weapons systems, the Cobra could apply needed munitions to fit a variety of targets. To complement its offensive profile, the AH-1 was equipped with gun sights built into the gunner's flight helmet. One of the most amazing attributes of the AH-1 was that when viewed from the frontal aspect the fuselage measured a mere three feet wide. Operating in a woodland setting, this small profile made the AH-1 extremely hard to spot., Vehicle Specifications , Armament: 1 x 7.62 mm, 1 x 40 mm, TOW missiles, and rockets. , Maximum effective weapons range: 3,000 m (plus) , Crew: 2 , Weight: 6,598 lbs , Speed: 141 mph , Production: 1,124 , Year entering service: 1965
The AH-1 was created from the need for a dedicated attack helicopter. Prior to its introduction, the Army used UH-1's that had been modified to fill the role of Arial Rocket Artillery (ARA). The AH-1 changed Close Air Support (CAS) for the foreseeable future. Carrying as many as four different weapons systems, the Cobra could apply needed munitions to fit a variety of targets. To complement its offensive profile, the AH-1 was equipped with gun sights built into the gunner's flight helmet. One of the most amazing attributes of the AH-1 was that when viewed from the frontal aspect the fuselage measured a mere three feet wide. Operating in a woodland setting, this small profile made the AH-1 extremely hard to spot.
Vehicle Specifications
Armament: 1 x 7.62 mm, 1 x 40 mm, TOW missiles, and rockets.
Maximum effective weapons range: 3,000 m (plus)
Crew: 2
Weight: 6,598 lbs
Speed: 141 mph
Production: 1,124
Year entering service: 1965
Erected by Mississippi Armed Forces Museum Camp Shelby. (Marker Number 43.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • War, Vietnam. A significant historical year for this entry is 1965.
Location. 31° 11.828′ N,
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89° 13.416′ W. Marker is in Camp Shelby, Mississippi, in Forrest County. It is at the intersection of Forrest Ave W and Museum Street, on the left when traveling north on Forrest Ave W. The marker is located on the grounds of the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum at Camp Shelby. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 850 Forrest Ave W, Hattiesburg MS 39401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Mississippi’s Pine Belt. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and in the Piney Woods. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
More about this marker. The marker and the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum are located at the historic Camp Shelby, an active Mississippi National Guard military installation. The museum is open to the public, but appropriate identification is required for access.
Photographed by James Hulse, January 3, 2026
3. AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicopter and Marker
Photographed by James Hulse, January 3, 2026
4. AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicopter
Credits. This page was last revised on January 27, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 5, 2026, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 52 times since then. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 7, 2026, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
