Spy thriller depicts CIA secret airlines

 

In my MISSION OF VENGEANCE spy thriller, Corey Pearson uses the CIA's HST clandestine airlines to secretly move him around the Bahamas, Florida Keys, and Caribbean. HST is fictitious, but the CIA used the clandestine 'Air America' airlines to conduct its secret missions in Vietnam, Cambodia, and elsewhere.

     HST is a descendant of the infamous Air America, an American passenger and cargo airline established in 1946 and covertly owned and operated by the CIA from 1950 to 1976. It supplied and supported covert operations in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. I know it well, for a friend of mine flew for Air America back then. He often flew sorties into neighboring Laos. He was paid well, earning almost $30,000 a year salary, not a bad income for 1970, and he was paid even more for hazardous missions. 

     Although then President Nixon denied it, all through the Vietnam War the CIA flew sorties over Laos during undercover operations to supply their anti-communist allies. They used dozen of sophisticated planes and helicopters under civilian colors. It was dangerous work.

     I remember my friend (name will remain anonymous), complaining about never receiving benefits after he retired from the CIA. Talk about being burned! Air America was dissolved in 1976, and the employees were released unceremoniously with no accolades and no benefits, even for those who suffered long-term disabilities. The families of Air America pilots who were killed in action received no death benefits.

     Today, the CIA maintains private aircraft and airlines that it remains tight-lipped about. CIA operatives may fly on commercial, military, and private aircraft, depending on the circumstances. The Agency owns at least twenty-six airplanes, and 10 of them were purchased after the 9/11 attacks.

     While researching info for my spy thrillers, I was amazed at how the CIA conceals its ownership of planes and airlines behind a web of seven shell corporations that appear to have no employees and no function apart from owning the aircraft.

     It maintains airlines under the following front organizations: Aero Contractors (United States), Air America (my buddy flew for this one), Air Asia (Taiwan), American Committee for Cultural Freedom, American Committee for the Liberation of the Peoples of Russia, American Committee on United Europe, and Arizona Helicopters.

     My MISSION OF VENGEANCE spy thriller depicts the planes that the CIA still owns and flies today, even though the High-Speed Transport (HST) airlines is fictitious. Here’s a snippet:

     The HST Cessna 425 twin turboprop flew over the Inagua islands and banked slightly to the left. Crooked Island and the Acklins soon appeared as luxuriant green emeralds on a dark blue sea. They were making good time, traveling nearly 300 mph since departing the Dominican Republic from the remote Baigua Airport. When an urgent mission sprang up, Corey preferred slipping out of a country unnoticed, so he chose this agricultural airstrip near the hamlet of Baigue.

     The gravel runway was no problem for the experienced HST Airlines pilot, but Corey gripped his seat as the unkept trees sprouting up just off the runway centerline and the demolished service building flew by. The pilot abruptly skyrocketed into the air just before the end of the 2,400-foot runway.

     Onboard with Corey were agents Ashley Murray and Alexis Phillips along with two hazmat technicians and their bomb-sniffing dogs which were posing as service dogs. End of snippet

     Lastly, enjoy the video "Air America: CIA Mercenaries Over Laos."

Robert Morton is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) and enjoys writing about the U.S. Intelligence Community. He authors the Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster series. Check out his latest spy thriller: MISSION OF VENGEANCE.