Customer Reviews

The Ravens: Pilots of the Secret War in Laos

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In an era when the Nixon administration was denying any military operations in neutral Laos, Air Force forward air controllers were not only directing fire missions but training Laotian hillspeople, the Hmong, to fly ground combat missions against the Vietnamese. This true to life narrative which was the basis for the Mel Gibson move, "Air America", is a terrific read. You'll learn that the CIA contingent of pilots, Air America, were nothing at all like the silly characters in the movie. In fact, they were risking their lives daily to rescue downed airman and stifle the flow of military logistics on the Ho Chi Minh trail as it passed through Laos. You'll read how Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, was directly involved with planning insurgency campaigns against the North Vietnamese. Outstanding book, also read, Marshall Harrisons, "A Lonely Kind of War."

This book is a close and personal look at the guys that were known as "Ravens". They fought a secret war flying light aircraft and they made a daily affair at flying these aircraft into the enemy bullets on a daily basis without any real weaponry for protection. Hair raising accounts fo their bravery and also filled with many personal glimpses of the people that did this plus some rather humorous stories as well.

Hard to put this book down. Who were these mysterious folks who wore cut-off jeans, cowboy hats, and sunglasses? A very interesting documentary about this secret operation. If a pilot was shot down they were to take shellfish poison and commit suicide, because officially, they didn't exist. What country is the most-bombed per capita in history of the world? Vietnam? No, Laos. There are frequent insights and descriptions into the personalities of this small group of daring people who took part in this widely unknown conflict and series of secret missions. It lasted 10 years. Military terminology, procedures, strategies, and informalities (the way things got done), are explained well in this book. The personalities, internal politics and military strategies within Laos of the U.S. military and political bureaucracy, and Viet Minh, are broken down in an easy-to-read and free-flowing way, that makes it interesting and enjoyable for the reader. Some battles were examined that most of the American public is still not aware of today.

There is a lot of information and real-life examples about endless catch-22-like SOPs and regulations that bound those who served in the Vietnam and the "other theater," (Laos).

Common expressions explained throughout the book explain what it meant when someone "went bamboo," or took a hit from the "golden BB." What is a "FAC" or a "REMF." Vets will be impressed when a civilian mentions these acronyms.

Like in Vietnam, the American military bureaucrats (suits) in downtown Vientiene offices were unaware and out-of-touch, yet, they were the ones creating and enforcing the rules and regulations, but not participating in the conflict. Therefore, they really didn't know what was going, and couldn't relate to the folks who put their life on the line every time they hopped in their officially non-existent jalopy. What is it like to realistically know that today may be your last day? Every day?

The picturesque and mystical description of Laos and its' people make one want to go there and see it for their own eyes. Thoses interested in history, foreign policy, and South East Asia in general will learn from and enjoy this book, which should be more well-known.

Mr. Robbins obviously went at some length to verify sources and content. I salute him for that. I knew of many of the situations that he wrote about. I guess that Tony Poe was a standout for me. He was an interesting person to say the least, even if he wanted to shoot me the first time we met. I have always wanted to go back to NKP and see how it is today. It was surreal that I would work at HQUSEUCOM supporting General Richards 25 years later. It is indeed a small world. I will never forget the NAILS either. Nails are S*!& Hot (NASH)

As someone who was fortunate enough to work as one of the ground support crew for the Ravens, I can testify that Christopher Robbins has done an incredible job of journalism in this book.
I do not believe any American would have been allowed to describe the Ravens with such candor. Robbins' British nationality freed him from such constraints, and he used his freedom to the utmost.
There can be no better recommendation for this book than the fact that the Ravens veterans organization sells it through their own website.
And were these men truly the out-sized personalities described in the book?
All I can say is, man, did Robbins have to tone it down to make it believable.

I did a report on the war in Laos for school. I couldn't find much on it at school, but when I found this book at the library I was set. I was first only going to read sections of it to get information for my report, but I liked it so much that I read the whole thing and did a book report on it for another class. It's a great book, and I think a lot of people who don't think they'd want to read a book about the secret war in Laos would really like it.

The Ravens would be an eye opener to virtually 99% of Americans who knew nothing about the secret war in Laos. The pilots who flew as FACS , volunteered for a program that was called "the Steve Canyon Program". With it, the turned in all their identity of being a USAF pilot , and together with the CIA they directed with an extrememly high level of bravado and skill, other USAF air assets such as F-4's , T-28, f-105 and other A/C to bomb targets on the Ho Chi Minh trail and othe rplaces where the NVA were infiltrating into Laos , bringing tons of supplies to reinforce their agression. They also bombed and destroyed sites whenever they could also. THey were not the garden vairiety of USAF officers and were shunned by the REMFS' and suits that may have visited Long Thien (sp) their main secret base, generally referrred to as "Alternate" in an attempt to thro off the enemy that is was their primary base. They flew with "Hmong" backseaters and trained other Hmong to fly T-28, one of whom had flow many 1000's of missions before he was shot down and killed, and became a national hero. THe Hmong , were a fearless bunch , unlike the regular Lsaotians , who often ran at the mere sight of the enemy. The Ravens in their secret war accomplished an awful lot of good when you consider that the tonnage of bombs dropped elsewhere were often inneffective ( mostly becasue of the very restrictive ROE rather than pilots who couldn;t do the job). THe Ravens flew sometines 200 hours a month and I am sure some did more. It was common for them to be in the air 6-7 hours a day directing fire upon targets. They flew there small O-1's into fire ranging from small arms to large AAA, and many of them died but they did the job that has to be done with valor. Air America also had some of the most gutsy pilots flying rescue missions as well, often going in to rescue a Raven when the USAF choppers begged off because of enemy fire.

I'd love to meet some of these guys at their annual reunions.

I hope that someone makes a movie about these guys because their story needs to get out. The Ravens ROCK!

"The Ravens" is a fast-reading, fascinating, pedal-to-the-metal account of the young airforce pilots who were forward air controllers in Laos assisting the Hmong army that fought on the side of the United States. The Ravens flew tinny obsolete planes in a war that never really happened if one is to believe the official histories. There were about one hundred of them during the course of the war and they were a bold, brave, and wildly individualistic group. A goodly number came home in pieces or in body bags.

One of the Ravens set a record for crashing or being shot down eleven times -- but he pointed out that all eleven planes he crashed weren't worth the price of one fighter jet. There are amazing characters scattered all though this Land of Oz story. One Hmong pilot is estimated to have flown the incredible total of 5,000 missions before the fates caught up with him. General Vang Pao of the Hmong presides over the Ravens and he, like Afghan warlord Ahmad Shah Massoud, is a character of legend.

The author focuses on about a dozen of the Ravens and the bulk of the book concerns their exploits in the air supporting the Hmong army and leading American bombers and fighters to targets. There is also much here of the stupidity of the American military machine and the REMF's -- look up that acronym in the book if you aren't familiar with it -- that were a burden to the men on the front lines. The tale of Laos and the secret war is an epic of derring-do, tragedy, and abandonment. "The Ravens" tells one important chapter in the story.

Smallchief

Much has been written about the CIA's secret proxy war in Laos, but the detailed interviews and background research not only into the lives of the pilots, but of Laos itself, makes this an engrossing story.

Robbins incorporates the slang of the time (REMFs, Alternate, Cricket) to give a much more textured feel to the narratives of various missions, ongoing conflicts w/ their CIA handlers, and life in the field.

The level of dedication and commitment these indivduals displayed to 1) thier mission and 2) the Mon army who they supported is truly unbelievable.

This text does not glorify war or combat (indeed, the Ravens' mission was not direct combat engagement). Like, "A Bright Shining Lie", it describes the lives of driven individuals, with their own flaws, who found themselves and thier sympathies pulled in many directions by the wide variety of policies being implemented at the time.

Hollywood should have made a movie of this book instead of Robbins' earlier book "Air America". "The Ravens" is truly a great book about the unsung heroes of a war that "never happened".