Skyline Ridge LS-20A

Lamphanh Vongkosy and I first met in Pakse, Laos, in July 1972. Within two months thereafter, both of us were at Long Tieng (Longcheng), where I snapped this photo. Skyline Ridge, the scene of ferocious fighting in the winter of 1971-72, is in the background. I was a U.S. Air Force intelligence officer, and Lamphanh was a superbly talented and very experienced T-28 fighter pilot for the Royal Lao Air Force. I'm delighted to be in touch with him after all these years.