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Cash on Delivery: CIA Special Operations During the Secret War in Laos Hardcover – Illustrated, October 30, 2009

by Thomas Leo Briggs (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 30 ratings
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"Cash on Delivery: CIA Special Operations During the Secret War in Laos" is a detailed accounting of a CIA program directed by a CIA operations officer that sent small teams of irregulars behind enemy lines in Laos to find, fix and destroy North Vietnamese Army units, capture NVA soldiers or encourage them to defect, intercept NVA radio communications, and recruit NVA soldiers to spy and report on their comrades. It is a unique contribution to the history of the Vietnam War describing valuable experiences using surrogates to conduct intelligence and combat operations that have little or no adverse impact on the United States government's relations with the peoples and governments of other nations. An important lesson in the post 9/11 world of countering terrorism all over the globe where we do not have enough American troops to get the job done without political consequences. The book also describes the daring and dangerous rescue of Raven 42, a U.S. Air Force forward air controller shot down while supporting Lao irregular surrogate forces fighting NVA main force units in Laos, attempts to infiltrate Cambodia to collect intelligence on the North Vietnamese in early 1970, the effort to uncover information about a missing Air America crewman captured in 1963, the tragic fatal crash of an aircraft carrying four of the author's best Thai operational assistants, and the uncovering of a mole hidden in a Royal Lao government military headquarters. Here are intimate details that have never before appeared in print, recounting the planning and execution of a variety of special operations, conceived and carried out behind enemy lines by the CIA using only Lao irregular surrogates. The CIA employed surrogates in southern Laos to force the North Vietnamese Army to keep combat units there to defend their logistical supply line rather than send them to fight U.S. and allied forces in South Vietnam. For the duration of U.S. participation in the Vietnam War the CIA succeeded in that goal.
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  1. Print length
    324 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Rosebank Press
  4. Publication date
    October 30, 2009
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.88 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0984105948
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0984105946
  8. See all details
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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
30 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book provides key insights into the war, weaved into an exciting narrative. They find it compelling and informative, describing it as a must-read for students of the war in Laos and today's officers.

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InsightReadability
9 customers mention "Insight"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book provides interesting insights into the war, weaving them into an exciting narrative. They enjoy reading the anecdotes and historical details about the shoot down and recovery of Raven 42. The true story about Gene DeBruin, a POW, is also mentioned as a must-read.

"...The book provides key insights on the war, weaved into an exciting narrative that will leave you unable to put the book down...." Read more

"...former Military Intel guy in the Army I found this story to be a fascinating study on a side of the Spec Ops war in SE Asia one rarely hears of...." Read more

"...us with first-hand experience in Indochina, however, such detail is terribly interesting...." Read more

"I know the author and flew for him in Laos , 1979/1980. True story about my friend, Gene DeBruin, POW. A must read." Read more

8 customers mention "Readability"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and informative. They describe it as a must-read for students of the war in Laos and current officers. The author writes accurately and comprehensively about the CIA's efforts there.

"...Laos war, I must recommend this book as one of the most gripping, knowledgeable, and articulate reads on the CIAs efforts there...." Read more

"Compelling reading...." Read more

"...Perhaps in the next edition? All in all this is a fine book and I would recommend it enthusiastically to anyone interested in the..." Read more

"...True story about my friend, Gene DeBruin, POW. A must read." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • single and happy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read
    Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    As a master's degree student in Thai studies at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University whose master's thesis is on the Laos war, I must recommend this book as one of the most gripping, knowledgeable, and articulate reads on the CIAs efforts there. The book provides key insights on the war, weaved into an exciting narrative that will leave you unable to put the book down. Congratulations Mr. Briggs for a great book!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Ignatius Malibu
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great look at the Intel guys behind the SOF war in SE Asia
    Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Compelling reading. As a former Military Intel guy in the Army I found this story to be a fascinating study on a side of the Spec Ops war in SE Asia one rarely hears of. Amazing anecdotes and a look into History.
    One person found this helpful
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  • J.B.E. Hittle
    4.0 out of 5 stars Read This One
    Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Numerous books have appeared in the past 15-20 years about the CIA's so-called "secret war" in Laos-- including a recently declassified official Agency history. Insofar as I am aware, however, none of these have focused to any extent on operations in the southern Laos panhandle. Most of them dwell on the struggle up north for control of the Plain of Jars. And until this book, none provided a detailed breakdown of how the indigenous Lao guerrilla teams were organized, how their indigenous team leaders were selected, or on the day to day work of the CIA case officers who managed them. So Cash on Delivery gives us a fresh and unique look at the struggle for Laos. I appreciated it very much.

    The balance of the narrative focuses on the tactical day to day work carried out from Pakse Base to insert various types of indigenous Lao guerrilla teams into the Ho Chi Minh Trail for roadwatch, sabotage and prisoner-snatch operations. It's a fascinating read, relating the story of often mundane day to day case officer work but punctuated throughout by accounts of the grave dangers confronting CIA Paramilitary Case Officers (PMCOs) and also the personal bravery by those CIA Officers and their indigenous charges. It also details the exceedingly brave actions by contract personnel of the several Agency proprietary airlines, by US Air Force Ravens (forward air controllers), and by uniformed pilots and air crews of the US Air Force and Navy-- all working with CIA as one team in an effort to tie up mainforce North Vietnamese Army units and to interdict their resupply routes along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. And regardless of what anyone thinks about the effort in Laos, it was a resounding strategic success whereby no more than about 50 CIA officers and their indigenous Laotian tribal units led the effort to tie up two full People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) infantry divisions from 1961 until 1975. The CIA's very successful efforts in Laos only became untenable after the Nixon Administration signed the peace accord with Hanoi and withdraw its support for the South Vietnamese government. With the seizure of southern Vietnam by the PAVN in April 1975, the situation in Laos (and neighboring Cambodia) was no longer tenable.

    I think the level of detail on team organization, team numbering system and myriad landing, or "Lima" sites upcountry might quickly cause the eyes of the general reader to glaze over. For the student of counterinsurgency, or those of us with first-hand experience in Indochina, however, such detail is terribly interesting. Fortunately, the author includes a map of his theater of operations designating the locations of the action; without it, a general reader unfamiliar with the geography of Laos would quickly get lost.

    Of particular note are the several examples provided to illustrate how the author worked hard to improve intelligence collection during his tour in Laos. This is an important point, especially for the general reader, who might not be able to discern the difference between civilian paramilitary case officers of the CIA and the special forces of the Pentagon. The crystal clear difference always has been that while both are capable of training planning and executing special operations behind enemy lines, only CIA officers are specially trained and certified as Core Collectors. Thus, while they are training, they are also recruiting sources.

    The final chapter, "Speaking Truth to Power" hit home and I found myself agreeing with nearly all that the author has to say about senior management failures, a growing risk-averse culture at Langley, political interference and the creation of needless and mindless bureaucratic "reforms" (like the creation of the National Intelligence Director) that have not only failed to reform anything but have made things much much worse. I also agreed with the author's position on the purpose and role of CIA's Special Operations Group.

    My only disagreement lies with the author's contention that CIA mis-used its SOG teams in the opening volley of the War on Terrorism following 9-11-01. The author is correct that our Jawbreaker teams did take on the role normally reserved for US military special forces teams. But surely he knows that in the immediate aftermath of 9-11-01, the US military had no action plan to get its personnel inside Afghanistan, while CIA/SAD/SOG and CIA/CTC already had a plan on the shelf, enabling our PMCO's to insert and immediately begin organizing tribal resistance to the Taliban and Al Qaeda. It took the US Army weeks to get its teams even to the staging areas in the "stans" north of Afghanistan and then they discovered that their Army helicopters did not have the altitude or power to airlift the Army Triple Nickle teams over the Hindu Kush range and into the Panshir Valley. CiA, on the other hand, was equipped with Russian-built MI-17s-- a jet powered work horse with the ability to fly over the Hindu Kush. And in the end, CIA had to send its MI-17s out to pick up the Army special forces units and deliver them to theater. Were mistakes made? Sure, including some fatal ones. But the reality at the time was that when CIA had the only game-plan in town the President used his authority to send the CIA to war.

    The author may not have been in a position to know just how much angst this caused Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who had to sit and watch the military sit idly by on the sidelines for weeks while Agency personnel were already bringing the war to the enemy. But of this I am certain: Mr. Briggs, as a seasoned paramilitary operations officer, remembers the old saying that, "WHEN AMERICA IS IN PERIL, THE PENTAGON BEGINS PLANNING WHILE THE CIA GUYS GRAB A WEAPON AND JUMP ON THE TRUCK."

    My point is that CIA had the only viable Special Operations capability in Aghanistan in the early days. As time went on, the Agency PMCOs settled back into their traditional roles as program managers, training indigenous units, training indigenous police and the like-- and recruiting sources.

    There is some unnecessary redundancy throughout the book. The author explains that he wrote the book over many years, which partially explains these redundancies-- but a good edit and final proof would have eliminated this problem. Perhaps in the next edition?

    All in all this is a fine book and I would recommend it enthusiastically to anyone interested in the perspective of an experienced and respected CIA street officer. Clearly, as is often said inside the Velvet Prison, Tom Briggs was "one of us."
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Pilot Lee
    5.0 out of 5 stars Accurate story
    Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I know the author and flew for him in Laos , 1979/1980. True story about my friend, Gene DeBruin, POW. A must read.
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  • Raymond Leopold
    5.0 out of 5 stars Briggs wrote an important book
    Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    It is abundantly clear that this personal account of the secret CIA war in Laos was written by Briggs as accurately and as completely as the author could portray. I only wish this story could have been made known closer to real time more than 40 years ago, but I am glad it has finally been written for the good of posterity. I especially enjoyed reading the details of the shoot down and amazing recovery of Raven 42. This book will help people today to understand better what was really happening during the war in Southeast Asia which changed the lives of so many of us who had lived during that tumultuous time.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • T Pike
    5.0 out of 5 stars Worth it
    Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    A solid book on an interesting topic.
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  • Flashback
    3.0 out of 5 stars Deep in the Weeds
    Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2020
    During this pandemic I've been catching up on old Laos books and posting reviews. Yes, I need to get a life. Cash on Delivery is earnest, apparently factual, and deals with a theater rarely covered in other accounts. Some sections read well, such as the one on POW/MIAs and Eugene DeBruin and the one on the rescue of a downed Raven pilot, but much of it is too deep in the weeds for this reader. The author’s interest in creating a historical record leads to numbingly long recitations of units and numbers and also, at the end, a platform to preach. Rarely do I skip over sections in books, but this one broke me. Editing for a general reader would have eliminated a lot of that as well as repetitions.
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  • Marc Mouscadet
    5.0 out of 5 stars Parfait
    Reviewed in France on March 14, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Tout ce qui concerne le Laos m'intéresse. Ce livre couvre une étape importante de l'histoire du pays. Les témoignages directs sont toujours utiles.
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