Editing Civil Air Transport (section)

==CIA Activities Through CAT (1950–1959)==
The CIA used CAT as a versatile platform for covert operations, leveraging its civilian status to support U.S. anti-communist objectives in Asia. Key CIA activities included:
===Korean War Support (1950–1953)===
During the Korean War, CAT airlifted thousands of tons of war materials to support U.S. and KMT forces, including supplies for KMT holdouts in Burma under Operation PAPER. This operation aimed to harass communist China from Burmese bases, with CAT providing logistical support.

On November 29, 1952, a CAT C-47 mission to extract a Chinese Nationalist spy in Manchuria using a “pole and line” pickup system was ambushed by Chinese forces. The plane, piloted by Robert Snoddy and Norman Schwartz, was shot down near Antu, Jilin province, killing both pilots. CIA officers John T. Downey and Richard G. Fecteau survived but were imprisoned by China for nearly 20 years. The CIA initially concealed the mission, telling families the plane crashed in the Sea of Japan. Remains of Snoddy were recovered in 2005, but Schwartz’s remain missing. This incident highlighted the risks of CAT’s covert missions.
===Indochina Operations (1953–1954)===
CAT supported French forces during the First Indochina War against the Viet Minh. On May 1, 1953, under Operation Squaw, CAT airdropped supplies to French troops besieged at Na Sam, Laos, using C-119 Flying Boxcars loaned by the U.S. and hastily painted with French insignia. CAT pilots, unfamiliar with the aircraft, flew these dangerous missions, showcasing their adaptability.

In 1954, CAT was heavily involved at Dien Bien Phu, delivering supplies to French forces under intense anti-aircraft fire. Pilots like James McGovern and Wallace Buford were shot down during these missions, with McGovern and Buford killed in a crash near the Laos-Vietnam border. Buford’s earlier heroism, saving a wounded crewmember, was noted but not formally recognized due to his civilian status. Their bodies were later recovered by villagers and a French team. These operations underscored CAT’s role in high-risk CIA-backed missions.

A notable incident on July 23, 1954, involved a CAT C-46 flown by Cox and William Rousselot, attacked by Chinese forces near Hainan Island while en route from Hong Kong to Haiphong. This “Cathay-Pacific Incident” highlighted the dangers of CAT’s covert routes near communist territories.
===Propaganda and Covert Support===
CAT facilitated CIA propaganda efforts, such as dropping leaflets and broadcasting anti-communist messages in China and other regions. These operations aimed to undermine communist morale and support U.S. psychological warfare objectives.

The airline provided cover for CIA personnel, who operated as CAT employees to conduct espionage and intelligence-gathering activities across Asia. The civilian facade allowed operatives to move freely without arousing suspicion.
===Permesta Rebellion in Indonesia (1958)===
CAT supported the CIA-backed Permesta rebellion against the Sukarno government in Indonesia, airlifting supplies and personnel to rebel forces. On May 18, 1958, CAT pilot Allen Pope was shot down, carrying documents exposing CIA involvement, including his CAT identity card and flight logs. The Eisenhower administration, embarrassed, ended support for Permesta, and Pope was sentenced to death but released in 1962 after negotiations by Robert F. Kennedy. This incident revealed CAT’s role in CIA covert operations beyond China.