Today (April 30; it’s Thursday here now) is the 33rd anniverary of the fall of Saigon. And the Unknown Warriors held a reunion in Bangkok just a couple or three days ago. The Unknown Warriors were Thai troops who fought in the Secret War in Laos.
More than 30,000 Thai soldiers fought in Laos. They were required to quit the Thai army and get on the CIA payroll. Almost 2500 were killed or remain missing; 1000 are registered as “handicapped.”
Story here. A shame the website does not include photos. Looking at my hard copy of yesterday’s newspaper, there’s a photo with some of the Warriors joined by American Les Strouse. Les was Air America. Flew missions in Vietnam and Laos. In fact, he was the last pilot out of the secret US base in Long Cheng, northern Laos, before it fell to communist forces.
Regardless of how anybody may feel about the war, I for one salute these fellows.