Wings of the Secret War: Comparing American and Hmong Airborne Perspectives

A Digital Exhibit by Allie Roehm '25

The Secret War in Laos was one of the most covert yet consequential campaigns of the Cold War era, running parallel to the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1973 yet remaining relatively unexplored as a historical event. At the center of this secret conflict were two distinct groups—American and Hmong Air Forces—fighting together, but separated by vastly different backgrounds, rationales, and roles. 

This exhibit will hone in on the human experience of the war from two contrasting yet interlinked perspectives, taking a comparative approach that uses oral histories from Hmong and American Air Force personnel as its foundation. Firsthand accounts from Hmong Pilots, as collected by Fly Until You Die: An Oral History of Hmong Pilots in the Vietnam War by Chia Youyee Vang, will provide insight into their recruitment, training, and combat missions. Alongside these narratives, an oral history interview from U.S. Air Force Veteran Michael Beahan and recollections from Raven forward air controller Mike Cavanaugh will add perspective on how Americans understood—and shaped—their role in the war.

A brief history and context of the Secret War is given on the following page, with a focus on Operation Barrel Roll and the portion of the war in Northern Laos.  After, “Paths to the Sky” explores how each group arrived at the war, examining education and background, rationale, and role assignment. Following that, “The Space Between” will highlight how they operated within it, paying special attention to the theme of physical and psychological distance. The full oral history interview with Michael Beahan and transcript can be found on the second-to-last page of this exhibit, followed by a bibliography.

Ultimately, this exhibit seeks to answer the question: How does contextualizing the differing experiences of American and Hmong pilots deepen our understanding of the Secret War?

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