Ret. Colonel Philip Conran

"There are no American ground combat troops in Laos."

President Richard Nixon, March 6, 1970

Major Philip J. Conran was awarded the Air Force Cross on May 20, 1970, a downgrade from the recommended Medal of Honor. Why was it downgraded? President Nixon certainly did not want to disclose we actually did have American troops in Laos.

On October 6, 1969, then USAF Major Philip J. Conran, piloting a CH-3 helicopter at a classified location in Laos, had just minutes to make a critical decision whether to rescue his downed comrades or fly safely back to the home base. Fortunately for his comrades on the ground, he chose to attempt the rescue even though the heavily armed North Vietnamese combat soldiers were waiting. He knew that if he didn’t make the attempt to rescue the men, they had very little chance of survival. For his heroic actions, he was recommended the Medal of Honor by his commanding officer.

“I retired in 2004 after 40 years in CIA special operations, serving in many trouble spots around the world in that time frame. I have seen several acts of the highest level of courage in my career, but none came close to Phil Conran’s actions at Muang Phin. I strongly believe he should have been awarded the Medal of Honor and never understood why he could be awarded the Air Force Cross for actions in Laos and not the Medal of Honor performed in the same country.”

Bruce Lehfeldt, CIA Special Operations

This website describes in detail one of the largest rescue missions during the Vietnam War, occuring in Laos; the heroic efforts of a USAF helicopter pilot risking his life to save his comrades; and the pursuit by his family, friends, military veterans, and Members of Congress to have the President of the United States reinstate the original recommendation to award this pilot with the Congressional Medal of Honor.

How can you help support these efforts? Write to your member of Congress asking for their support of House Bill 9325.

US Air Base at Nakon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base (NKP) in Thailand was the home base where the US conducted irregular warfare operations along the Ho Chi Minh Trial in Laos. The mission, which included five helicopters left this base and headed south to the Airstrip (LS-235) just north of the city Xeno, where they picked up the Lao soldiers from the Savannakhet SGU Red Battalion and flew to a landing zone at the Moung Phine Airstrip (LS-300).

Moung Phine (spelled now Muang Phin) was a pivotal location along routes 9 and 23 and the Xe Chon River near Xepon (Tchepone), which was a short distance from the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Xepon was a primary transit center between the Ho Chi Minh Trail and route 9 which is only about 25 miles to the South Vietnam border.