These extraordinary Super 8mm home movies from the Vietnam War, come from a member of the “Ravens”. The Raven Forward Air Controllers, also known simply as The Ravens, were fighter pilots used for forward air control in a covert operation in conjunction with the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States in Laos during America’s Vietnam War. The Ravens provided direction for most of the air strikes against communist Pathet Lao targets and People’s Army of Vietnam’s infiltrators in support of the Laotian Hmong guerrilla army.
SCENE #1: (00:00:00) Party for Laotian General Phasouk, General of MR-IV (Military Region 4). Americans in civilian clothes are the Ravens and Air Force enlisted support personnel. … (01:00:05) General Phasouk is at the left in camouflage uniform, tall for a Laotian. … (01:32:05) King Savang Vatthana in white uniform with U.S. Embassy officials on either side of him. … (01:46:10) Laotian T-28 pilot talking with Lt. Col. Ed Bender, the AOC (Air Operations Center) Commander at Pakse. The pilot was killed during fighting in 1971. … (02:10:10) T-28 pilot and his wife.
SCENE #2: (03:21:10) Lt. Col. Ed Bender, AOC Commander, with one of the Dooley Foundation girls who was brought up from Khong Island for the party. The Ravens would frequently fly the girls off the Island and bring them to Pakse. … (03:37:05) Air Force personnel at the AERA house in Pakse leaving for the party. … (03:46:00) The bunker can be seen on the left-side of the porch, which was built after the rocket attack on Pakse on 09 Jan 70. … (04:22:05) Parade grounds being set up for King Savang Vatthana and General Phasouk. … (05:03:10) King Savang Vatthana and General Phasouk. … (07:59:05) Smoke for parachute landings. … (08:29:05) Back to the parade. … (09:19:05) Parachuter … lands off-target. … (09:40:15) Troops lining up for games … and then more of the party.
SCENE #3: (11:47:15) T-28’s taxing on ramp at Pakse beside O-1’s. … (14:08:05) Taxing for take-off, loaded with 500# bombs and CBU (Cluster Bomb Units). … (14:29:10) T-28’s taking off.
SCENE #4: (15:50:10) Vientiane, Laos, school.
SCENE #5: (15:50:00) Tiger killed and brought into Vientiane in a jeep.
SCENE #6: (17:25:10) T-28 crashed and run off runway at Pakse.
SCENE # 7: (18:29:00) Laotian helicopter going into a forward location landing. … (18:46:05) Helicopter LZ (Landing Zone) marked for helicopter. … Troops evacuated.
SCENE #8: (20:14:15) T-28 going in on bombing run … 500# bomb explosions. … (23:24:15) Rocket fired on target … followed by (23:31:15) several CBU runs and … (24:51:10) village burning. The target was north of the Bolavens Plateau and west of Saravane.
We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example like: “01:00:12:00 — President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference.”
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
