I normally try to avoid crossposting, but am sending
this to three related and relevant newsgroups.
(and plan on later sending most of it, to 3 others)

Not very long ago on one of these groups, I read an
interesting discussion on the Fulton STAR System.

Background - the Fulton system was an "interesting"
plan/device to extract an individual.
Individual on the ground or in the water could secure
himself in a harness, harness secured to stretchable
rope/cord/cable, cord lifted into air by 'weather' type balloon,
plane with 'wiskers/forks' and special grabing apparatus
would fly by and snag (hit cord below baloon and over
extractee), person would go whooosh up, and be
recovered by plane crew.
Shown in movie Thunderball by a B-17, and in fair
number of other movies.

Later and totally unrelated,
I was reading in book "Fighting Dirty" by Peter Harclerode,
and came upon what I think was interesting information
in the chapter on "Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos 54-71".

"Assigned solely to SOG, the 90th SOS's MC-130s were
also fitted with the Fulton --- designed to permit the aerial
retrieval of downed aircrew from the ground." ----
"The system was proven, having been used by the CIA
during several operations in other parts of the world ---"
But as for these BRIGHT LIGHT MISSIONS in Vietnam etc.,
"Although a number of such rescues of pilots were attempted
by the 90th SOS Blackbirds, none were successful as on
each occasion, enemy troops, guided to the pilot's location
by the baloon, arrived before he could be snatched to
safety."

Clasify under, "Seemed like a good idea at the time!"