CNN: France honors CIA pilots for Vietnam service

**a1b2c3** · 17th February 2005, 05:05

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No specific mention of the FFL, but it is related to Dien Bien Phu.

Dave

**BobW** · 17th February 2005, 06:41

A great article, Dave.

A lot of discussion gets generated over who was the first American(s) killed in Vietnam. The article mentions "Earthquake McGoon" and Wallace Buford. It really depends on how the time line is drawn.

Allen Pope was later shot down over Ambon, Indonesia (1958). "Inadvertantly" he had identification papers with him when he was captured.

It's not that acurate to say Air America "ended". It "evolved" into E-Systems.

The French-US relationship transcends "Freedom Fries" and the rest of the publicity stunts.

Saluations,
BobW

**Terry** · 17th February 2005, 20:23

Don't forget that USA L/C Peter A. Dewey was killed in an ambush on the outskirts of Saigons airport on 25 Sept 1945.

**BobW** · 17th February 2005, 21:45

Bonjour Terry,
Thanks. I forgot his name. I just placed this in my notes.

Saluations,
BobW

**Rapace** · 20th February 2005, 17:05

Very interesting. Thanks for the information. I happen to be in touch over the internet with a retired Lt-Col of the USAF who spent some time in Cat-Bi air base, near Haïphong, as a maintenance personnel. Cat-Bi was the base where the C119 of the Civil Air Transport were stationed.
A young French officer was part of the crew of the C119 piloted by James McGovern and Wallace Bufford, shot over DBP on May 6, 1954. He was the only survivor of the crash landing in Laos and was interwieved last year in a documentary by Discovery Channel.

**BobW** · 20th February 2005, 21:35

Bonjour Patrick,

That was Col Jean Arlaux, retired, of La Rochelle.

There is an article about him. I could not hyperlink the article but it is at:

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Saluations,
BobW