page_title: Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base
section_title: Air America
hierarchical_section_title: Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base / History / Air America
caption_attribution_description: The Air America headquarters at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base.
context_page_description: Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force base, the home of 23rd Wing Air Command. It is in the city of Udon Thani in northeastern Thailand and is now the main airport serving the city and province.
  The RTAF 231 Squadron "Hunter" is assigned to Udorn, equipped with the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet-A.
context_section_description: Udorn RTAFB was the Asian headquarters for Air America (17.3863°N 102.788°E), a US passenger and cargo airline covertly owned and operated by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) which provided essential resources for the war in Laos and elsewhere. Its predecessor, Civil Air Transport (CAT), started operations from Udorn on 11 September 1955 with the arrival of three C-46s delivering food and emergency aid into Indochina. By the end of September, CAT had flown more than 200 missions to 25 reception areas, delivering 1,000 tons of emergency food. Conducted smoothly and efficiently, this airdrop relief operation marked the beginning of CAT's and, later, Air America's support of US assistance programs in Laos.
  Air America's roles supportive of covert and overt situations related to hostilities in Southeast Asia and elsewhere worldwide provided buffers and solutions to problems the United States faced in various locations. Operations were focused in Laos as part of the "secret war" the United States carried out against the Pathet Lao forces operating in the country. Udorn RTAFB also served as the site of "Headquarters 333", the Thai organization in charge of their forces in Laos.
  Air America continued operations from Udorn into Laos until 3 June 1974.
caption: Air America headquarters at Udorn, c. 1967
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