Air America

History of Air America

Air America was an American passenger and cargo airline covertly owned and operated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1950 to 1976. It played a significant role in supporting U.S. covert operations in Southeast Asia, particularly during the Vietnam War. Below is a detailed history of its origins, operations, controversies, and dissolution.

Origins

Air America traces its roots to 1946, when it was founded as Civil Air Transport (CAT) by former American military aviator Claire Lee Chennault, famous for leading the Flying Tigers during World War II, and diplomat Whiting Willauer. Initially named Chinese National Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (CNRRA) Air Transport, the airline was established to airlift humanitarian supplies and food into war-torn China following World War II. CAT supported Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and the Nationalist Republic of China Armed Forces during the Chinese Civil War against Mao Zedong’s Communist forces.

• Early Operations: CAT primarily flew cargo and passenger services, with many of its pilots being veterans of Chennault’s Flying Tigers. Its aircraft, including Curtiss C-46 Commandos and Douglas C-47s, transported supplies to Nationalist strongholds.

• Financial Struggles: By 1949, the Nationalists were defeated and retreated to Taiwan, leaving CAT nearly insolvent as its primary contracts dried up. Chennault lobbied the U.S. State Department, arguing that CAT’s assets and expertise could counter Communist expansion in Asia.

In August 1950, the CIA secretly purchased CAT through a holding company, American Airdale Corporation, to utilize its air transport capabilities for intelligence-gathering and covert operations. CAT continued to operate commercial flights out of Taiwan while taking on clandestine missions.

Reorganization and Renaming to Air America

In 1951, CAT was reorganized under CIA control, though it retained its name and commercial operations to maintain a cover of legitimacy. The CIA’s ownership was obscured through complex corporate structures, including the Pacific Corporation established in 1957, which acted as a holding company for CAT, Air America, and other entities like Southern Air Transport.

• Name Change: In 1959, CAT was renamed Air America after objections from Air France and American Airlines delayed the transition for two years. The slogan “Anything, Anywhere, Anytime, Professionally” reflected its versatile and covert mission profile.

• Early Missions: During the 1950s, CAT supported U.S. efforts in the Korean War (1950–1953) by airlifting thousands of tons of war materials under contracts like Operation Booklift for the Far East Material Command (FEAMCOM). It also conducted covert missions, including supply drops to anti-Communist forces and intelligence operations in China. In 1954, CAT aircrews delivered supplies to French forces at Dien Bien Phu in Indochina.

Expansion and Role in Southeast Asia

With the escalation of the Cold War and U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia, Air America became a critical asset for CIA operations, particularly in Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. The airline operated under the guise of a civilian commercial entity, allowing it to access areas restricted to U.S. military forces due to treaties or political sensitivities.

• Fleet and Operations: Air America operated a diverse fleet, including: ◦ Fixed-wing aircraft: Curtiss C-46 Commando, Pilatus PC-6 Porter, de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou, Lockheed C-130 Hercules, Fairchild C-123 Provider, Boeing 727, and Boeing 747. ◦ Helicopters: Sikorsky UH-34D, Bell 204B, Bell 205, and Boeing CH-47C Chinook. ◦ By mid-1970, the airline had approximately two dozen twin-engine transport aircraft, two dozen short-takeoff-and-landing (STOL) aircraft, and 30 helicopters.

• Bases: Air America operated from bases in South Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan, and Japan, with occasional missions into Burma and the People’s Republic of China. Its headquarters were in Washington, D.C., with maintenance facilities in Arizona.

Key Roles:

◦ Covert Support: From 1959 to 1962, Air America supported U.S. Special Forces operations like Ambidextrous, Hotfoot, and White Star, which trained the Royal Laotian Armed Forces. After 1962, Project 404 deployed U.S. Army and Air Force attachés to the U.S. Embassy in Vientiane, Laos, with Air America providing logistical support.

◦ Search and Rescue (SAR): Air America pilots conducted high-risk missions to rescue downed U.S. pilots throughout Southeast Asia, often under the control of the Seventh/Thirteenth Air Force. These civilian-marked aircraft allowed operations in areas where military aircraft were restricted.

◦ Humanitarian Efforts: The airline conducted “rice drops” to deliver food, livestock, and seeds to counter the effects of chemical agents like Agent Orange. It also performed medical evacuations (MEDEVAC) and supported USAID’s anti-narcotics programs.

◦ Covert Insertions: Air America transported CIA operatives, diplomats, and commandos to remote airstrips, including along the Vietnamese-Laotian border. Pilots like Dan Kurtz orchestrated these missions, blending civilian and covert roles.

• Secrecy and Personnel: Many Air America employees were unaware of the CIA’s ownership due to strict secrecy. Pilots, often ex-military or civilian-trained, faced extreme conditions, navigating mountainous terrain and hostile areas with minimal navigation aids. Over 240 CAT and Air America employees lost their lives between 1946 and 1975.

Drug Smuggling

Air America has been linked to allegations of involvement in drug trafficking, particularly opium and heroin, during the Laotian Civil War. These claims remain controversial and debated.

• Allegations: Historian Alfred W. McCoy and others, including former CIA paramilitary officer Anthony Poshepny and some Air America pilots, alleged that the airline transported opium and heroin, particularly for Hmong leader Vang Pao, or turned a blind eye to the Laotian military’s drug activities. The Hmong, allied with the CIA against the Pathet Lao, relied on poppy cultivation for income after the Plain of Jars was captured in 1964, limiting access to traditional transport routes. McCoy claimed Air America flew opium from northern Laos to Vang Pao’s headquarters at Long Tieng.

• Denials: Aviation historian William M. Leary, citing physician Joseph Westermeyer (resident in Laos from 1965–1975), argued that Air America did not knowingly transport drugs or profit from the trade. Historian Curtis Peebles also denied employee involvement. McCoy clarified that the CIA’s role was more about “complicity, tolerance, or studied ignorance” rather than direct trafficking, providing transport and protection to drug lord allies.

• Context: The CIA’s covert war in Laos relied on local allies like Vang Pao, whose economic survival depended on opium. The agency’s focus on anti-Communist operations may have led to overlooking drug activities to maintain alliances. The 1990 film Air America, starring Mel Gibson, dramatized these allegations but was criticized for inaccuracies.

The full extent of Air America’s involvement in drug trafficking remains inconclusive due to limited declassified records and conflicting accounts.

Final Years and Dissolution

As the Vietnam War wound down, Air America’s role diminished:

• Operation Frequent Wind (1975): Air America played a critical role in the evacuation of Saigon, using helicopters to extract American citizens and South Vietnamese civilians as North Vietnamese forces overran the city. Pilots’ trip reports detail the chaotic final days of April 28–29, 1975.

• Dissolution: With the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam, Air America was disbanded in June 1976. Its assets were sold to Evergreen International Airlines, and proceeds were returned to the U.S. Treasury. A brief attempt to continue operations in Thailand under Continental Air Services Inc. (CASI) fizzled out by 1975.

• Legacy: Air America’s story is preserved through archives at the University of Texas at Dallas and the Air America Association, which highlight its contributions and sacrifices. Former pilots continue to seek recognition and benefits for their service.