Air America in Laos II – military aid by Dr. Joe F. Leeker Part II First published on 29 May 2006, last updated on 24 August 2015 I) Air America in Laos: military and paramilitary aid 1968-1973 Madriver operations 1968-73 During the 1968-73 period, the original Madriver contract had been transformed into contract no. F62531-67-0028 for Fiscal Years 68, 69, and 70 on 1 July 67, but as before, this contract covered flying services to be provided by an ever growing number of Udorn-based UH-34Ds plus the operation of one C-47 out of Bangkok, apparently a courier aircraft.1 On 1 July 70, that contract was followed by contract no. F04606-71-C-0002 that covered the Udorn-based UH-34Ds, the Bangkok-based C-47 plus a Udorn-based Volpar, apparently another courier aircraft.2 That contract is much more complex, as it does not only cover flying services to be performed by the UH-34Ds and the 2 transport planes, but also drop-in maintenance of Raven O-1 and U-17 aircraft, crash / battle damage repair to DEPCHIEF- managed T-28s, support services to the Khmer Air Force and a lot of other operation and maintenance services. But apart from the prices, section XIV dealing with “Flying Services for Government furnished UH-34 aircraft (Item 1)” is not much different from similar sections in earlier versions of the Madriver contract.3 So it can be assumed that the types of missions flown by Air America’s UH-34Ds were still more or less the same as those described for the pre-1968 period. Although new UH-34Ds continued to arrive from US military sources all the time, it is noteworthy that some of Air America’s UH-34Ds had a very Plaque awarded to Air America UH-34D H-15 on 28 May 1969 (photo kindly supplied by Ward S. Reimer) 1 In 1968 and 1969, that was C-47 B-933 (Status of aircraft as of 1 May 68, in: UTD/Herd/B2; Flight Operations Circular no. OF-C-69-34 of 15 August 69, in: UTD/Hickler/B1F1); Price Negotiation Memorandum of 20 October 1971, p.1, in: UTD/Kaufman/B1F8. 2 Flight Operations Circular no. DFOD-C-71-014 of 1 July 71, in: UTD/Hickler/B8F7B; the Udorn-based Volpar was N3728G at that time. 3 Price Negotiation Memorandum of 20 October 1971, pp.36/7, in: UTD/Kaufman/B1F8. 1 long life, and the one that set the record was H-15 to whom even a plaque was awarded. On 28 May 1969, Air America’s H-15 was the first UH-34D ever to achieve 10,000 flight hours, and a plaque was awarded to the Company. Pilots who – like the helicopter and Helio pilots – remained overnight (RON) in northwestern Laos, could stay at Air America’s comfortable hostel at Luang Prabang, rented since 1 December 72:4 (Air America Log, vol. VII, no. 2, 1973, p. 1) In 1971, there was another Air America jubilee: “Air America’s Base at Udorn, Thailand has a group of accident-free helicopter pilots – all hired prior to 1963 – who represent a combined total of approximately 37,822 hours of accident-free helicopter flying with AAM, during a period of some 57 cumulative years of flying. Such a record is worthy of note and exhibits the high degree of professionalism that these individuals are capable of offering to Air America’s rotorcraft operations – often under unusually difficult conditions. We would like to compliment these individuals and give them recognition for their contribution towards 4 Summary of Real Property Leases, in: UTD/Kaufman/B1F14, p. D-2. 2 (Air America Log, vol. V, no.4, 1971, p.2) making AAM’s safety record something to be proud of.”5 On 1 November 1972, UH-34D H- 15, the very same that had reached 10,000 flight hours in 1969, even totaled 15,000 flight hours, and so another plaque was awarded to Air America by Sikorsky Aircraft.6 (Air America Log, vol. VII, no. 1, 1973, p.2) 5 6 Air America Log, vol. VII, no.1, 1973, p.1. 3 Re-supplying and operating the TACANs 1968-73 Among the duties performed by Air America’s UH-34Ds assigned to the Madriver contract was to re-supply the TACAN sites. For in spite of the Communist attacks of 1967 and 1968 described above, the USAF continued to operate TACANs in Laos, because they were vital for organizing the air war against North Vietnam. On 30 June 1970, the old Madriver contract no. F62531-67-C-0028 had been replaced by a more comprehensive contract, that is by contract no. F04606-71-C-0002. The Price Negotiation Memorandum of 20 October 1971 covering the Fiscal Year 72 period of that contract lists $ 215,000 assigned to TACAN operation and maintenance and $ 25,000 to TACAN Flight Support.7 Contract no. F04606-71-C-0002: Section IV: TACAN operation. (UTD/Bisson/B5, microfilm reel no. 24) At that time, three TACANs still existed in the area, the one at Phou Kate near Saravane (L-44), the one on Skyline Ridge near Long Tieng (LS-20A), and the one at Phou Mano near Mukdahan in Thailand. On 18 June 70, the TACAN located at Phou Kate was overrun by North Vietnamese sappers. As compensation for the loss of Phou Kate a new TACAN was established on a mountaintop north of Wat Phu in Champassac Province, but Phou Kate was retaken by heliborne guerrilla forces in July 70.8 On 5 January 72, the TACAN on Skyline Ridge was relocated to Phou Xang, a mountain 20 kilometers south of Long Tieng.9 This situation is reflected by the Price Negotiations of 20 October 71 to contract no. F04606-71-C- 0002: “Order 0004 provides for operation and maintenance of PACAF / TACAN equipment at three SEA locations. Item 21 provides for O & M of one TACAN installation exclusive of the PACAF / TACAN requirement. […] Subsequent to establishment of contract coverage for site 3, PACAF requested establishment of a new TACAN site (identified as Site 4).”10 7 Price Negotiation Memorandum of 20 October 1971, p.2, in: UTD/Kaufman/B1F8. 8 Conboy / Morrison, Shadow war, p.276 plus p.280, note 43. 9 Conboy / Morrison, Shadow war, p.330. 10 Price Negotiation Memorandum of 20 October 1971, p.18, in: UTD/Kaufman/B1F8. 4 The secret bases: Long Tieng in the late sixties, taken by Dan Gamelin (with kind permission from Dan Gamelin) Long Tieng (LS-20A) in the late sixties or early seventies (all photos in: UTD/Kirkpatrick/B31) 5 Although many of the Lima Sites that had been built in Laos since the early sixties had been overrun by enemy forces since then, some of them were still doing very well: Estimates say that in 1970, the population of Long Tieng was about 40,000 inhabitants, most of them Hmong soldiers and their families, but also including some 50 CIA men. There was an Air America chalet at Sam Thong (LS-20), which was a favorite overnight stay for pilots working in northern Laos, as it had 28 beds, hot-water showers, a laundry, hot meals served in a dining room, and a recreation lounge.11 There was also a CIA training-camp for the Nung-tribe in southern Laos since the early 60s.12 But the most important place was the secret base of Long Tieng, better known as “the Alternate” (LS-20A).13 Sam Thong (LS-20), the place where “Pop” Buell had built a hospital and where later a school and the Sam Thong College had been organized by Moua Lia and his teachers, was attacked and destroyed by North Vietnamese troops in the early morning of 19 March 1970. The hospital staff moved permanently to Ban Xon (LS-272), and Sam Thong College moved temporarily to Vientiane.14 Air America helicopter pilot Dick Casterlin recalls: “LS-272: […] I was only in and out delivering wounded and the sort. I do not think that I ever shut down there.”15 Then, the same day, the North Vietnamese troops infiltrated the southern ridge of Skyline, dug in, and directed their guns from above into the valley of Long Tieng. Many people were evacuated, others fled to Ban Xon. Still the very same day, on 19 March 70, Thai “volunteers” and Hmong from other positions were helicoptered in by Air America to help defend Long Tieng against the North Vietnamese. USAF A-1 Skyraiders and T-28s from Thailand joined the Hmong T-28s to bomb the enemy positions on Skyline Ridge. On 1 April 70, after receiving sustained heavy bombardment from US, Thai and Lao planes, the North Vietnamese finally withdrew from Skyline Ridge; Long Tieng had been held, but not without Thai air support, Thai artillery, and Thai ground troops.16 But in February 1971, the North Vietnamese came back: Again, they dug in Skyline Ridge and terrorized the valley with their 130mm field guns, but were immediately bombed by Hmong T-28s. In the early morning of 14 February 71, North Vietnamese commandos stormed Long Tieng, blowing up aircraft, ammunition dumps, and supply stocks. USAF F-4s called in from Thailand at dawn hit friendly positions as a result of panic and confusion, so that more people were killed by the US jets than by the enemy. This debacle would be referred to as the “Valentine’s Day Massacre”. From their mountain positions, North Vietnamese guns continued to shell Long Tieng for the next weeks; during this time, T-28s flew over 1,000 sorties in defense of the base at daytime, while at night, AC-47A Spooky gunships attacked the enemy ground positions illuminated by flares dropped from flareships.