Covert sites of the Laotian Civil War
Covert sites of the Laotian Civil War were clandestine U.S. military installations for conducting covert paramilitary and combat operations in the Kingdom of Laos. Airstrips within the Kingdom of Laos were originally designated by Air America as "Site XX" (with XX being a number). In September 1961, the designation changed to "VS XX", meaning "Victor Site XX". On 16 May 1964, the airstrips received their final designation; the site names then used the abbreviation "LS"—Lima Site—for unimproved strips, or "L"—Lima—for paved runways. The terms "Victor" and "Lima" were taken from the existing military phonetic code.[1]
These sites typically were centered on a dirt landing strip for STOL aircraft such as the Air America Helio Courier or Pilatus Porter. These strips were often carved out along ridge lines, and were seldom flat, straight, or of sufficient length. However, they were crucial for resupply and personnel transport, including medical evacuations. To quote one source: "Some of these defied all the safety rules even of military aviation."[2] A U.S. Air Force inspection team noted that even the best of the Lima strips was inferior to any air strips in Vietnam.[3] Listing follows.
-
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Lima sites of the Laotian Civil War | ||||||
No. | Name | Width × length | Elevation | Coordinates | Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LS2 | San Tiau | 100 × 800 ft | 5,000 ft | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | Used as base for Kou Kiet[4] | |
LS03 | Nong Het | 100 × 1,200 ft | 4,700 ft | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | ||
L 05 | Paksong | 3,445 ft | ||||
LS5 | Ban Pa Dong | 70 × 1,670 ft | 4,600 ft | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | Original site of Operation Momentum | |
L08 | Vientiane | 561 ft | Air operations center for Military Region 5 | |||
L10 | Attopeu | 344 ft. | ||||
LS10 | Ban Ban | 100 × 1,500 ft. | 1,888 ft | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | ||
L11 | Pakse | 330 ft | Air operations center for Military Region 4 | |||
LS15 | Ban Na | 75 X 1,200 ft | 5,050 ft | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | ||
LS19 | Phou Khe | 6,200 ft | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | |||
LS20 | Sam Thong | 50 X 1,900 ft | 3,800 ft | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | Center for USAID refugee relief | |
LS20A | Long Tieng | 60 X 4,450 ft | 3,250 ft | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | Air operations center for Military Region 2 | |
LS22 | Xieng Khouang | 32 X 3,030 ft | 3,444 ft | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | ||
L25 | Ban Huoeisay Airport | 1,380 ft | ||||
LS26 | Xieng Dat | 150 × 4,000 ft | 2,350 ft | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | ||
LS30 | See LS20A. | |||||
LS32 | Bouamlong | 75 X 1,300 ft | 4,000 ft | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | ||
LS36 | Na Khang | 4,400 ft | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | |||
L39 | Savannakhet | 509 ft | Air operations center for Military Region 3 | |||
L44 | Salavan | 550 ft. | ||||
L54 | Luang Prabang International Airport | 997 ft | Air operations center for Military Region I | |||
LS61 | Muang Phalan TACAN Site | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | ||||
LS69 | Ban Xieng Lom | 1,900 ft | ||||
LS85 | Phou Pha Thi | 4,500 ft | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | TACAN was overrun on 11 March 1968 | ||
LS88 | Bouam Long | 40 × 800 ft | 5,000 ft | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | Used as base for Kou Kiet[4] | |
LS98 | Long Tieng | 3,120 ft | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | |||
L108 | Muang Soui | 3,600 ft | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | |||
L118A | Nam Yu | 1,900 ft | ||||
LS178 | Phou Saly | 3,200 ft | ||||
LS189 | Ban Houei Sane | 480 ft | ||||
LS 289 | Khong Sedone | 450 ft | UTM WC8524[5] | |||
LS 449 | Toong Set | 4,100 ft | UTM XB3781 | Alternative designation PS 49[6] | ||
Online sources:
http://www.chancefac.net/A-cs_pgs_rebuild/Lima_Sites/LS_Pg1.htm
Laos Lima Site (LS) Information, 7 March 2006
|
See also
- Laotian Civil War
- Kingdom of Laos
- North Vietnamese invasion of Laos
- People's Army of Vietnam
- Hmong people
- Lao Veterans of America
- Laos Memorial
- Lao Veterans of America Institute
Notes
Bibliography
- Ahern, Thomas L. Jr. (2006). Undercover Armies: CIA and Surrogate Warfare in Laos. Center for the Study of Intelligence. Classified control no. C05303949.
- Conboy, Kenneth and James Morrison (1995). Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos. Paladin Press, ISBNs 0-87364-825-0, 978-1-58160-535-8.
- Hukle, Donald G.; Melvin F. Porter; Paul T. Ringenbach; Richard R. Sexton; Judith A. Skipworth; Adolph H. Zabka. (1974). The Bolovens Campaign, 28 July - 28 December 1971 (Project CHECO Southeast Asia Report). Pacific Air Force CHECO Division. ASIN: B00B65VIOU.