Air America - Udorn Thailand

Air America was a covert airline operated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the Cold War, with a major base at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand from the early 1960s through 1974. Serving as a vital logistical backbone for U.S. operations in Southeast Asia, Air America supported covert missions throughout Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, including supply drops, personnel transport, and search and rescue operations. The Udorn base became the hub for clandestine activities, enabling rapid response and sustained support for anti-communist forces, particularly during the Laotian Civil War (known as the "Secret War"). Air America's presence at Udorn was officially terminated in 1974 as the U.S. withdrew from Southeast Asia, but its pivotal role in unconventional warfare and intelligence operations left a lasting legacy in military aviation history.