Went in a ski trip to Summit Country with an old friend from school. My friends father (Chuck) also joined us for the night and in the morning I took the opportunity to ask him about his service during the Vietnam War.
During the war Chuck was in the military training as a pilot. He said that during his training they told his class of pilots that there was an opportunity to join a secret group to join the fight, and that he and a few others from his class decided to join. He soon became one of a small group of CIA pilots that would be known as the "Ravens." This group of CIA pilots wore civilian clothes and flew small unmarked Cessna 0-1 Bird Dog aircraft in Loas during the war in Vietnam. These Raven pilots would scout for the North Vietnamese fighting inside Loas and report back their location for the US bombers.
Since my highschool days with his son, I knew that Chuck has been shot down during one of his missions, and that he had been awarded a purple heart for his US military service, so I took the opportunity to ask Chuck to tell his story. Chuck explained it was Christmas Eve 1971, and has been flying lower than usual trying to get under the trees to get a view of enemy combatants when his engine was hit by a 50 caliber bullet from the ground. Chuck said his immediate concern was to get far enough away to avoid capture, but the plane was going down. He said he was able to get a call off to Air America shortly before crashing his plane into dry rice patty. Chuck said when he gained consciousness gasoline from the plane was running down his back. Chuck's backseat Loation translator (who was already angry that he'd been flying too low) had ran off to avoid capture and certain death if he was found with Chuck by the Vietnamese. Chucks explained that his ankel was in bad shape, his back was injured and he had a few minor head injuries but he was able to exit the aircraft. Soon after crashing, he said an Air American helicopter came to his rescue in response to the call he was able to get off before crashing. Chuck said he felt bad that he had lost the groups aircraft and a week later although he couldn't walk on his ankle, he was back in the driver's seat again as a "Raven."
Thank you for your courage and patriotism Chuck!!
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