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“I’m going to start rattling cages until all the monkeys fall, so you get yourself a real good grip!”
Knight Rider, 1982
A retired Danish special forces officer modified a *1979 Camaro, with all the armor and detection avoidance equipment available to him by the US airforce, to deliver much needed medicine and supplies to civilians in 1990s war torn Bosnia. He had night vision, kevlar panels, IR absorbent paint, mine pusher, run flat fires, and a nitro system to put another 200hp on top of whatever his 5.7L V8 put out in case the local militias wanted a word.
(Via Historical Brain on facebook)(via greasegunburgers)
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Project 404 & The Ravens - USAF Operations in Laos.
Project 404 was the code name for covert operations by the United States Air Force during American efforts in Laos. From 1966 to 1973. The US Air Force provided advisors. Because Laos declared it’s neutrality to the war between the US and North Vietnam. US Airmen did not wear uniforms but instead civilian attire. Project 404 was the successor to Operation White Star. The goal of 404 was to provide the Royal Lao Air Force the necessary support in battling the Pathet Lao Communists.
Originally the USAF did have some prior experience in Laos with programs such as the “Butterflies” which allocated a total of four Air Force NCOs. All of them sergeants who were from Combat Control Teams. These first airmen wore civilian uniforms and flew shotgun in Air America aircraft. Often riding with Lao or Thai interpreters. These Airmen helped to coordinate airstrikes. The three known of these airmen were Major John J. Garrity Jr, Master Sergeant Charles Larimore Jones, and Tech Sergeant James J. Stanford. The program was going pretty well until General William Momyer discovered that enlisted men were in charge of the strikes and not officers. This ended the program as Momyer wanted rated fighter pilots.
Despite end of the Butterfly program. Palace Dog was formed in response with the CIA coming up with a plan. This involved using Laotian interpreters to ride in aircraft flown by Americans. Thus leading to the Ravens. Ravens which acted as Forward Air Controllers. Ravens had to have at least 60 days of service in Vietnam along with a certain number of flight times as a pilot or FAC.
These men were screened by the 56th SOW at Nakhon Phanom RTAFB then assigned to the US Embassy in Vientiane. There they were given false identification and civilian clothing for the duration of their tour. These Airmen instead of reporting to an officer. Reported into the American Ambassador. This caused a lot of friction between US Military Commanders like Momyer or Westmoreland.
Often Ravens suffered repercussions as the Air Force viewed this as an offensive. 23 Ravens died in Laos along with an army attache by the name of Joseph Bush. For more information I strongly recommend The Ravens Website. Or books such as “The Ravens: The Men Who Flew in America’s Secret War in Laos.“
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Promotional photo for Nighthawks (1981)
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Roger Waters Pink Floyd - Paris,1972. © Guy Ferrandis.
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With credit to the Madmaxmuseum, as a dedication to the late costume designer of Mad Max 2, Norma Moriceau.