This work is an expression of my experiences as a Raven Forward Air Controller during the secret war in Laos. My window of participation was from December 1969 thru June 1970. This work is about people I knew who risk their life in a fight for the freedom of others and whose lives were twisted and tempered in the crucible of Regional Civil Wars. This is a story of promise, betrayal, and hardship that progressed to a refugee gateway leading to compassion, freedom, education, and prosperity. The Hmong, Lao, Cambodian, Montagnard, and Vietnamese refugees from the Vietnam Area War produced vibrant communities in the United States. The Hmong preserved and learned to adapt to the American system without losing their cultural identity as Hmong or Americans. The Hmong have cleared the path and set the example for new refugees to follow.

Non-fiction, Faith, Secret war Laos 1970, combat photography, personal account, LS 20A, Raven Forward Air Controller, O-1 Bird dog, AT-28D, U17B. Vang Pao, Hmong resistance, Government corruption. We were birds of prey; finding and destroying targets of opportunity and defending allied outposts. We dueled with dragons every day. In a flash of time, at the speed of haste, we pressed forward in the straps to the next battle, knowing many of us would die very young. Living in the present, and sculpting the future as best we could; we did our best to free the oppressed. Allied pilots flew with conspicuous bravery that others could live in Freedom's dignity, and love in her blessings of peace. Worthy dreams are too often victims of reality, like wilderness and paradise, light and dark, and long life. Ravens shared leaded air and warrior stories. "It feels so good when gunners miss." Close Air Support, Guerrilla Warfare. Ambassador's Secret War. USIS, AIRA, ARMA, My Ravens, General Vang Pao. Hmong Freedom Fighters, Robin Scout Translators, Chao Pha Khao Fighter Pilots, Special Guerrilla Unit (SGU), Special Operations, SKY, CAS, Air America, Continental Air, Refugees, USAID, Project 404, Det. 1 56th SOW, DEPCHIEF, RTA, RTAF, RLA, RLAF, RLG, PL, LPLA, NVA, PAVN, ICC, This work is an expression of my experiences as a Raven Forward Air Controller during the secret war in Laos. My window of participation was from December 1969 thru June 1970. This work is about people I knew who risk their life in a fight for the freedom of others and whose lives were twisted and tempered in the crucible of Regional Civil Wars. This is a story of promise, betrayal, and hardship that progressed to a refugee gateway leading to compassion, freedom, education, and prosperity. The Hmong, Lao, Cambodian, Montagnard, and Vietnamese refugees from the Vietnam Area War produced vibrant communities in the United States. The Hmong preserved and learned to adapt to the American system without losing their cultural identity as Hmong or Americans. The Hmong have cleared the path and set the example for new refugees to follow. I hope this work is helpful to many in understanding the Raven's mission during the Secret war in Laos. This work should be encouraging for war refugees new to America. United Stated military veterans should find goodwill in stories of survival and courage against great odds. "Freedom is not Free."

In this compelling account, Halliday takes readers inside a top-secret air base and into the cockpit of an antiquated plane that was a lifeline for special forces on the ground in 1970 Laos during the Vietnam War.

Written by a pilot that did what was required, like many of us that were there. This work is an expression of my experiences as a Raven Forward Air Controller during the secret war in Laos. My window of participation was from December 1969 thru June 1970. This work is about people I knew who risk their lives in a fight for the freedom of others and whose lives were twisted and tempered in the crucible of Regional Civil Wars. This is a story of promise, betrayal, and hardship that progressed to a refugee gateway leading to compassion, freedom, education, and prosperity. The Hmong, Lao, Cambodian, Montagnard, and Vietnamese refugees from the Vietnam Area War produced vibrant communities in the United States. The Hmong preserved and learned to adapt to the American system without losing their cultural identity as Hmong or Americans. The Hmong have cleared the path and set the example for new refugees to follow.

The tale of a young Green Beret medic, Vietnam combat veteran with the top secret Studies and Observations Group (SOG) who was recruited by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).Schofield worked 51/2 years providing medical support for the Hmong and other Hill Tribes who fought the CIA's secret war in Northern Laos, and was among the last Americans to leave SE Asia in May 1975.It was a surreal time and place that would be impossible to even imagine today."Schofiled's book reflects a genuine love for the Hmong and their culture, as well as a vast knowledge of their efforts during our 'secret war' in Laos in the 1960s and 1970s. Read and learn some actual facts; not overblown rhetoric from another barstool hero." -Stephen R. Leopold is Colonel, SF, USA (Ret)"Schofield's book will be a welcome, informative addition to recent books released on the early days of Green Beret history in Southeast Asia. De Oppresso Liber." -John Stryker Meyer is author of SOG Chronicles, Across the Fence and On the Ground

This novel takes place during the '70s violent and "secret war" at an American CIA firebase in Laos, run by a brutal commander, Jimmy Love. Seasoned Special Ops agent, Zack Ogle, and beautiful Laotian doctor fall madly in love.

The story of special air warfare and the Air Commandos who served for the ambassadors in Laos from 1964 to 1975 is captured through extensive research and veteran interviews. The author has meticulously put together a comprehensive overview of the involvement of USAF Air Commandos who served in Laos as trainers, advisors, and clandestine combat forces to prevent the communist takeover of the Royal Lao Government. This book includes pictures of those operations, unveils what had been a US government secret war, and adds a substantial contribution to understanding the wider war in Southeast Asia.

This work is an expression of my experiences as a Raven Forward Air Controller during the secret war in Laos. My window of participation was from December 1969 thru June 1970. This work is about people I knew who risk their life in a fight for the freedom of others and whose lives were twisted and tempered in the crucible of Regional Civil Wars. This is a story of promise, betrayal, and hardship that progressed to a refugee gateway leading to compassion, freedom, education, and prosperity. The Hmong, Lao, Cambodian, Montagnard, and Vietnamese refugees from the Vietnam Area War produced vibrant communities in the United States. The Hmong preserved and learned to adapt to the American system without losing their cultural identity as Hmong or Americans. The Hmong have cleared the path and set the example for new refugees to follow.

In June of 1960 Mike Bauer is a naïve idealistic 22-year-old Minnesota farm boy with a freshly-minted Agronomy Degree who wants to do good in the world and have some adventures while doing it. "Those faraway places with the strange sounding names" are calling him. He signs on for two years at $75 a month as an agricultural advisor with a missionary society supported by his church and hits the jackpot. Laos is almost exactly half way around the world from New Germania, Minnesota, can't get farther away than that. Xiengkhouang and Naxaithong and Lhat Sen sound exotic enough for you? Those are just some of the places. How about the people? Is Prince-General Phongphasansak Inxixiengmai enough of a mouthful? Mike gets what he signed up for, and a lot more. Finds himself posted to a mission at Lhat Sen which is in middle of a war his superiors hadn't told him about-possibly because they didn't know about it themselves. That's just beginning of the craziness, danger and adventure. He soon begins to call Laos "Alice in Wonderland." Things just keep getting "curiouser and curiouser..".for sixteen years. But long before those sixteen years are up in 1976 and Mike returns to his native Minnesota he has become "Mysterious Mike." A CIA master spy? An international drug Lord? The "Lawrence of Laos"? A bloody-handed war criminal? An unsung hero? Or is he just what he says he is, an agricultural advisor to the Hmong mountain people. The brave men and women (and children) who fought so long and hard and skillfully against the Communist takeover of Laos. They needed much more than advice on how to improve their crops. They needed help surviving...and in the end they needed help escaping the Communists and finding a new home...in Minnesota. Mike Bauer did what he could to help them. With all of that!

This work is an expression of my experiences as a Raven Forward Air Controller during the secret war in Laos. My window of participation was from December 1969 thru June 1970. This work is about people I knew who risk their life in a fight for the freedom of others and whose lives were twisted and tempered in the crucible of Regional Civil Wars. This is a story of promise, betrayal, and hardship that progressed to a refugee gateway leading to compassion, freedom, education, and prosperity. The Hmong, Lao, Cambodian, Montagnard, and Vietnamese refugees from the Vietnam Area War produced vibrant communities in the United States. The Hmong preserved and learned to adapt to the American system without losing their cultural identity as Hmong or Americans. The Hmong have cleared the path and set the example for new refugees to follow.