Flying for the CIA's Air America in South East Asia (233)

Cold War Conversations - "vivid & compelling" The NY Times

Ian Sanders

History, Documentary, Society & Culture

4.8 • 865 Ratings

🗓️ 29 April 2022

⏱️ 86 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In 1964, pilot Captain Hansen found himself unemployed. He began to send out feelers to several companies including one that had placed an ad in the Washington Post called Air America. When he was called in for an interview which primarily consisted of two questions - can you fly good and do you drink a lot. Air America was the airline owned by the CIA. Its operations were unknown. Its schedules were irregular. Its pilots were shadow people. Its world was the world of spooks, covert air ops, adventure, and danger. Hansen would be flying in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and other locations in Southeast Asia. It could not have been a better fit for Hansen, an addicted adrenaline junkie. He would end up staying in Asia for over a decade and was fortunate enough to live to tell us about it in his book “Flight” Buy Neil's book here Cold War history is disappearing; however a simple monthly donation will help preserve it and keep this podcast on the air. You’ll get a sought after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ If a financial contribution is not your cup of tea, then you can still help us by leaving written reviews wherever you listen to us as well as sharing us on social media. It really helps us get new guests on the show. I am delighted to welcome Neil Hansen to our Cold War conversation… Further information is here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode233/ 0:00 Introduction of guest, Neil Hansen, and his journey with Air America 2:02 Call for financial support for the Cold War Conversations podcast 3:35 Hansen's recruitment and early experiences with Air America 13:31 Hansen's black flight missions and promotion within Air America 20:13 Hansen's unique flight training methods and handling emergencies 26:12 Planning missions and gathering intelligence in Vietnam and Laos 30:53 Hansen's first-hand account of the Tet Offensive 41:21 Navigating the dangers and challenges in Laos during the Cold War 1:00:01 Hansen's harrowing experience of being shot down and bailing out 1:04:07 The last flight out of Cambodia: Neil Hansen's escape and reflection 1:20:26 Neil Hansen's fight for recognition, his book, and concluding remarks Table of contents powered by PodcastAI✨ If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook. Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Cold War Conversations, the home of real stories of the Cold War.
0:06.1	The station manager was standing out there the left front.
0:10.1	As I was about to release the brakes, he saluted.
0:13.7	I returned his salute and could see tear tracks on his cheeks.
0:19.6	His whole world was ending. His job didn't know what his family's disposition was, or what the future held.
0:31.1	This is Cold War Conversations.
0:35.7	If you knew here, you've come to the right place to listen to first-hand Cold War
0:40.6	history accounts. Do make sure you follow us in your podcast app so that you don't miss out on
0:45.6	future episodes. In 1964, pilot Neil Hansen found himself unemployed.
1:01.6	He began to send out feelers to several companies, including one that had placed an ad in the Washington Post called Air America.
1:07.0	When he was called in for an interview, it primarily consisted of two questions.
1:10.3	Can you fly good? And do you drink a lot?
1:15.1	Air America was the airline owned by the CIA.
1:21.0	Its operations were unknown, its schedules were irregular, its pilots were shadow people.
1:27.0	It was the world of spooks, covert air ops adventure and danger,
1:29.4	and Hansen would be flying in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and other locations in Southeast Asia. It could not have been a better fit
1:36.2	for Hansen, an addicted adrenaline junkie. He would end up staying in Asia for over a decade
1:42.0	and was fortunate enough to live to tell us about it
1:45.1	in his book, Flight. Cold War history is disappearing, but you can help preserve it with a simple
1:52.7	monthly donation that will help keep this podcast on the air. You'll get the sought after Cold War
1:59.3	Conversations drinks coaster as a thank you,
2:02.0	and bask in the warm glow of knowing that you are helping to preserve Cold War history.
	...

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