“The word was the North Vietnamese had been getting a free pass from U.S. bombings because of the monsoon season. The Air Force needed to do something to overcome the monsoonal weather; they figured out a way to use the TSQ technology to improve all-weather bombing accuracy using tactical fighter planes in what they termed ‘route packages’. It was a big deal—and when North Vietnam got wind of it they were determined to knock it out.
“Security was ridiculous—on one hand, the crews tasked to build and man this top-secret station were what they called ‘sheep-dipped’ military; flown into the Royal Thai Air Force Base, at Udorn, Thailand, given false identification and made to live off base so there wouldn’t be any military connection and then later they were airlifted from Udorn to the TACAN site; all very secretive and hush-hush.
“On the other hand, all that construction and activity on the mountain top drew attention from every quarter from the start.” Jack held his hands in a mock frame. “Picture this; all of a sudden there is intense action on this mountain. Oh yes, I forgot to mention also, that the mountain had some spiritual significance for the Laotians.
So from the beginning of the construction lots of folks were interested in what was happening and there was no way to keep locals off or away from it; and there was no way to tell the ‘friendlies’ from the enemy infiltrators.
“The site was considered to be almost impenetrable; there was a sheer drop of 2,000 feet on three sides so it was assumed that it was secure from the ground except from a frontal attack.
“From what I’ve learned it was targeted by the NVA from the outset and finally in March or April of ’68 after months of attacks with varying degrees of success, it fell to the North Vietnamese and the Pathet Lao, some of whom scaled the 2,000 foot cliffs to attack from within.
“Nobody really knew what happened to all of the personnel and the equipment. There were a few bodies recovered and there had been air strikes to destroy any remaining equipment and any enemy remaining at the site, but it was never satisfactorily confirmed.
“Late in 1968 and throughout 1969 rumors of new activity around the site raised more questions so it was a good cover for Kelshaw and Thayer to be assigned to Thailand/Laos to investigate.
“The plan was that they would both go to Udorn in Thailand to wait for confirmation of a pickup site for Chernakov. Kelshaw would remain at Udorn and monitor events while Thayer and a small team would go into Laos to get Chernakov to safety. Kelshaw told me what happened.
“The team left from a Laotian CIA Station site by helicopter to go after Chernakov. There was Thayer, a pilot, co-pilot, crew-chief and a Hmong or Meo tribesman named Tanh.” Jack ticked them off on his fingers as he talked. “They were to rendezvous with Chernakov at an abandoned airfield in Sam Neua Province, which would be supposedly guarded by American friendly, General Vang Pao and his men.
“The Meo, who accompanied Thayer to the prearranged meeting place, brought the news back to Kelshaw of what went down.
“It seems that shortly after they arrived at the airstrip and had Chernakov, the team came under a heavy ground attack from North Vietnamese Army troops. They were ready to get off the ground when the helo was hit and disabled. The pilot was killed before he could get out, and then the NV killed the co-pilot and crew chief.
“Thayer, Chernakov and the Meo had managed to get out and made it to some type of bunker and holed up, hoping a radio message the pilot had fired off, would bring some additional help.
“When they realized it wasn’t coming and they couldn’t hold out, Thayer wrote a letter to his wife and a message for Kelshaw. That, and some important information Chernakov carried for CIA, were given to Tanh to deliver to George. According to Tanh, Chernakov and Thayer created a diversion that allowed him to escape.
“He reported to Kelshaw that Thayer and Chernakov had put up a tough fight, but when the firing stopped; he knew that they were most likely dead. He stayed hidden and waited until the soldiers dragged the bodies out of the bunker confirming what he suspected, that they had both been killed.
“When things quieted down, he was able to get away and back to the station pickup site and then back to Udorn and Kelshaw. After giving George the letters and packet from Chernakov and the messages from Thayer, Tanh told Kelshaw that he was sure that he had seen two white men, one in a Soviet uniform with the NVA. He said they ransacked the helicopter and searched the bodies, taking whatever they could pry loose and…”
Andrew sat quietly listening trying to imagine the desperation of the events. Then he asked, “Did Kelshaw or the Meo say, what happened to the bodies?”
“No, but I would suppose that the NV probably torched or blew everything up including the bodies. They did a lot of that,” Jack said matter-of-factly while pouring himself another drink.
“So now back at Udorn… now the fun begins…” Jack continued. “In reporting on the action to the station chief, Bill Blair—I had met him; he was a nice guy, by the way, I digress,” Jack hiccupped and paused. Sighing he continued, “Blair tells Kelshaw he already knows about the ambush; that another agent, had brought information from Vang Pao’s camp and reported to Blair that everybody was dead at the Sam Neua airstrip. The agent knew all about it.” Jack was beginning to feel the scotch and was becoming more loquacious as he continued the story.
“Kelshaw asked Blair who the agent was and how anybody but Tanh could possibly have that information and how he got it. Before Blair can answer the question a man enters the office, guns down Blair and Tahn and wounds George. I guess it was pretty bloody; Kelshaw managed to wing the guy, but he got away; Kelshaw had taken a bullet in the shoulder and one had grazed his cheek—you might have noticed the scar on the left side of his face.” Jack said gesturing to the left side of his own face.
“To make a long story shorter, Kelshaw keeps the letter for Mrs. Thayer, determined to deliver it personally, and the Chernakov packet and contacts Neil Klein who is waiting in Saigon. He tells Klein what has happened to the mission and to Blair and Tanh and warns him that he believes there is a double agent working; that he will try to stay in contact, but that he is going after whoever set up Thayer and Chernakov.
“A double agent is an obvious detriment to an entire CIA operation. Kelshaw convinced Klein that he was the logical one to try to find out how far the damage had spread. So he destroys all sensitive documents at the Udorn station and bails out after getting partially patched up at the base dispensary. After months of being on the move while keeping a low profile, he winds up in Vientiane. And that’s where Jack Hubbard enters the picture.” He said thickly, placing his hand on his chest in mock solemnity.
“You knew Klein?” Andrew queried. He stood and refilled his glass.
“Yes, I knew Neil Klein; he was with the State Department Office of Intelligence in and out of Saigon when I was there in ‘68. He was a cool operator; always had his hand on what was going on. The Phou Pha Thi meltdown and the Tet Offensive were hot items on the military intelligence and the State Department menus and it’s my guess that Klein was called in to help monitor what was happening.
“He was a straight shooter; like a lot of us he didn’t like what the Administration was doing in ‘prosecuting the war’ as they liked to say. He hated the war and he was very uncomfortable with some of the games the White House and the Pentagon leaders were playing; he particularly didn’t like the attrition policies of some of the commanding generals. But, he wasn’t in a position to do anything except to do his job and report.
“I know he didn’t have a lot a time for all the petty diplomatic politics going on in Saigon. Later he got to Vientiane too, to see what could be done about the POW’s. I know he had serious disagreements with U.S. policy in the peace negotiations regarding the POWs and MIAs. Yeah, he’s almost one of the good guys.”