Schiffer Military Aviation History. Finally, from Nakhon Phanom came every pilot's best friend: the air-rescue-and-recovery team. The government feared that should Laos fall to the communists, the "Domino Theory" would place the entire region, including Thailand, in jeopardy. U-Tapao is the main flying base for the RTN. Sattahip Tomorrow's Thailand (1970) Nuclear Vault 245K subscribers Subscribe 212 21K views 9 years ago Construction Efforts Of U. S. Navy Civil Engineers And Construction Contractors In Building. In late 1972, B-52s were confronted with surface-to-air missile (SAM) defenses. As many as 45,000 US military personnel were stationed in Thailand. VC-47A 084 of Air America crashed on landing on a flight from Tan Son Nhut.[30]. It would remain at that strength until its withdrawal in April 1972, after which only a token force would remain. [citation needed]. [3]:4951, The official American military presence in Thailand started in April 1961 when an advance party of the USAF 6010th Tactical (TAC) Group arrived at Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base at the request of the Thai government to establish an aircraft warning system at Don Muang. Thai soldiers recall the Vietnam War as a yearlong opportunity to observe the American-style consumerism that would influence Thailand in the 1970s, '80s and '90s. [28]:24862 Meanwhile, the abandoned Mayaguez was recovered by a boarding party from the USSHarold E. The DOD efforts were under the direction of Joint Task Force Caring Response.[8]. A U-Tapao based US Navy P-3 Orion was one of the first aircraft sent to locate the Mayaguez. The 307th SW ended all combat operations on 14 August 1973. [28] On 13 April, the Eagle Pull evacuees were flown to U-Tapao on HMH-462 helicopters. It is at the southern tip of the province southeast of Bangkok . [2], On 29 September 1964 a 16-man Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) contingent arrived in Vietnam to assist in flying and maintaining some of the cargo aircraft operated by the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF). Steadily progressing and adding to the mission, U-Tapao welcomed its first complement of KC-135 tankers in August 1966. A token Thai force of a non-combatant nature was under consideration. As a result, the "Military Assistance Command, Thailand (MACT)" was set up on 15 May 1962 at Don Muang. This is a propaganda movie by the US military so it's a bit tedious in delivery. Beginning in March 1969, B-52s were raiding not only South Vietnam and Laos, but Cambodia as well. The withdrawal plans were confirmed and even elaborated upon through a Royal Thai government announcement to the United States and South Vietnam on 26 March 1971. On 29 April 1961, the Joint Chiefs of Staff instructed CINCPAC to move 5,000 troops and air elements to both Udon Air Base and Da Nang Air Base. Northeast Thailand housed a community of Vietnamese mixed with Chinese. The other being a joint communication from Secretary of State Dean Rusk and Thai Foreign Minister Thanat Koman on 6 March in which the United States "firm intention to aid Thailand, its ally and historic friend in resisting communist aggression and subversion". [3]:49, In December 1969 the effects of the withdrawal of the Philippine Civic Action Group, Vietnam, and antiwar sentiment in the US were felt in Thailand as elsewhere. The handful of RVNAF planes that had been performing last-ditch air strikes completed their missions and flew to U-Tapao. R. pilots had even gone into Hanoi's outskirts to rescue downed fliers. Called the "American War" in Vietnam (or, in full, the "War Against the Americans to Save the Nation"), the war was also part of a larger regional . A multinational force headquarters was established at U-Tapao to coordinate humanitarian aid for the Sumatran tsunami of 26 December 2004. The Secret Vietnam War: The United States Air Force in Thailand, 19611975. Queen Sirikit of Thailand talks with U.S. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. The Korean War saw the Corps expand from 75,000 regulars to a force of 261,000 Marines, mostly reservists. On 22 July 1966 a 21-man RTAF contingent qualified on the C-123 became operational and were attached to the United States Air Force (USAF) 315th Air Commando Wing, while 5 men remained with the RVNAF where they were assigned to fly C-47 aircraft. [26]:263. Vietnam and Laos were at war for independence against the French, while in Cambodia, an uprising against the Royals was imminent. [27], In late-1972 the Nixon Administration ordered an all-out air offensive against North Vietnam. Thailand therefore had not experienced the anti-colonialist revolutionary fervor that drove communist-backed independence movements elsewhere in Southeast Asia. At Udorn, just from Hanoi supersonic, unarmed RF-101 and RF-4C photo-reconnaissance jets launched and flew missions over target areas immediately before and after a raid to photograph the damage so assessments of attacks could be made. The RF-101s stayed until May 1962, then returned for a second deployment during November and December 1962. Add a Place. In 1967, guerrillas killed 138 people, including 78 government officials. Udorn also hosted three squadrons of F-4C/D & E Phantoms which flew escort, sweep, and Air Combat Patrol missions to protect other U.S. strike aircraft. The denials were seen as necessary considering that the US had signed agreements specifying the neutrality of Laos. U-Tapao based B-52s flew in support of US Marines in the Battle of Khe Sanh in early-1968. The flying portion of the exercise promotes closer relations and enables air force units in the region to sharpen air combat skills and practice interoperability with U.S. forces. The "Military Assistance Group in South Vietnam" was renamed U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) on 6 February. All of those groups were a constant threat to the stability of Thailands government, either through terrorist-style attacks or direct confrontation along the border. Schlight, John (1988), The Years of the Offensive, 19651968, Office Of Air Force History, United States Air Force. [26] The B-52s conducted a limited number of strikes against North Vietnam as part of the spring 1972 invasion, though most of their sorties were on Arc Light missions elsewhere. An alleged attack by North Vietnamese torpedo boats on American destroyer, USS Maddox DD-731]. By the late 1950s Pathet Lao forces, linked with the communists in North Vietnam and China, were gaining more and more control of territory in Laos, which was struggling to defeat the insurgents. bombers were not allowed to strike North Vietnam directly. Early that year a combined U.S. task force was deployed to Thailand on a military exercise which included a Marine Battalion Landing Team (BLT), the 1st Battle Group. [24]:6279, On the afternoon of 12 April 1975, following the completion of Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of US nationals and allied Cambodians from Phnom Penh, an HMH-462 CH-53 carried Ambassador John Gunther Dean from USSOkinawa to U-Tapao. pullback. President Johnson used the flawed information about the incident to order additional forces to the area to support the government of South Vietnam. In January 1967, negotiations between the US and Thai government started to base them at U-Tapao. But North Vietnam continued moving heavy weapons into Laos to support the communist rebel Pathet Lao. Command of the American units, however, remained with U.S. wing commanders and their Seventh Air Force/Thirteenth Air Force headquarters. JSTOR: Asian Survey: Vol 13,No. CIA operatives, under the guise of military advisers, began training Lao troops and pilots in Thailand, while Thai special forces continued their covert missions into Laos. Laos would not allow any foreign interference in its internal affairs. [1] Royal Thai Forces fly F-16 Fighting Falcons, F-5E Tigers, and ground attack L-39s. The People's Army of Vietnam Special Forces infiltrated into Thailand several times to attack these airbases, with a 1972 raid on U-Tapao seeing three Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers being damaged with several sappers and a Thai sentry killed. As of 26 June 2008, United States assistance directed by the USAID DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team) stationed in Thailand, had totaled US$41,169,769. The 809 th Engineer Battalion (Construction) landed in Southern France on 15 August 1944. Today, US military units train with other Asian militaries in Thailand. During 19541975 (the Vietnam War or Second Indochina War), the Thai Government allowed the Joint United States Military Advisory Group - Thailand (JUSMAG-THAI) to fund and manage the modernization of Royal Thai Air Force bases. Two days later there was an apparent reversal of policy. At the height of the war, some 50,000 American military personnel (mostly Air Force) were stationed throughout Thailand. [6][non-primary source needed]. The fighting in Laos was of great concern to the Thai government. The SAC units left in December 1975. Vietnam War, (1954-75), a protracted conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam and its allies in South Vietnam, known as the Viet Cong, against the government of South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. On 14 October 1973 following the 1973 Thai popular uprising former Supreme Court Judge Sanya Dharmasakti, then chancellor and dean of the faculty of law at Thammasat University, was appointed prime minister by royal decree, replacing the succession of staunchly pro-American and anti-Communist military dictatorships that had ruled Thailand previously. Thailand is an important element in The Pentagon's strategy of "forward positioning". From U-Tapao airfield on the Gulf of Siam, the largest airfield in Southeast Asia, came the Boeing B-52s and the four-engine Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker refuellers that took to the air and refueled the aircraft just before and after they hit North Vietnam. It was the first American aircraft in Southeast Asia to be fired upon. The reasons given were that the situation in South Vietnam had improved as a result of the Vietnamization program and other aid as evidenced by U.S. cutbacks, and that difficult domestic economic and security problems existed in Thailand. They hoped to make Thailand an anti-communist stronghold in the region through economic support, military aid and troop training. Meanwhile, Royal Thai air force planes and Royal Laotian planes based in Thailand were flying bombing missions over territory held by the Pathet Lao in both Laos and Thailand. The US began construction of the runway and all facilities on 15 October 1965 and completed it on 2 June 1966. Thai forces were very effective in their missions, and thus Thailand became the target of ever-increasing guerrilla attacks. The Cambodian raids were carried out at night under the direction of ground units using the MSQ-77 radar, which guided the bombers to their release points and indicated the precise moment of bomb release. On 12 December 1974 the PAVN attacked Phuoc Long. Benner served more than 10 years in the U.S. Army. No reference was made to the "mercenary" and "subsidy" charges of the previous few days. Sattahip Tourism: Tripadvisor has 21,479 reviews of Sattahip Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants making it your best Sattahip resource. The Royal Thai Navy (Abrv: RTN, . The Kingdom of Thailand, under the administration of military dictator Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn, took an active role in the Vietnam War. Unlike other countries in the region, Thailand, known as Siam until 1939, had never been under the control of a European colonial power, a source of great pride in the country. Despite these denials, however, the Secret War was actually the largest U.S. covert operation prior to the Afghan-Soviet War, with areas of Laos controlled by North Vietnam subjected to three million tons of bombing, representing the heaviest U.S.-led bombing campaign since World War II.[1]. They often dressed like and lived with the ethnic Lao and Hmong populations. The C-130s were withdrawn in late-1971 but returned in April 1972. The lack of any US response convinced the North Vietnamese leadership that the time was ripe to seize the South and they quickly launched their 1975 Spring Offensive overrunning many of the major cities and defensive positions in South Vietnam during March and April. During Vietnam War Marines evacuated Saigon. The First National Economic Development Plan (1961-1966) was successfully implemented. U.S. instructors and advisers were sent to Thailand to bolster the countrys military. Starting in 1994, the USAF returned to Korat RTAFB for "Cope Tiger", an annual, multinational exercise conducted in two phases in the Asia-pacific region. In case you didn't know the Ynks built Highway 2 to get fuel up to Udon from Sattahip for the aircraft. He stated that "When the people feel very strongly about a situation, the government must do something to ease the situation." Thailand was a member of the now defunct Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), formed in September 1954 under the direction of US President Dwight Eisenhower as an organisation for collective defence, with the express purpose of containing communist aggression in Southeast Asia. On 19 December the Bangkok press reported that some twenty government party members of the Thai parliament had signed a letter to the prime minister urging the withdrawal of Thai troops from South Vietnam. He teaches history, political science and sociology on the university level. Sattahip. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his successor, John F. Kennedy, would not allow Laos to fall to communists, and their administrations realized that Thailands active cooperation was vital in that effort. During the 1960s Thailand experienced one of the most rapid growth rates among developing countries: more than 10% per year in GNP, and about 8% per year in real output. On 23 December, communist forces fired on an American VC-47 passenger transport. Billy Waugh, a fabled Special Forces Green Beret and CIA military operative, served in Vietnam and helped hunt for Osama Bin Laden and other terrorists. Between 1961 and 1965 seven Thailand bases saw the arrival of American warplanes. The American government negotiated a deal with Thailand which allowed them to build strategic air force and troop bases. One attacker was apparently killed in the attack, while the other two managed to cause minor damage to three B-52s before fleeing the base. The next morning, 75 SPs from the 56th boarded helicopters of 21st Special Operations Squadron to proceed to U-Tapao for staging. 27th Infantry* [25th Infantry Division] and supporting elements under a detachment of the 9 th Logistical Command. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The next day, B-52 operations were initiated at U-Tapao and by 15 July, B-52s were typically operating from U-Tapao. Additionally, there was the construction of 315km (196mi) of all-weather roads in the north and northeast, requiring 138 bridges and culverts, costing US$11 million (US$174,000 for maintenance equipment; requiring the training of 199 personnel (36 mechanics, 6 supply specialists, 97 equipment operators, 60 drivers)). Because the lease was technically with a private contractor, this allowed "U.S. and Thai officials to insist there's no U.S. 'base' and no inter-governmental basing agreement."[11]. combat operations in IndochinaVietnam, Cambodia and Laos, https://www.historynet.com/thailand-vietnam-war/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot, Billy Waugh, Famed Special Forces Warrior and CIA Legend, Dies At 93, The Puerto Rican Rambo Who Went on 200 Combat Missions in Vietnam. [9] Units involved were the 36th Airlift Squadron (36 AS) of the 374th Airlift Wing (374 AW) from Yokota Air Base, Japan, flying C-130H Hercules; and Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 (VMGR-152) from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, flying the Lockheed Martin KC-130R and the newer KC-130J. Much of Americas Cold War leadership adhered to the domino theoryif even one Southeast Asian country fell, the rest would inevitably drop like tumbling dominoes. US grant economic assistance totalled about US$500 million through the end of 1970. Asia. Laos would not recognize any military alliance or coalition, such as. ", "Thai airfield is dedicated, built by U.S.", "USAF tanker crashes on way to war planes", "ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 48322 22-NOV-1972 Boeing B-52D-65-BO Stratofortress", "Thai leaders protest arrival of U.S. marines", "U.S. to begin pullout of troops from Thailand", "Many Thais saddened by U.S. military withdrawals", USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers1908 to present, Utapao Royal Thai Airbase mid-summer 1971, 635 Supply Chain Operations Wing fact sheet successor to 635 Combat Support Group, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=U-Tapao_Royal_Thai_Navy_Airfield&oldid=1146846936, Strategic Wing (Provisional), 310th (1972), Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Wing (Provisional), 340th (1972), 99th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron (19721976), Air Division (Provisional), 310th (1972). 2nd Platoon, 697th Engr Co (Pipeline) Camp Samae San 1968 - 69. Following the opening of the Cambodian Campaign in late April 1970 the secret Menu bombings came to an end on 26 May and the USAF began overt operations against North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces in eastern Cambodia. One state newspaper during the war had the headline "In 150 Fights, 100 [Thais] Are Dead, 1,000 Viet Cong Are Killed. Thailand apparently agreed . U-Tapao was initially more of a forward field than it was a main operating base, with responsibility for scheduling missions still remaining at Andersen AFB. The vast nature of this enterprise enriched Thailand at every level of society, enabling a jump in indigenous heavy construction, communications, transportation, and defense. On 22 November 1972, a B-52D was damaged by an SA-2 SAM in a raid on Vinh, an important rail center in the southern part of North Vietnam. The CIA reported that all conditions for rapid development of a subversive mechanism were present in Thailand. CIA intelligence pointed out that the Chinese were actively working with the Pathet Lao and possibly with the Muslim insurgency in southern Thailand and Malaysia. In addition to combating Pathet Lao infiltrations, the Thais had to contend with the Viet Cong, Muslim separatists, Chinese terrorists and even Indonesian communists. U-Tapao had an existing runway suitable for the bombers and the cost for upgrades to the base was minimal. Those forces were a way to confront the communists in Laos without the direct action of American troops. U-Tapao based C-130s of the 374th Wing flew missions into Cambodia, South Vietnam, and a weekly flight to Hanoi in support of the International Commission of Control and Supervision until April 1975. [28]:263. But Thailands multifaceted support for U.S. combat operations in IndochinaVietnam, Cambodia and Laoswas a far more important contribution. Glasser, Jeffrey D. (1998). the Vietnam War, Thailand was one of the places where GIs on leave went for a much-welcome break from the fighting. [24], On 10 January 1972, three communist sappers attempted to destroy B-52s in a sapper attack using grenades and satchel charges. Its origins lie in the French withdrawal from Indochina as a result of the 1954 Geneva Agreement, nationalism and the Cold War. Other Republic of Singapore Air Force aircraft types used on Cope Tiger include AS-532 Cougar and CH-47 Chinook helicopters Grumman E-2 Hawkeye AEW aircraft, and Lockheed C-130 Hercules tanker aircraft. In May 1975, the Royal Thai Government asked the United States to remove all of its combat forces (27,000 troops, 300 aircraft) by 1976. Despite the valuable assistance the Thai government had provided to the U.S., by August 1970 President Richard Nixon didnt consider Thailand as important as his predecessors did. The missions flown over Laos are today referred to as the Secret War. Thai involvement did not become official until the total involvement of the United States in support of South Vietnam in 1963. At its peak in 1969 more airmen were serving in Thailand than were serving in South Vietnam. In 2014, the district had a population of 157,000 in an area of 348,122 km 2 . McFarland & Company. U-Tapao then served as a staging point for U.S. Marines[34] to deploy aboard the remaining CH-53s of the 21st SOS and HH-53s of the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron and assault Koh Tang Island some 195 nautical miles from U-Tapao, where the Mayaguez crew was believed to be held. Rental Cars. US grant economic assistance totalled about US$500 million through the end of 1970. The Khmer Rouge pinned the Marines in their landing zones, where they relied on air and naval gunfire for their survival, they were eventually evacuated as darkness fell. [28]:23942, At dawn on 15 May the assault on Koh Tang began. Thai air police controlled access to the bases; U.S. air police who helped them did carry weapons. In 1953, Eisenhowers selection for a new ambassador to Thailand was William Donovan, who had led the World War II spy agency, the Office of Strategic Services, forerunner of the CIA, created in 1947. In 1965 the RTN was permitted by the Council of Ministers to build a 1,200 meter long airfield near U-Tapao village, Ban Chang District, in Rayong Province. [36] The 3rd Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group left on 31 January 1976,[23]:152 however the base remained under US control until it was formally returned to the Thai government on 13 June 1976.[37]. [1], Due to its proximity to Thailand, Vietnam's conflicts were closely monitored by Bangkok. Tail Code: The Complete History of USAF Tactical Aircraft Tail Code Markings. The 4258th Strategic Wing (SAC) was activated in June 1966 at U-Tapao under the 3rd Air Division, Andersen AFB, Guam. The Thais proposed that half of the Black Panther Division be withdrawn in July 1971, and the remaining half in February 1972; this plan was in line with their earlier proposals. In addition, one of U.S. President John F. Kennedy's advisers indicated the need for deterring guerrilla action in northeast Thailand was more pressing than affairs in Vietnam, and Thailand should take precedence. Thailand was the third-largest provider of ground forces to South Vietnam, following the Americans and South Koreans. All foreign troops, paramilitary forces and foreign military personnel would be removed from Laos in the "shortest possible time". By early-April the South Vietnamese made their last stand at Xun Lc on their final defensive line before Saigon. The USAF implemented Palace Lightning, the plan to withdraw its aircraft and personnel from Thailand. 3 pilots and 5 flight engineers flew RVNAF C-47s with the 415th Squadron; 9 pilots, 7 flight engineers and 3 load masters were flying C-123Ks with the USAF 19th Tactical Airlift Squadron both located at Tan Son Nhut Air Base. [29] After their arrival, the Vietnamese were sequestered in tents near the runway. In 1968 I was taken on a school trip to visit U Tapao airbase near Sattahip and Pattaya. Thailand. With the completion of U-Tapao, most US forces were transferred from Don Muang, and U-Tapao RTNAF became a front-line facility of the United States Air Force in Thailand from 1966 to 1975. [17], In March 1967, the Thai Government approved the stationing of B-52s at U-Tapao;[18] on 10 April 1967, three B-52 bombers landed at U-Tapao following a bombing mission over Vietnam. [22], Four provisional squadrons were organized under the 307th:[22], In addition, two four-digit bomb squadrons (4180th, 4181st) were assigned, but were not operational. The story is about US airmen who were based in Thailand in 1972, and the bars they habituated The story is told from the perspective of Rong who was a Thai journalist trying to describe to a Thai audience life in the bars that popped up around the airbases. On 23 July 1962 fourteen nations signed the Geneva Accords of 1962 which contained the following provisions: The treaty was signed the Soviet Union, South Vietnam, China, North Vietnam and the United States, among others. By its end, 13,091 had been killed in action, 51,392 had been wounded. From Sattahip (south of Bangkok) to Korat and Takhli to the north, the roads were primarily 2 lanes with hard surfaces. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. The U.S. Air Forces 606th Air Commando Squadron trained Thai forces in counterinsurgency operations. The Coast Guard sent the officer to. After the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975, relations between Washington and Bangkok turned sour. USARSUPTHAI On 25 April 1966 the United States Army Support Command, Thailand was activated on Okinawa and elements began deploying to Thailand on 17 October with the rear detachment closing on Camp Friendship on 15 November 1966. In the late 1950s and the early 1960s, U.S. leaders in Washington, committed to a containment policy to stop the spread of Soviet-style communism, were deeply concerned about communist expansion in Southeast Asia. Laos would not allow foreign military forces to use or occupy its territory. While supposedly maintaining an air of neutrality, it was deeply concerned about the fighting in neighboring Indochina. In response, Thailand deployed 30,000 troops, wresting an uneasy control of the area, which lasted throughout the war. The runway was built in eight months[13] and the base was completed slightly more than two years later. A few weeks later, HQ USAF authorized the release of these photographs to the governments of Laos and Thailand. The wing was charged with the responsibility of supporting refueling requirements of USAF fighter aircraft in Southeast Asia, plus conducting bombing missions on a daily basis. Thailands situation worsened in 1961 as North Vietnam, with assistance from the Soviet Union and China, provided support to communist operations in South Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and parts of Thailand. Sattahip Thailand 1966-1967. U-Tapao and other USAF facilities in Thailand supported the evacuation. American news agencies, such as United Press International and Associated Press, were prohibited from filing stories about American military activities. The plane, which was carrying the air attach, was struck by .50 caliber rounds but was able to land safely. Joint United States Military Advisory Group - Thailand, United States Government Accountability Office, http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-13803.html, http://home.pcisys.net/~jjwilson/tob.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Royal_Thai_Air_Force_Bases&oldid=1145104187, Grants 431; Loans 64; Regional 34: Total 529. Luuk Khreung: The Vietnam War's Forgotten Legacy in Thailand In 1954, the war was waging in the Indochina Region. Endicott, Judy G. (1999) Active Air Force wings as of 1 October 1995; USAF active flying, space, and missile squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Thailand's Cold War role is usually seen through the prism of its support for the U.S. wars in Indochina. Endicott, Judy G. (1999) Active Air Force wings as of 1 October 1995; USAF active flying, space, and missile squadrons as of 1 October 1995. Some 80 percent of the American airstrikes launched against North Vietnam and its guerrilla camps in the region came from those air bases. In addition, combat missions were flown aiding friendly forces in Laos and, starting in 1970, Cambodia were also flown. [17]:256, In early-October 1968, a KC-135A tanker (55-3138)[19] lost power in the outside right engine (#4) on takeoff at U-Tapao and crashed, killing all four crew members.[20][21]. Known squadrons which deployed B-52 and KC-135 aircraft and crews to U-Tapao were: These units deployed usually on 90 days tours. [3]:2734 About 40,000 Thai military would serve in South Vietnam, with 351 killed in action and 1,358 wounded. Sattahip Thailand 1966-1967. : r/VietnamWar hope34 Do you know these guys? Both sides violated the Geneva Accords. United States Pacific Command (CINCPAC) ordered American technicians to assist the Royal Thai Air Force in processing and analyzing the film.