#Fra-Fra Tribesmen

[casbooks]

Books of 2023

Book 22 of 2023

Title: The Ravens: The Men Who Flew in America's Secret War in Laos Authors: Christopher Robbins ISBN: 9780517566121 Tags: A-1 Skyraiders, AC-47 Spooky, Ambassador Leonard Unger, Antonov AN-2 Colt, Aviation, B-52 Stratofortress, C-130 Hercules, C-46 Commando, C-47 Skytrain, CH-34 Choctaw, CIA Allen Dulles, CIA Hugh Tovar, COD Democratic Republic of the Congo - Congo-Kinshasa, COD Kinshasa (Leopoldville), COD Lubumbashi (Elisabethville), COD MNC Congolese National Movement, COD Mobutu Sese Seko, COD Patrice Lumumba, COD Simba Rebellion (1963-1965), CSAR, EC-47 Electric Goon, F-105 Thunderchief, F-4 Phantom II, FAC, Fast-FAC, FRA ADT Colonel Roger Trinquier, FRA ADT French Ground Army (Armée de terre), FRA ADT General Henri Navarre, FRA ADT General Raoul Salan, FRA ADT Marshall Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, FRA France, FRA Madame Lulu, From LAPL, HH-3E Jolly Green Giant, HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giants, IRN Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, IRN Iran, KHM Cambodia, KHM Cambodian Civil War (1967-1975), KHM Khmer Rouge, KHM King & President Norodom Sihanouk, KHM Phnom Penh, KHM Tonle Sap (Great Lake), LAO Attopeu, LAO Ban Ban, LAO Ban Ban Valley, LAO Ban Son, LAO Bataillon Guerrier 403 (Laotian Civil War), LAO Blind Bonze Pho Satheu, LAO Bolovens Plateau, LAO Colonel Deuan Sunnalath, LAO Communist Neutralists, LAO Defense Minister Sisouk Na Champassak, LAO Hmong Meo Tribesmen, LAO Hotel Lima, LAO ICC Internationl Control Commission, LAO Ice House One and Two, LAO Jungle's Mouth, LAO Khang Khay, LAO Khang Khay - Chinese Cultural Center, LAO King Savang Vatthana, LAO King Sisavang Vong, LAO Klick 11, LAO Lam Son 719 (1971) (Vietnam War), LAO Lan Xiang 9 - Raven Hooch, LAO Laos, LAO Laotian Civil War (1959-1975), LAO Les Rendezvous des Amis, LAO Lhat Houang, LAO Lima 35 - Paksane (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 103 - Phu Da Pho (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 108 - Moung Soui (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 113 - Moung Cha (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 15 - Ba Na (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 15 - Phong Saly (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 20 - Sam Thong (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 204 - Khang Kho (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 20A - Long Tieng (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 262 - Ban Xon / Ban Houei Pamone (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 276 - Lat Sen (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 32 - Boung Lam (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 36 - Na Khang (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 46 - Seno (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 85 - Phu Pha Thi (Laotian Civil War), LAO Long Tieng, LAO Luang Prabang, LAO Moung Soui, LAO MR Military Region (Laotian Civil War), LAO MR1 (Laotian Civil War), LAO MR2 (Laotian Civil War), LAO MR3 (Laotian Civil War), LAO MR4 (Laotian Civil War), LAO MR5 (Laotian Civil War), LAO Muong Mai, LAO Nong Het, LAO Operation About Face / Kou Kiet (1969) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Barrel Roll (1964-1973) (Laotian Civil War) (Vietnam War), LAO Operation Bedrock (1971) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Black Lion IV (1972) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Blind Bat (1964-1970) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Glass A (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Goodlook (1970) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Leapfrog (1970) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Nighty-Night (1969) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Northwind (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Pig Fat (1968) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Rain Dance (1969) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Shining Brass / Prairie Fire / Phu Dong (1965-1975) (Laotian Civil War) (Vietnam War), LAO Operation Steel Tiger (1965-1968) (Laotian Civil War) (Vietnam War), LAO Operation Tiger Hound (1965-1968) (Laotian Civil War) (Vietnam War), LAO Operation Westwind (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation White Star (1959-1961) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation X (1946-1954) (French Indochina War), LAO Operation Yankee Team (1964) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Padong, LAO Pakse, LAO Paksong, LAO Pathet Lao, LAO Phong Saly, LAO Phou Khean, LAO Phou Nok Kok (Black Lion), LAO Phou Tham, LAO Plain of Jars / Plaine des Jarres, LAO Prime Minister Phoui Sananikone, LAO Prime Minister Souvanna Phouma, LAO Prince Souvanna Phouma, LAO Project Waterpump (1964-1973) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Purple Porpoise, LAO RLA Captain Kong Le, LAO RLA General Oudone Sananikone, LAO RLA General Phoumi Nosavan, LAO RLA General Vang Pao, LAO RLA Royal Laotian Army, LAO RLA SGU Special Guerrilla Units, LAO RLAF CPK Chao Pha Khao Hmong Pilots/Backseaters (Laotian Civil War), LAO RLAF Lt Colonel Lee Lue, LAO RLAF Royal Lao Air Force, LAO Roadrunner Lake, LAO Route 13, LAO Route 19, LAO Route 23, LAO Route 4, LAO Route 6, LAO Route 7, LAO Route 7/71 Junction, LAO Route 71, LAO Sam Nuea, LAO Sam Thong, LAO Saravane, LAO Se Kong River, LAO Skyline Ridge, LAO St. Valentine's Day Massacre (Laotian Civil War), LAO Tchepone, LAO US Programs Evaluation Office (Laotian Civil War), LAO USAF Butterfly FAC (Laotian Civil War), LAO USAF Project 404 (Laotian Civil War), LAO USAF Steve Canyon Program - Ravens FAC (Laotian Civil War), LAO Vientiane, LAO Vientiane - US Air Attache (Laotian Civil War), LAO Vientiane - US Embassy (Laotian Civil War), LAO Wattay Airport, LAO White Rose, LAO Xieng Khouang, LBY Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi, LBY Libya, O-1 Bird Dog, OV-10 Bronco, Pilatus Porter, PT-76 Amphibious Light Tank, SpecOps, T-28 Trojan, THA Ban Vinai, THA CIA 4802 Joint Liaison Detachment Logistics Office - Udorn (Laotian Civil War), THA Nam Phang, THA PARU Border Patrol Police Aerial Resupply Unit, THA RTAF Royal Thai Air Force, THA RTAFB Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Base, THA RTAFB Ubon Royal Thai Air Base, THA RTAFB Udorn Royal Thai Air Base, THA Thailand, THA USAF ISC Infiltration Surveillance Center - Nakhon Phanom (Igloo White) (Vietnam War), U-17 Skywagon, US Air America Eugene Hasenfus, US Albert Hakim, US Ambassador George McMurtrie Godley III, US Ambassador Llewellyn Thompson, US Ambassador William Sullivan, US Averrell Harriman (Governor of NY) (Ambassador at Large), US CIA Anthony Posepny (Tony Poe), US CIA Burr Smith, US CIA Central Intelligence Agency, US CIA Dave Morales, US CIA Douglas Blaufarb, US CIA Ed Wilson, US CIA Frank Snepp, US CIA Henry Hecksher, US CIA Jerry 'Hog' Daniels, US CIA John Stockwell, US CIA Kham Sing (Gold Lion), US CIA Lawrence Devlin, US CIA Pat Landry, US CIA Phillip Agee, US CIA Richard Helms, US CIA Ted Shackley, US CIA Tom Clines, US CIA Will Green (Black Lion), US CIA William Colby, US COA CASI Continental Air Services International, US COA Continental Airlines, US Dr. Henry Kissinger, US Edgar "Pop" Buell, US Father Lucien Bouchard (Catholic Priest), US Iran-Conta Affair, US John Gunther Dean (Diplomat), US President Dwight D. Eisenhower, US Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird, US Secretary of State Dean Rusk, US Senator Edward Kennedy, US Senator J. William Fullbright, US Senator Stuart Symington, US State Department, US T.D. Allman (Journalist), US Tom Corcoran (Diplomat), US USA Biological Warfare Corps, US USA General Earle Wheeler, US USA General William Westmoreland, US USA Green Berets, US USA United States Army, US USA USSF Special Forces, US USAF 14th Air Commando Wing, US USAF 1st Air Commando Wing, US USAF 1st Air Commando Wing - Det 6 (Laotian Civil War), US USAF 20th Helicopter Squadron, US USAF 22nd Special Operations Sqd - Zorro, US USAF 23rd TASS - NAIL FAC, US USAF 23rd TASS - OL1 - Rustic FAC (Ubon) (Cambodian Civil War) (Vietnam War), US USAF 56th Air Commando Wing, US USAF 56th Special Operations Wing, US USAF 56th Special Operations Wing - Det 1, US USAF 7th ABCCC Airborne Command and Control Sqd - Cricket, US USAF 7th Air Force, US USAF 7th/13th Air Force, US USAF Colonel Mike Heenan, US USAF Fairchild Air Force Base WA, US USAF General Curtis LeMay, US USAF General George Brown, US USAF General John D. Lavelle, US USAF General Louis T. Seith, US USAF General Richard V. Secord, US USAF General William Momyer, US USAF Generl Robert L. Petit, US USAF Gus Sonnenberg, US USAF Hurlburt Field FL, US USAF JEST Jungle Environment Survival Training, US USAF Lt Colonel George Vogel, US USAF Lt Colonel Mark Berent, US USAF Major General Harry Heinie Aderholt, US USAF Major John Clark Pratt, US USAF United States Air Force, US USMC Lt Colonel Oliver North, US USMC United States Marine Corps, USAID, USSR 1st Secretary Nikita Khrushchev, USSR Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko, VNM 1972 Easter Offensive (1972) (Vietnam War), VNM Bien Hoa, VNM Bien Hoa Air Base (Vietnam War), VNM CIA Air America (1950-1976) (Vietnam War), VNM DRV Lao Dong Party, VNM DRV NVA 148th Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 174th Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 312th Division, VNM DRV NVA 316th Division, VNM DRV NVA 766th Regiment, VNM DRV NVA General Vo Nguyen Giap, VNM DRV NVA Group 559, VNM DRV NVA North Vietnamese Army, VNM DRV NVAF North Vietnamese Air Force, VNM DRV VC Viet Cong, VNM DRV VM 304th Division, VNM DRV VM Regiment 98, VNM DRV VM Viet Minh, VNM FRA ADT Cap St Jacques Military School, VNM French Indochina War (1946-1954), VNM Green Beret Affair (Vietnam War), VNM Ho Chi Minh Trail (Vietnam War), VNM II Corps (Vietnam War), VNM Nha Trang, VNM Operation Arc Light (1965-1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Igloo White (1968-1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Linebacker II (1972) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Pony Express (1965-1969) (Laotian Civil War) (Cambodian Civil War) (Vietnam War), VNM Paris Peace Accords (1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Phan Rang Air Base, VNM RVN ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam, VNM RVN Nguyen Van Thieu, VNM RVN Vietnamization Policy (Vietnam War), VNM US MACV Military Assistance Command Vietnam (Vietnam War), VNM USAF TACC Tactical Air Control Center - BLUE CHIP (Vietnam War), VNM Vietnam, VNM Vietnam War (1955-1975) Rating: ★★★★★ (5 Stars) Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Laotian Civil War.Aviation.FAC.Ravens

Description: Officially the war in Laos did not exist - both North Vietnam and the USA denied they had troops there. In fact, thousands of North Vietnamese were invading the country and pouring down the Ho Chi Minh Trail on their way to the south, and the Americans were fighting a vigorous war against them from the air.

The Ravens were the pilots, all volunteers, who flew through heavy groundfire to identify targets and call in air-strikes. Their mission was so secret that they were 'sold' their prop-driven planes for a dollar apiece so they could be struck from US Air Force records. They wore no uniform and carried no identification. Refugees from the bureaucracy of the war in Vietnam, they accepted the murderous casualty rates of what was known as the Steve Canyon Program in return for a life of unrestricted flying and fighting.

Devoted to the hill tribesmen they fought alongside, the Ravens did their job with extraordinary skill and crazy courage and with a humour that was all of its own. This is the story, brilliantly told for the first time, of these extraordinary men. Based on extensive interviews with the survivors, it is a tale of undeniable heroism, blending real-life romance, adventure and tragedy.

Review: This was a great book with a lot of problems. 

The #1 problem was that I was reading an ebook version from Apostrophe books that was, quite simply, poorly done. So many issues with the conversion... I’s became 1′s... places and names were spelled 3 different ways throughout the book... issues like that.

The #2 problem was that there were multiple stories being told in a book about one story. This book had some good info on the Raven FACs, but it also went deeply into the story of the Laotian Civil War, the French Indochina War, the Hmong people, Henry Kissinger and the Nixon Administration. All of these things are intertwined and important, but the author uses up a LOT of the books real estate for these topics which tends to take a lot of the focus away form the Ravens, which the book is supposed to be about. 

It’s still a 5 star book because it does go deeply into the stories of the who, the what, the when, and the where. You get a real good feel for the cast of characters that made up the Raven FACs, and you learn a lot about the Laotian Civil War, the CIA, the political issues and more. 

It’s really a good primer and a good way to get a feel for what happened in the region. 

#Books #Ebooks #Booklr #Bookblr #nonfiction #history #military history #laos #hmong #laotian civil war #vietnam war #forward air controller #Raven FAC

[casbooks]

Books of 2023

Book 18 of 2023

Title: Meeting Steve Canyon: ...And Flying With the CIA in Laos Authors: Karl L. Polifka ISBN: 9781490979854 Tags: A-1 Skyraider, A-37 Dragonfly, AC-119K Stinger, AUS Australia, AUS RAAF No 35 Sqd - Wallaby, AUS RAAF Royal Australian Air Force, AUS Sydney, B-57 Canberra, Boeing 707, C-7 Caribou, CHN China, CHN Hong Kong, CHN Kowloon, EC-121 Warning Star, EC-130 Commando Solo, F-100 Super Sabre, F-105 Thunderchief, F-4 Phantom II, FAC, Fast-FAC, FRA France, FRA SDECE GCMA Mixed Airborne Commando Group, FRA SDECE Service de Documentation Extérieure et de Contre-Espionnage, HH-53 Jolly Greens, HKG Hong Kong, LAO Ban Ban Valley, LAO Ban Moung Ngan, LAO Boung Lam, LAO Fishes Mouth Region, LAO Forward Air Guide RAINBOW (Laotian Civil War), LAO Hmong Meo Tribesmen, LAO Houi Hok, LAO ICC Internationl Control Commission, LAO Khang Khai, LAO Lima Site 108 - Moung Soui (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 15 - Phong Saly (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 184 - Houei Tong Kho (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 198 - Houi Hok (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 20 - Sam Thong (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 20A - Long Tieng (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 236 - Ban Moung Ngan (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 32 - Boung Lam (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 36 - Na Khang (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 46 - Seno (Laotian Civil War), LAO Lima Site 54 - Luang Prabang (Laotian Civil War), LAO Long Tieng, LAO Luang Prabang, LAO Moung Soi, LAO MR Military Region (Laotian Civil War), LAO MR2 (Laotian Civil War), LAO Na Khang, LAO Nong Het, LAO Operation About Face / Kou Kiet (1969) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Barrel Roll (1964-1973) (Laotian Civil War) (Vietnam War), LAO Operation Palace Dog (1966-1973) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Shining Brass / Prairie Fire / Phu Dong (1965-1975) (Laotian Civil War) (Vietnam War), LAO Operation Snare Drum (1969) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Operation Stranglehold (1969) (Laotian Civil War), LAO Phnom Nam Lyr, LAO Phong Saly, LAO Phu Na Kok, LAO Plain of Jars / Plaine des Jarres, LAO RLA General Vang Pao, LAO RLA RT Hotplate (Laotian Civil War), LAO RLA SGU Special Guerrilla Units, LAO RLAF Lt Colonel Lee Lue, LAO RLAF Royal Lao Air Force, LAO Route 13, LAO Route 4, LAO Route 7, LAO Sam Nuea, LAO Sam Thong, LAO Seno, LAO USAF Project 404 (Laotian Civil War), LAO USAF Steve Canyon Program - Ravens FAC (Laotian Civil War), LAO Vientiane, LAO Xieng Khoung, O-1 Bird Dog, O-2 Skymaster, PsyOps, SpecOps, T-28 Trojan, THA RTAFB Korat Royal Thai Air Base, THA RTAFB Nakon Phanom Royal Thai Air Base, THA RTAFB Takhli Royal Thai Air Base, THA RTAFB Ubon Royal Thai Air Base, THA RTAFB Udorn Royal Thai Air Base, THA Thailand, THA USAF ISC Infiltration Surveillance Center - Nakhon Phanom, THA USN NGSD Camp Ramasun Station, U-17 Skywagon, UK Force 136 (SOE), UK Special Operations Executive (SOE), US COA CASI Continental Air Services International, US COA Continental Airlines, US Father Lucien Bouchard (Catholic Priest), US PAA Pan American World Airlines, US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, US USA General Creighton Abrams, US USA Green Berets, US USA United States Army, US USA USSF Special Forces, US USAF 12th Air Commando Sqd - Hades, US USAF 12th Special Operations Sqd - Hades, US USAF 20th TASS - Covey, US USAF 21st TASS - Walt FAC, US USAF 22nd Special Operations Sqd - Zorro, US USAF 23rd TASS - NAIL, US USAF 34th TFS - Hatchet, US USAF 354th TFS - Newark, US USAF 355th TFW - Vegas, US USAF 388th TFW - Scuba, US USAF 388th TFW - Tiger, US USAF 416th TFW, US USAF 416th TFW - Det 1 - Misty, US USAF 432nd TRW - Laredo, US USAF 433rd TFS - Machete, US USAF 497th TFSq - Agile, US USAF 504th TASG, US USAF 505th Tactical Control Group, US USAF 555th TFS, US USAF 557th TFS - Sharkbait, US USAF 56th Special Operations Wing, US USAF 56th Special Operations Wing - Det 1, US USAF 602nd Special Operations Sqd - Firefly, US USAF 609th Air Commando Sqd - Nimrod, US USAF 609th Special Operations Sqd - Nimrod, US USAF 612th TFS - Tide, US USAF 7th ABCCC Airborne Command and Control Sqd - Alley Cat, US USAF 7th ABCCC Airborne Command and Control Sqd - Cricket, US USAF 7th/13th Air Force, US USAF ANG Air National Guard, US USAF General George S. Brown, US USAF TACP Tactical Air Control party, US USN NSGD Naval Security Group Detachment, US USN United States Navy, VNM AUS RAAF RTFV Royal Transport Flight Vietnam - Wallaby (Vietnam War), VNM Ban Me Thout, VNM Cam Ranh Bay, VNM CIA Air America (1950-1976) (Vietnam War), VNM CIA Phung Hoang / Phoenix Program (1965-1972) (Vietnam War), VNM Dak Lak, VNM DRV NVA 312th Division, VNM DRV NVA 316th Division, VNM DRV NVA North Vietnamese Army, VNM DRV VC Viet Cong, VNM Duc Lap, VNM Duc Xuyen, VNM Gia Nghia, VNM Ho Chi Minh Trail (Vietnam War), VNM II Corps (Vietnam War), VNM Montagnard, VNM Operation Banana Ditch (1969), VNM Operation Combat Skyspot (1965-1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Igloo White (1968-1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Ranch Hand (1962-1971) (Vietnam War), VNM Phan Rang, VNM Pleiku, VNM Quang Duc Province, VNM Route 13, VNM Route 8, VNM RVN ARVN 22th ID, VNM RVN ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam, VNM RVN ARVN CIDG Civilian Irregular Defense Group, VNM RVN ARVN RF/PF Regional Forces/Popular Forces (Vietnam War), VNM RVN RVNP CSDB PRU Provincial Reconnaissance Units (Vietnam War), VNM RVN SVNAF South Vietnamese Air Force, VNM RVN SVNAF South Vietnamese Air Force - Jackpot, VNM Tan Son Nhut Air Base, VNM Tan Son Nhut Air Base - Camp Alpha (Vietnam War), VNM US Agent Orange (Vietnam War), VNM US MACV Advisory Team 32 (Vietnam War), VNM US MACV Advisory Teams (Vietnam War), VNM US MACV Military Assistance Command Vietnam (Vietnam War), VNM US MACVSOG (1964-1972) (Vietnam War), VNM US USN NAF Naval Air Facility Cam Ranh (Vietnam War), VNM US USSF Mobile Strike Force (MIKE) (Vietnam War), VNM USAF DASC Direct Air Support Center (Vietnam War), VNM USAF II Corps DASC / 505th TCG - Carbon Outlaw (Vietnam War), VNM USAF TACC Tactical Air Control Center - BLUE CHIP (Vietnam War) Rating: ★★★★★ (5 Stars) Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Aviation.USAF.FAC, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Laotian Civil War, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Laotian Civil War.Ravens

Description: A personal account of a USAF Forward Air Controller in a remote highland province in South Vietnam in 1969 and how he met "Steve Canyon" and transitioned to the "secret" war in Laos, living with the CIA and the Hmong clans and having near-complete control over the use of US airpower. This account has many illustrations of the grinding stress of intense combat in Laos, and the periodic clashes with the distant headquarters that had little knowledge of an extremely complex combat environment and was more focused on control rather than results.

Review: This book is one of the rare 5 stars for me. There were parts of the book that were absolutely incredible and make this book a must read! While it’s not a perfect book, those parts really showcase how this genre should be written. Instead of just saying “I flew here... I did this” ... he actually walks you through the mission, the steps, where he put his hands, how he got into the aircraft, what he saw, what he thought, what he felt. There is always more to the story than just what someone did... it’s important to make the tale multidimensional and also explain why in a big and small picture way. This author really did that well. At times the book slogs and gets more into the I flew 10 sorties that day, went to the bar, woke up the next day. He also talks a lot about the failures of the whole war and how it was run, which occupied too much space of the book. And yet, even with those criticisms, the book is really excellent! 

You get to see a side of the vietnam war in II corps, as well as the Laotian civil war, and the command and control issues with both, and the success and failure in both. 

Definitely a great read about a forward air controller during that time!

#Books #Ebooks #Booklr #Bookblr #vietnam war #Laotian civil war #non fiction #history #usaf #forward air controller #fac #USAF Ravens #CIA