CIA Vietnam war controlled USAF aircraft missions

I think it would be called under operational control by the military in support
of CIA ops.

Per a friend who flew A-26s early on and did a few drops of agents in the North
out of the bomb bay. His flight plan showed a slight delay in the arming area
with the bay doors open while a little guy in a black suit and chute climbed
into the bomb bay, then a place on the map were the doors were to be opened
enroute then closed, while over indian country.


Black aircraft aren't implausible for agent dropping and such, but these
would be most likely to be under the operational control of MACSOG.
Transports, of course, would be the likely aircraft in this role.

There were covert operations such as the bombing of Laos, or the weather
modification flights of Operation Popeye, but, while classified (perhaps
improperly), they were performed by the regular military chain of
command.

My reading of the Pentagon Papers suggests no combat aircraft were under
direct CIA control, although CIA operational people could certainly ask
for, and get support. Sedgwick Tourson's book on agent infiltration in
the north clearly speaks of the aircraft being military.