HOME MOVIES: 8mm

Genre: home movie

Format: 16mm

Description: These extraordinary Super 8mm home movies from the Vietnam War, come from a member of the "Ravens". The Raven Forward Air Controllers, also known simply as The Ravens, were fighter pilots used for forward air control in a covert operation in conjunction with the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States in Laos during America's Vietnam War. The Ravens provided direction for most of the air strikes against communist Pathet Lao targets and People's Army of Vietnam's infiltrators in support of the Laotian Hmong guerrilla army. SCENE #1: (00:00:00) T-28 on ramp at Pakse, loaded with Napalm. … (00:26:10) T-28 taking off at Pakse. SCENE #2: (01:37:00) T-28’s bombing target on Bolavens Plateau. … (03:38:05) T-28 shooting rockets on target. Target is a PL (Pathet Lao) village. Ravens did not direct airstrikes on villages, but would monitor the strikes to make sure the Lao Pilots were hitting the village they wanted to target. However, the Ravens had no control over the T-28’s. SCENE #3: (04:59:10) PL antiaircraft locations (the round holes in the ground). SCENE #4: (05:50:10) T-28’s on target on the Eastern foot of the Bolavens Plateau. (06:47:10) When 2 smokes (WP’s, Willie Petes, White Phosphorus) are used, the fighters are to drop their ordnance anywhere between the 2 smokes. … (07:01:15) As here, the 2 smokes mark the area for the dropping of CBU’s (Cluster Bomb Units). … (07:26:10) Here, 500# bombs are dropped. … (07:48:00) Here, Napalm is dropped. … (08:52:00) More 500# bombs. … During these bombing runs, T-28’s are shown making their run-in on target. … (10:05:00) Another CBU run. This is a good shot of the CBU’s. SCENE #5: (11:03:00) Saravane, Laos, burning. Saravane was overrun by the N. Vietnamese, who set the town on fire. SCENE #6: (12:06:05) Passengers at Saravane Airport waiting to load onto plane. SCENE # 7: (13:20:00) School children in Saravane, Laos, in marketplace. As always, they all want their picture taken. SCENE #8: (13:59:05) Shop along road in Laotian town and the pedestrian traffic, bicycles, and cyclos (taxis), women carrying firewood on their back, etc. A lot of "village activity". … (16:25:05) Laotian soldiers in café for coffee. … (16:45:00) Boys playing soccer at school. SCENE #9: (18:31:00) Military compound at Saravane, Laos, with women walking down road. Gasoline drums are seen lined up on the ground ready to be used to refuel aircraft. All refueling is done manually with a hand-pump. Airline Stewardess and Pilot are seen on ramp at Saravane. … (20:07:05) Royal Lao Air Force plane landing at Saravane. … (20:51:05) Konty (Raven 58’s GIB [Guy-in-the-Backseat]) is shown at Saravane holding Raven 58’s Chicom SKS that was given to him by General Phasouk, the MR-4 Commander (Military Region). He is standing in front of the Lao Airlines sign at Saravane. SCENE #10: (21:19:10) Raven 58’s O-1 and looking toward the mist-shrouded mountains south of Saravane. When flying over the northern part of the Bolavens Plateau, breaking out below the clouds, it was a very "prehistoric"-type site. In fact, unknown at the time, Ravens spotted what would eventually be determined to be a previously unknown huge water buffalo. It turned out to be an unknown species that is about twice the size of water buffalos commonly seen in the rice fields. … (21:45:10) A village along the runway at Saravane complete with water buffalo (the normal size).

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