Shep Johnson Collection
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This collection was received from Shep Johnson in 2011, after he attended General Vang Pao’s memorial service in 2011.

"In the fall of 1960, John Lewis, Andy Andersen and I reported for duty in Okinawa and made several DC-4 flights into Laos in support of General Vang Pao's guerrilla army. In 1961, John Lewis and I reported to Guatemala with Jack Wall (MSO-48), who was in charge of training parachutists and riggers for the invasion of Cuba. John and I were asked to return to Laos and work for Air America, but I declined and returned to McCall for the upcoming fire season.

"In August 1961, John Lewis, Darrel Eubanks (IDC-54) and Dave Bevan (MSO-55) were killed in a C-46 crash while making a re-supply drop in Laos. Paperlegs Peterson, [my brother] Miles and I reported into Takli, Thailand, to replace those three and continued the re-supply drops to General Vang Pao's guerrilla forces. We did this until March of 1962 before returning to McCall for the 1962 fire season…

“"From 1965-1973, many smokejumpers worked as air-operations and case officers in Northern and Southern Laos. North, East, South or West, we were there. In 1969 and 1971, we supported General Vang Pao's Hmong Army to take the Plain de Jars. I was wounded February 14, 1971, at General Vang Pao's secret base, known as Long Tieng, or Lima Site 20A. I always felt it was a Valentine's gift from Ho Chi Minh."

—Shep Johnson: A More Than Interesting Life
Read more at Smokejumper Magazine
2004