1966–67 Laotian Civil War

damage caused communist ground attack on luang prabang airfield, 1967



north vietnamese troops march through laos, 1967

in far northwest, team fox, intelligence team of mien hill tribesmen began long range reconnaissance of southern china.

in july, royal lao government (rlg) forces seized nam bac valley. 3 infantry regiments, 1 independent infantry battalion, , 1 artillery battalion took nam bac , established defensive line north of luang prabang.

on plain of jars, pathet lao advance gradually slowed due destruction of supplies airpower, , laotian troops counter-attacked. august 1966, had advanced within 45 miles of drv border. north vietnam sent thousands of regular troops battle , once again laotians forced retreat.

steel tiger operations continued down length of panhandle in 1966, special emphasis upon tiger hound area. since of communist truck traffic @ night, air force developed , began using special equipment detect nighttime traffic.

barrel roll, steel tiger , tiger hound operational areas.

in eastern laos, u.s., royal laotian, , vnaf aircraft continued attacks on traffic along ho chi minh trail. during 1967, b-52s flew 1,718 sorties in area, triple 1966 record. major targets trucks had hunted down , destroyed one-by-one. seemed irrational thinking many americans flying these combat missions these trucks have been destroyed en masse before, during, or after unloading freighters had hauled them north vietnam if bombing of haiphong had been permitted. presence of soviet, british, greek , panamanian neutral ships in haiphong prevented united states bombing duration of war.

in northern laos, communists continued slow advance across plain of jars in 1967. laotian victories few , far between, , end of year, situation had become critical air support had been provided royal lao air force.

laotian tribal irregulars operating out of nam bac, under cia direction luang prabang, 60 miles south of guerrilla base. in midyear, on objections of lao colonels, american advisors pressured royal lao troops forming smaller units combat battalions. despite poor training of lao soldiers, of whom had never fired weapon, these raw new units moved northward out of luang prabang on several month period garrison nam bac. mid-october, 4,500 government troops held valley secure air strip resupply, la dien bien phu. american intent establishment of nam bac keystone of iron arc of defensive positions across northern laos.

in response, pavn 316th infantry division dispatched laos assault nam bac. royalist garrison surrounded. had american-supplied 105 mm howitzers artillery support. call on royal lao air force t-28s close air support. u.s. air force fighter-bombers struck communist supply lines. communist gunfire closed nam bac airstrip fixed wing resupply. air america copters flew in supplies , evacuated wounded; american c-123s parachuted supplies ferried udorn rtafb beleaguered government troops. royalist troops not launch clearing attack regain use of runway resupply. on 25 december, vietnamese artillery barrage kicked off offensive.