 "Photo: Albert Ramirez")
The June 5 addition of a new memorial plaque in McDermott Library put to rest forgotten pilots who died while performing missions for Air America under the direction of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA.)
"We are going to add names that should have been on there from the beginning," said Larry Sall, dean of the McDermott Library.
In April 2009, McDermott Library received 10,000 recently declassified documents on Air America, which will be added to the extensive Air America and aviation special collections.
Thanks in part to this information, 10 more men were identified as meeting qualifications for being honored on the plaque, first dedicated in 1987 with 240 names, said Michael Kandt, Air America Association chaplain and secretary.
The CIA purchased Civil Air Transport (CAT) in 1950 for covert missions to combat communism in Asia. CAT was renamed Air America in 1959. Under Air America, the civilian pilots flew operations in Laos and South Vietnam.
Laos was a neutral country, so Air America had to fly missions there, said Joe Leeker, professor at Chemnitz University in Germany and Air America researcher. They made humanitarian efforts to supply anti-communists such as constructing schools and dams that would not have been possible without them, he said.
For the Air American Association 2009 annual reunion, they met in the Conference Center to add a second plaque to commemorate the men who died while serving from 1946-1975.
"These are personnel who lost their lives due to their professional involvement with CAT or Air America," said resident E.G. Adams, vice president of the Air America Association.
Kay Merkel Boruff, widow of Air America pilot Jon Merkel who died in action in Laos, helped unveil the plaque.
Merkel's name is not on the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., according to biographical information at the International War Veterans' Poetry Archives, but he is among those honored on UTD's memorial.
During the re-dedication ceremony, the new memorial plaque was unveiled, and the audience full of veterans and family stood for a rendition of "Taps" by Bugles Across America, a volunteer organization that provides a bugler for veterans. Adams recognized the family members in attendance.
Adams served as a U.S. Air Force pilot and later as an Air America fixed-wing pilot. He said many people did not know that the CIA dictated Air America's missions. He found out from his uncle who knew because he headed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Air America kept most of Laos fed for many years, and if Air America had not kept forces tied up in Laos, anti-communists would not have had any chance at all in Vietnam, Adams said.
Air America's last mission was the largest helicopter evacuation to date, Leeker said. Air America and the Marine Corps were responsible for carrying out an emergency evacuation from Saigon, Vietnam.
Air America's role was crucial because its helicopters were light enough to set on the rooftops in downtown Saigon, as stated by William Leary's "Final Flights." Adams flew the last fixed-wing aircraft out of Saigon during the evacuation.
"We expected to get shot at, but as far as I know, we did not," Adams said. "The main hoorah was the number of people wanting out. The VN (People's Army of Vietnam were) trying to get onto our aircraft before the people that should get on: company staff, embassy staff and U.S. support staff."
The director of the CIA issued a commendation to Air America's personnel in 2001, recognizing their achievements during their 26-year commitment with the CIA.
Visit Special Collections at McDermott Library or air-america.org to learn more about the airline and their missions under the CIA.
