Lee Lue

Lee Lue
𖬃𖬰𖬞 𖬘𖬞
Native name
Lis Lwm / 𖬃𖬰𖬞 𖬘𖬞
BornDecember 1935
Phou Pheng Village Xiangkhoang Province, Laos, French Indochina
Died12 July 1969(1969-07-12) (aged 33)
near Muang Soui, Laos
AllegianceHmong people
French Indochina Laos
Kingdom of Laos Laos
Service/branchRoyal Lao Air Force
Years of service1967–1969
RankLieutenant colonel
UnitSpecial Unit based at LS-20A, Long Tieng, Laos
Commands heldT-28 fighter bomber squadron
Battles/warsSecret War in Laos
Second Indochina War (Vietnam War)
Cold War
Relationswife Jou
first-born son Ze

Major Lee Lue (RPA: Lis Lwm, Pahawh: 𖬃𖬰𖬞 𖬘𖬞; 1935 – 12 July 1969) was a Laotian Hmong fighter bomber pilot notable for flying more combat missions than any other pilot in the Kingdom of Laos. Lee Lue flew continuously, as many as 10 missions a day and averaging 120 combat missions a month to build a total of more than 5,000 sorties.[1] Lee Lue was the leader of the special group of Hmong pilots flying T-28Ds from Long Tieng against the Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese positions. The group was funded by the CIA and was part of the regular Royal Lao Air Force, but took orders directly from MR2 Commander Gen. Vang Pao. His T-28 was shot down by anti-aircraft fire over Muang Soui, crashing in a mountainous area near Ban Phou Pheung Noi on July 12, 1969.[2] At the time of his death, he had flown more combat missions than any other pilot in history.[3]

A motto attributed to him was "Fly 'til you die."[4] He was posthumously promoted to lieutenant colonel.[5]

  1. ^ Air Force Association - The Plain of Jars Archived 2006-10-10 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Air America in Laos III – in combat Archived 2007-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Hillmer, p. 5.
  4. ^ "Hmong - A Resource Guide for teachers" (PDF). Archived from the original on November 8, 2007. Retrieved 2013-10-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ^ "The Day we Lost Lee Lue". Archived from the original on November 10, 2004. Retrieved 2006-06-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)

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