Laos Combat Operations: Raven 25 Story

U.S. Air Force Pilot Darrel Whitcomb flew combat missions over Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia during the Vietnam War. Whitcomb volunteered along with a very small, select, group of volunteer U.S. Air Force pilots to fly Forward Air Control (FAC) operations in a highly secret U.S. government program (The Ravens) in the Secret War in Laos. Wearing civilian clothes, piloting small, unarmed prop-driven aircraft, taking life-and-death risks on every hazardous mission and given little to no guidance other than to direct deadly fires on the enemy. The Ravens had one of the highest casualty rates of any group of allied combatants during the entire Vietnam War. As Ravens, these Airborne FACs guided fast-mover U.S. fixed wing fighters and bombers onto enemy targets in an effort to stop the North Vietnamese invasion of Laos, and assist Hmong, Royal Laos, and Thai allies. This is Whitcomb’s story as a Raven is his own words.
Raven pilots at 01:42 are left to right, Darrel Whitcomb, Chuck 'Buddha' Hines, Craig Dunn. Terry Pfaff, and “H” Ownby
‪@CarterOnConflict‬

[@TADAMS-zt4zz]

Thank you Dr. Carter, another outstanding piece of work! You are doing us all a great service by recording these oral histories. Raven 25 is a great storyteller. He and the people he worked with are true heroes. I look forward to your next video, keep 'em coming please!

[@CarterOnConflict]

Captain Adam’s, the joy I receive from making these videos is only exceeded by the humble honor I feel in having astute, well-judged patriotic Americans such as yourself enjoy them. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@vanmalaphongsavan1331]

, Thank you Darrel Whitcomb for your flew combat mission over Laos.

[@leegossett7272]

What a great recall of the Raven’s outstanding missions flown . I worked with these Ravens during my time as a CASI Porter pilot in Laos. Lee Gossett

[@CarterOnConflict]

Lee, always good to hear from you. Thanks for the note.

[@falcon5215]

The work you are doing sharing these stories is incredibly important. Thank you and thanks to Mr. Whitcomb.

[@CarterOnConflict]

Andrew, I appreciate you watching and commenting, and I appreciate your encouragement.

[@CamilleCullen-ow6qj]

Thank you Mr. Whitcomb for your service. It is because of guys like you that we live in a free country!

[@CarterOnConflict]

Amen Camille. Did you have any family members in the service? (Doesn’t matter, but with your comment you seem like a true Patriot and great American, maybe with service connections). Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@PatrickW-rx1mm]

Hello Darrel, Nail65 in '67-'68 here. Laos did have it's moments but I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

[@CarterOnConflict]

Thanks for your comment and service sir.

[@erikmcdonald3041]

I was in Laos in 1972 as a tourist and met an old friend flying with the falcons out of Vientiane.Crazy days.

[@CarterOnConflict]

Erik, I bet those were crazy days indeed. I am envious - I would like to have seen it back in those days. Of course when we are young we don’t think of these things, but did you keep a journal or ever write down your recollections?

[@carverbob54]

Another excellent instalment. It is one thing to read great books like The Ravens, or other titles written by those who were there, but it is invaluable to hear their experiences in their own words. Great job Dr. P!

[@CarterOnConflict]

Bob, always great to hear from you. Thanks always for your support.

[@JimDAVEY-tu2vv]

Thanks Dr. CARTER ... By the way, Raven 25 mentioned he was assigned to Detachment 1 56th Special Operations Wing (the unit in which I served 13 ninths as an enlisted airman and became Liaison to enlist Lao) ... and that he out processed and was immediately sent to Vientiane ... Most Raven articles skip the name of the unit, so it is understandable that "The Det" as were were referred to as. is almost unknown. I've not been able to track down the facts, but I recall being told that Det 1 56th Special Ops (which included Ravens) had the highest casualty rate of any flying unit in the war ... Wonder if you have seen any data about that? As alway, I too look forward to your posts! Stay safe.

[@CarterOnConflict]

Jim, always great to hear from you. The Ravens kept their own stats that showed - as I recall - almost a 12 percent casualty rate. That would put them at one of the highest. Now, I have not heard of any rates regarding 1 56th as a whole and as you well know, unit records (at least JUSMAGTHAI) were burnt after the war. I know no way of reconstructing those records in the sense of counting. It is one of the calamities of the way. And you would know better than I all the units associated with The Det, so one would have to approach such a stat in that manner. Thank you again Jim.

[@rwjr1944]

Another great video. Thank you for keeping this portion of the war known.

[@CarterOnConflict]

Thank you for watching, and commenting, I greatly appreciate it.

[@dswiger]

Having met FAC Darrel Whitcomb at the last reunion, I was impressed with his presentation on this topic. Looking forward to the next reunion

[@CarterOnConflict]

Ah, how fortunate are you! I hope someday I can attend a reunion. Living overseas kind of keeps me out of the loop on so much. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@dswiger]

@@CarterOnConflict Our last FAC reunion is this October. It's our "fini" flight. They have been gathering since before 2000. Now we're getting too old. Sad but true.

[@CarterOnConflict]

@@dswiger it has been determined this is the last one?!?! I did not know!

[@jjm7160]

Awesome content Dr. Carter and thank you for your service Colonel Whitcomb. I'm going on a trip to Vietnam and Laos in the next month. Partly because I have a fascination with the people, culture and history there and too pay tribute to those who died on both sides during the long and brutal Indochina war, including my great-uncle who was KIA in South Vietnam with the Australian Army. The Raven FACs have long fascinated me, due to the amount of combat they saw and the stress of the job. I breifly served as a forward observer in a peace time army, and found directing arty, stressful enough in training where as a Vietnam-era FAC piloting an aircraft , directing CAS and arty danger close to friendly forces in combat, while taking ground fire. That requires balls of steel and nerves and a brain to match it.

[@CarterOnConflict]

Thank you so much for that very thoughtful comment Jim, and best of luck in your travels to Laos and Vietnam. God bless our allies the Australians who fought well in Vietnam! And given you were a FAC, certainly you can appreciate the difficulty of such a job. I’m sure you have seen this video of mine, but if not: Ravens Part II: Their Stories kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5DMomx4i7-DntU

[@jgood9810]

Another great piece of work. Thanks Doc.

[@CarterOnConflict]

Thank you for watching - tell your dad I appreciate his service. Those vets didn’t get the honor they deserved, as you well know.

[@richardcoggins739]

Another great video from you. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[@CarterOnConflict]

Richard, thank you for watching and commenting. I’m blessed getting to know so many warriors.

[@sidneykahn3524]

Thanks Dr. Carter.

[@CarterOnConflict]

Sidney, thank you for watching and commenting, I greatly appreciate it.

[@supasannok8024]

ขอบคุณที่จัดทำวีดีโอที่ให้ความรู้เหมาะกับการศึกษาเรียนรู้ประวัติศาสตร์แก่เยาวชนรุ่นหลัง ขอชื่นชมค่ะ😊👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@CarterOnConflict]

Well thank you so much. I appreciate that Supa.

[@MrEye4get]

Amazing bravery and essential duty!

[@CarterOnConflict]

Thank you for watching - I hope you watch and enjoy other videos on my channel which feature similar stories from Raven and Air America pilots.

[@sengphethkeopraseuth5646]

Thank you very much for sharing your wonderful thoughts to let lao new generation know about lao politics and indochina war

[@CarterOnConflict]

I appreciate you watching and commenting!

[@richardyoder3646]

Love your videos doctor

[@CarterOnConflict]

Richard, if it wasn’t for supporters like you, I would not be doing these. I so appreciate you watching and commenting. I have many more interesting ones coming. Thank you.

[@chip9649]

Loved the video

[@CarterOnConflict]

Chip, thank you so much for watching and commenting.

[@pollydor07]

1972-73 I already left ATTAPEU HILLS west of the trail 1971 . I was stationed up on the hills west of the trail per ordered of the CIA Officers in Laos to intercepted NVA escaped from the trail during B-52 bombarded them . Many of KHMER Republic Army Recon Teams was on the trail gave coordinated to CIA then relayed to B-52 From AMERICAN Air Force base in Thailand UTAPAO enroute to the trail for carpet bombing

[@stevewhitton8671]

Thank you Dr. Paul. I have communicated with Darrel when I was working on my 6-Feb-67 loss. I have a question. When did the Vietnamese military stop searching out Hmong people that helped the US during the war. I had viewed a disturbing documentary that had been produced years ago by a journalist that went to the mountains to view the people in flight

[@CarterOnConflict]

Steve, I’m curious myself as to the answer to your question, and I would think some of the ethnic Hmong here in the US would have more insight. I don’t know the answer, I am aware of the video you mention. I’ll share something interesting, last Dec I was doing sone charity work in the PDJ and the local school official told us one morning our visit to one school might have to be delayed as overnight there had been sone unspecified attack “by Vang Pao’s” people. I was surprised that 50 years later that was still on their lips.

[@stevewhitton8671]

@@CarterOnConflict after seeing that video, it affected me for a long time

[@CarterOnConflict]

@@stevewhitton8671 it was so sad, so disheartening. There are still some type of disaffected Hmong elements in what is the Saisaboun region, but to what degree they are disenfranchised or their degree of rebellion I don’t know. I would think the Hmong diaspora in the US would have sone idea. It’s a good question.

[@stevewhitton8671]

@@CarterOnConflict re: delay ... I guess I am not surprised.. I am watching another Australian KZbin traveler in Laos. The towns and villages seem so peaceful and fairly organized in the North region

[@CarterOnConflict]

@@stevewhitton8671 it seems so on the surface, but underneath in the Hmong areas, there seems to be turbulence.

[@andersfant4997]

Bounteous opportunities to drink and "relax" in Vientiane. Places like Madam Lulus, Spot, the famous White Rose, Green Latrine, Purple Porpoise. A way to cope with the pressure of war. But many divorces followed.

[@CarterOnConflict]

Oh my….sounds like you walked the walk ;-) thank you for watching and commenting.

[@andersfant4997]

​@@CarterOnConflictI did not live in Vientiane during that time. A bit to young.. but Christopher Robbins (who died a few years ago) describe what everyday life was for an Air America pilot, he writes about your contacts/friends. That said, I have spent well over a year in SEA, and familiar with most aspect of the SEA -experience. The hmong resistent lasted much longer than people are aware of..., pockets of resistence well into the 90th? You know this much better than I. The conflict in Myanmar is gruesom, but hard to cover..BBC had some good reporting last week. Cheers

[@CarterOnConflict]

@@andersfant4997 solid points on all - thank you for sharing. You know the landscape and history I see.

[@ChachiehYang]

Thank you the icredible cold war .

[@CarterOnConflict]

Well, not my doing, I just report on it sir.

[@ScumfuckMcDoucheface]

25:40 Oh man, I always knew Vietnam and surrounding areas to be beautiful, but that's down right breath taking eh? =) I have a fervent wish, and intent to spend some months in the area. This is quickly becoming one of my favourite channels. I find myself often looking forward to your new/next posting. Thanks for another fantastic video. Best wishes and good vibes from Canada. =) Edit - Also, Tony Shine...? That's one of the best, most classic Fighter Pilot names ever, eh? haha Bad ass.

[@CarterOnConflict]

Ha ha, had not thought of it till you said it, but yes, Tony Shine is pretty bad ass. That babe has swag as the young folks would say. I always appreciate your comments, and your watching. My next few videos are going to be thrilling I think, I’m going to the Laos/Viet border and to Phnom Penh for filming. Yes sir, these countries are beautiful indeed. Thank you again and stay tuned sir. Have a great Canadian day!

[@sengphethkeopraseuth5646]

Thank you very much for sharing your wonderful thoughts to let lao new generation know about lao politics and indochina war

[@CarterOnConflict]

Thank you for watching and commenting - I appreciate it greatly!