Throughout its history, the CIA has never hesitated in playing the role of the armed wing in the service of a White House always eager for clandestine actions. Acting as a veritable unofficial army, the American Intelligence AGency used aircraft widely to achieve its ends, often losing in discretion what it had gained in efficiency! From simple logistic operations to the most abrupt offensive actions, not forgetting espionage missions which were in keeping with its real nature, the CIA has wirtten some of the most incredible pages in the history of worldwide aeronautics. From Bosnia to Zaire, along with the harsh areas of Iraqi Kurdistan, it continues today to use its airborne wing with a consummate artistry possible because of its huge financial means. One thing is certain...the wings of the CIA will carry on for quite a while.

"Special actions collection."

Introduction -- 1. The Very Beginning -- Thursday 3rd December 1941, Washington -- Birth of Partnership -- Missions in Occupied France -- Operations Throughout Europe -- The Invader enters the scene -- The OSS: Victum of the new found peace -- The CIA, Offspring of the Cold War -- Attempts in Europe -- Operation Valuable in Albania -- At the heart of the Communist Empire -- 2. The First Interventions in Asia -- Asia, land of adventure -- Teaming up with the Chinese Nationalists -- Scenes of Exodus -- Operation "Paper" in Burma -- The Korean War -- The commitment in Indochina -- The first canon shots at Dien Bien Phu -- Operation "Squaw II" -- Last Missions above Dien Bien Phu -- Raids over Communist China -- Operation "Tropic" in Manchuria -- 3. First Engagements in Latin America -- Eisenhower, head of secret operations -- Operation "Success" in Guatamala in 1954 -- A certain Fidel Casto -- Operation Pluto -- Some unwelcome changes -- A liberation air force -- First missions over Cuba -- The B-26 arrives -- Castro is alerted -- The B-26s attack Cuba: Operation Puma -- Saturday 15th April, D2 -- First victories -- and First losses -- Sunday 16th April: D-1 -- Monday 17th April: Fiasco for Zapata -- The plot thickens -- Tuesday 18th April: D + 1 -- Strong implications -- Wednesday 19th April: D+ 2 -- Thursday 20th April: D + 3 -- 4. Asia: The Situation Deteriorates -- Indonesia 1958: Operation Haik -- a Rebel air force created out of nothing -- One mission too many -- Allen Pope, a valuable prisoner -- Tibet: Combat on China's doorstep -- Laos 1961, Operation Mill Pond -- The first surprises -- Laos not worth a war -- Butterflies from Laos -- The Steve Canyon Programme -- The Rules of engagement -- A secret town -- Make the enemy show itself -- a Shameful End -- 5. Air America -- The airline of the CIA -- A cocktail of dollars and adventure -- An atmosphere of insecurity -- The kingdom of the STOL -- Rice and pigs -- A Workhouse named Provider -- Toy money and hot soup -- Helicopter Pilots -- Top secret missions in Thailand -- Cutting the Ho-Chi-Minh Trail -- Some bad smells -- The Rock -- The end of a secret -- 1971, Red Alert -- The Saravane Massacre -- The end of the story -- Last mission -- 6. Vietnam -- Getting caught up in the system -- Air America in Vietnam -- Drug traffickers -- Very real risks -- The Tet Offensive -- Teh United States leave Vietnam -- I can't control shit -- Cambodia: The most useless of wars -- The last chance airlift -- The end of an era -- 7. African Affairs -- A new field of Opposition -- Congolese adventures -- Katanga Secession 1960-1963 -- CIA Air Force -- The B-26K -- First missions -- birth of the Wigmo -- Red dragon, Black dragon -- The end of the Simbas -- The rebellion of the mercenaries -- Angola, new theatre of operations -- Intermountain Aviation -- The good and the bad -- Southern Air Transport -- African Dominoes -- Big Money, small missiles -- 8. Freedom fighters -- Destination Islamabad -- All but marines -- a Unit named Seaspray -- Electronic eavesdropping -- aid to the Contras -- Birth of a Contra Air Force -- American Involvement -- All too much -- Project Democracy -- First missions -- Small problems, big snags -- Eurge goes parachuting -- Missiles against hostages -- 9. The U-2, Creature of the CIA -- An unappeased need -- The CIA grabs the opportunity -- Eight months to create the U-2 -- Groom lake unearthed -- Operation Overflight -- First attempts, master stroke -- The Suez crisis -- The U-2 and the Soviet space programme -- Britain the faithful ally -- a Menace comes to light -- The unreal first of May -- Chronology of a disaster -- Boody trapped seat and poisoned needle -- Caught red-handed -- Barrage fire -- The Cuban Missile Crisis: K versus K -- The tension mounts -- The CIA's Naval aviation -- The U-2 and China -- Peking first victories -- Missile counter-measures -- The U-2 grows -- End of an era -- 10. Espionage of the Highest Degree -- A wish fulfilled -- The CIA places an order -- First operations -- The SR-71 enters the stage -- The Blackbird on all fronts -- Like mother, like daughter -- The Ryan family -- The Yugoslavian Crisis -- Retourn to the Balkans -- Failure in Iraq -- Higher still -- The Corona project -- The surveillance satellite -- The modern epic of the KH-11s -- Satellites on every front -- Big ears -- Epilogue -- Bibliography -- Acknowledgements.