Air America was a covert airline secretly run by the CIA during the Cold War, most active from the 1950s through the end of the Vietnam War, and while it outwardly appeared to be a normal commercial carrier, it was actually used for highly sensitive missions across Southeast Asia. Originally created out of Civil Air Transport, the airline became a vital lifeline for covert operations in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, where it ferried weapons, food, and supplies into remote areas, inserted and extr

During the Vietnam War, the CIA conducted a secret war in Laos to try and prevent communism from spreading deeper into Southeast Asia. The Hmong fought for the U.S. but their service has not been recognized by the U.S. military and they are not eligible for veteran benefits. In March of this year, The Hmong Veterans' Service Recognition Act was signed into law, allowing Hmong veterans to be buried in National Cemeteries. Concordia University, St. Paul professor Lee Pao Xiong and Secret War Veter