In Lt. Yee Xiong’s personal experience:

Around June 1968, my first cousin Pa Neng Xiong was recruited, trained, and paid by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as part of the Special Guerrilla Unist (SGU) in Region 2, where General Vang Pao was the regional commander. Pa Neng's role was as a dropper, flying with Thai mercenary pilots to deliver supplies such as rice and meat cans. They were performing a supply drop near Banna LS 15, about 10 or 15 miles Southwest of PDJ. This took place from early June until mid-October during the rainy season in Laos. The weather for the most part was cloudy with a low ceiling and intermittent rain. Although the conditions were not ideal for flight, the refugees couldn't wait, as the supplies were vital for survival and the flights continued.

During a mission, Pa Neng's plane disappeared without a trace and remains missing to this day. Because of the rescue operations at Long Tieng Airport (LS 20A), I was waiting at the airport with family members for news. It was there that I ran into Mr. John, who I believed to be a CIA case officer in Northern Laos. Since I could communicate with him fairly well due to my English lessons, he asked if I wanted to come and work for him. Without hesitation, I accepted his invitation and met him at his office the next day.

I accepted his offer which entailed sending me to Bangkok, Thailand for sixteen weeks of training where I would then return to Long Tieng (LS 20A) as a controller working alongside Thai mercenaries. After completing the training, I returned and operated at the Long Tieng tower from December 1968 until December 1969.

In January 1970, I joined the military as part of the Special Guerrilla Units (SGU) with the hope of being trained to fly fighter bombers. However, after three months of basic training, I was handpicked to fly with the United States Air Force fighter group known as Raven. My call sign was Robin 07. I flew with this group until February 1972, completing over 1,000 missions and earning a promotion to 1st Lieutenant. My unit was also known as ROBINS.

After the Ravens and the Thai mercenaries left Laos, the war did not end. Although the control tower at Long Tieng was closed, there was still a need for traffic control in order for fighter bombers and air transports. I was ordered by Jerry Danniel, the sole American CIA personnel there, to keep the tower open until other controllers finished their training and began working. Due to my experience as a back seater with the Ravens, I was also selected to continue flying with the Hmong Forward Controllers. As Hmong SGU, we continued to fight the communists until May 15, 1975.