“In his free time while stationed overseas, Louis O’Jibway often helped the local communities, especially the homeless and leper camps, by providing food and resources. He was a man of deep religious faith and believed in helping those less fortunate. Those who knew him talk most of his kindness and empathy.”

CIA website

August 20, 2025 — CIA paramilitary officers Edward Johnson (STAR 17) and Louis O’Jibway (STAR 18) were killed when their helicopter crashed into the Mekong River on August 20, 1965. However, the official account of the incident conflicts with the findings later established by historians. Follow us on Twitter: @Intel_Today

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Last Mission

In January 2022, the CIA released a sanitized version (two redacted pages) of Edward Johnson’s biography. The last paragraph reads:

“In 1965, while on one of his frequent missions to survey the region, and make stops at area villages to visit tribal leaders, the helicopter carrying Edward Johnson and his friend and fellow operations officer, Louis O’Jibway, crashed into the Mekong River during a heavy rainstorm. Ed and Louis died in the crash.”

This account does not align with the facts as established by historians.

On Friday, August 20, 1965, Air America pilot Capt. Robert J. (“Bobby”) Nunez, 30, and flight mechanic Steve Nichols, 24, delivered supplies to a CIA forward base at Nam Yu in northeastern Thailand.

It was a routine flight for their Air America Sikorsky UH-34D helicopter. The crew was almost back to Udorn when O’Jibway radioed them to return north to pick up pilot George Calhoun, who had just crash-landed on a mountainous dirt landing strip.

After successfully rescuing the downed pilot, Nunez flew back to Nam Yu to refuel. Then, O’Jibway suggested they go party in Udorn. [The story was confirmed by crewman Steve Nichols.]

According to a witness:

“It was a spur-of-the-moment thing. Now Jib and the others said, ‘We’ll all go to Udorn and have a good meal at the club. Hell, we’ll all go back, have some good meals, sleep in a good bed, and talk to Bill [Lair] and Pat [Landry].’ Even though the weather was getting bad — it was the rainy season — they climbed aboard for their own reasons.”

The Sikorsky UH-34D helicopter took off with seven people on board. Capt. Robert Nunez and the rescued pilot, George Calhoun, sat in the pilot positions in the upper-level forward cabin.

Nichols, O’Jibway, and Johnson were seated in the cargo hold, along with two other passengers: Thai officer Capt. Ruang Ramrut and Laotian prince, Colonel Syborravong.

Cause of the Crash

Not long after take-off, heavy monsoon-season rain began to fall, and the sky grew very dark. Nunez decided to divert to Vientiane for safety. Suddenly, the right wheel struck the river, causing the UH-34D to flip over and sink into the Mekong River.

Nunez and Calhoun escaped through the cockpit’s sliding window. The cargo compartment door was underwater and stuck, but Nichols managed to squeeze through a small emergency hatch at the back of the cargo hold.

Search and Rescue Operation

At daybreak, a major search and rescue operation began. All three Air America employees were alive and quickly located. The search for the missing passengers lasted for three weeks.

Several days after the crash, CIA officer Edward Johnson’s body was found on the riverbank near Vientiane, while the body of Thai officer Capt. Ruang Ramrut was discovered 20 miles downriver. Both had drowned.

The bodies of O’Jibway and the Laotian prince, Colonel Syborravong, were never recovered, nor was the wreckage of the helicopter. At the crash site, the Mekong River is about one mile wide.

Investigation

An official Air America investigation, conducted at the request of the CIA, concluded that the crash was primarily due to pilot error.

In the heavy rain and darkness, Nunez misjudged the altitude, allowing the aircraft to strike the water.

Other contributing factors included an inoperative windshield wiper and the malfunctioning of both the aircraft’s automatic stabilization equipment and its minimum altitude warning light.

This situation was hardly surprising, as the CIA (along with Air America and Bird & Sons) relied on surplus equipment from the armed forces.

A few days later, the CIA lost two more officers, Michael Maloney and Michael Deuel, in another Air America helicopter crash, caused by mechanical failure.

Following this second crash, Philip Blaufarb, the CIA chief of station in Vientiane, made a formal request for better helicopters, but his request was denied.

Memorial Wall and Book of Honor

Edward Johnson and Louis O’Jibway were among the first 31 stars carved into the CIA Memorial Wall when it was created in 1974. Their names were inscribed into the initial Book of Honor.

O’Jibway’s body was never found. The CIA listed him as missing for a year. Finally, in the fall of 1966, the agency issued a death certificate. The first book of Honor lists Louis O’Jibway as the lone 1966 star.

References

“Edward Johnson (1923–1965).” Sanitized Biography (REDACTED). Approved for release on January 13, 2022. Central Intelligence Agency.

“A Native American Hero in the OSS and CIA.” John Whiteclay Chambers II, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History, Rutgers University

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60 Years Ago — CIA Memorial Wall — STAR 17 & 18 : Edward Johnson & Louis O’Jibway (Laos – August 20, 1965)