Database Correction
From: "Lee, Thomas E. - SAIC" <TLee@NSES.com>
Subject: Information Correction
First I would like to establish my credentials with you, before I point out errors in the descriptive write-ups on approximately 20 entries in your data base.
The following is a paragraph from your description of the "Raven" FACs operating in Laos. We lost 21 of them from 1966-1973.
"...The U.S., in conjunction with non-communist forces in Laos, devised a system whereby U.S. military personnel could be "in the black" or "sheep-dipped" (clandestine; mustered out of the military to perform military duties as a civilian) to operate in Laos under supervision of the U.S. Ambassador to Laos."
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An error in the above description is that most of the US military personnel operating in Laos were NOT "sheep-dipped" as you described. We were in the "Black" in that we were technically not there, we were assigned to out of country units and our in-country existence was generally classified for part of the 1964-1973 period. (The existence of these operations was revealed during Congressional Hearings in late 1969 or 1970). The Raven Program and the complementary DoD Project 404 both began in 1966. However, there was no mustering out of the service for the Ravens or the Project 404 personnel. To my knowledge the only program that was "sheep dipped" as you described was Project Heavy Green (the Air Force troops supporting site 85 and the TACAN site support".
That accounted for under 100 people (13 were lost). There were military personnel operating within the Air America and CIA (CAS) operations that may have operated under different rules. Critically speaking, the US devised the sheep dipping process. It was used across the US intelligence community.
The non-communist forces had virtually nothing to do with that process. They did play a role in accepting the US military members in "civilian" status by accepting our presence and not "spilling the beans". We were not deceiving the opposition because they knew we were military. Our deception was aimed at the World scene and the US population regarding our activities in contravention of the 1962 Geneva Accords.
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This was a very unique period and very misunderstood period in our Military history due to its classified nature. Fortunately, we are able to tell our story now. Those of us that served in Laos are trying to correct this mis-information and myth that has grown up around these activities so they are better understood in the real context.
Respectfully,
(Thomas E. Lee, Colonel USAF (Ret))
Savannakhet, Laos
1968-1969
Here we are, twenty-five years later and Bill Clinton's a hero, Al Gore's a hero, and these real heros aren't recognized by anyone in government for their service to the USA.
It figures.
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