| Raid on Ban Naden | |
|---|---|
| Part of Laotian Civil War; Vietnam War | |
| Type | Covert rescue mission |
| Location | Ban Naden, northern Laos |
| Planned | Early December 1966 |
| Planned by | CIA |
| Commanded by | Sergeant Te |
| Objective | Free the prisoners of war held at Ban Naden |
| Date | January 9, 1967 0400 hours |
| Executed by | Team Cobra Supported by Air America, RLAF, and USAF |
| Outcome | 82 prisoners rescued |
| Casualties | 3 prison guards killed |
The raid on Ban Naden of 9 January 1967 was a successful rescue of prisoners of war during the Vietnam War.[1] The raid was improvised after local Central Intelligence Agency officers induced a Pathet Lao deserter to lead a rescue party back to the prison camp. At about 0400 hours on 9 January 1967, a raiding party of 10 Lao mercenaries led by Sergeant Te killed or dispersed the communist guard force, only to discover twice as many rescuees as they had counted upon. Some of the captives immediately returned to their local homes, while the others followed their rescuers to an impromptu pickup zone in the midst of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Hastily summoned Air America helicopters retrieved the raiders and the remaining prisoners, one of whom was Phisit Intharathat.
News of the raid was not released to the public or press. The operation is highly classified and used as an instructional case study in CIA training.